The Washington critic., 1889-04-24
THE TOWNS PHoTooRApH.

an attractive glfl lendlnB last me III Jnls
city, and, impelled by good motives, he ex-
tended helping hand and took her out of
the house of bondage lie accordingly re
moved her to more fashionable part Of
the city and secured apartments for her
which were fitted up not only with luxu-
ries, but with typewriter. Being an ex-
pert pianist the young woman soon took a
fancy TO the typewriter aud was quickly
enabled 10 master it. When this was ac-
complished position was secured for her
In one of the Departments by her chivalric
protector, who dared the frowus of the
world in his noble efforts TO rescue
woman from life OF shame. BY some
means the story Of her carly life became
known to some penny-a-line scribblers, and
they hasiened to blacken the gentleman as
much as their puny efforts would permit and
then turned their batteries upon the de.
fenseless woman. Those who have read
sheet published weekly at Gotham purport
ing to give an inside view of social life of
the Metropolis and the Capital win under
stand this reference and condemn such an
unprovoked and brutal assault upon girl
who is trying to reform.
ga
All the Washington birds have returned
home from their annual Southern pilgrim
age and their voices are heard everywhere
in the parks. They are busy maNing the
rounds Of all the old haunts and loaiing
plac IS OF last year, and as there is much
chattering, they are, no doubt, commenting
vigorously on the various changes that have
been made. They have had their say about
the taking down of the fences, have agreed
about the ill-smelling ailantus trees being
removed, talked over the taste the gar.
deners displayed in arranging the flower
beds and selected the sites OF this years
nests. This town is favorite resort for
birds, and great many species make
their homes here. The English sparrow, of
course, is ever present, he never goes away.
Robin red-breast is most numerous down
near the Agricultural Department, for he
is OF retiring disposition and wants to get
as far away from the hum Of the city as pos
sible. They are all paired now and busy
building their nests away up in the tree
tops. As you walk along the road next the
river, In the rear Of the Monument, or, in
fact, anywhere within sound of the water,
you will hear a chirping from thousand
little musical throats. II is only in the
cleaning that these peedies chant, only
for brief hour, that delightful twilight
hour when the sun is just going down and
the day is being swallowed up by the
night. 1t is peculiar melody that
these little swamp vagrants sing;
there is no discord, and It is very
simple, just repetition of the one
poor little note which they possess. Over
and over again 1t is chirped, with never q
change, aud as one saunters leisurcly along
in the twilight of the dying April day the
sound waited to him from across the river
has singularly restful and soothing effect.
The whip-poor-will is another bird of the
night that will be heard quite frequently,
its plaintive note coming softly to you on
the evening air. Now and then you Will be
startled by the harsh hoot Of the owl in the
more retired parts Of the reservations. In
the morning, while the dew is yet sparkling
on the grass, the day birds sing their
choicest notes, and as they hop, twittering
all the while, from limb to limb, they seem
at peace with all nature. There are but few
song birds in Washington. The cat-bird is,
| perhaps the most notable Of these, her
voicem much resembling that of the mocking-
bird, but unlike the latter she only sings
before her nest is built and the counting
| days are at the height OF their bliss When
the cares of family weigh upon her the
| pleasant melody of her voice relapses into
an unmusical squeak. How like unto some
| of the fair sex is this feathered little thngl
| The oriole and the bobolink are with us,
| too, In considerable numbers aud add their
| pleasant notes to the concert that begins so
| early and ends SO late. There are strictly
| ornamental birds, just as there are strictly
ornamental people; they say nothing, but
! attend altogether to the business OF looking
pretty. Now and then brilliant-plumaged
red-bird drifts over from the Virginia hills
and gives herself many airs before her less
well-dressed sisters, but they frequently
| turnup their noses at her and go on with
their songs. The blue-bird, too, lends color
to the collection, and has many pitched bat
ties with Its deadly enemy, the wren.
None of them seem to get along with the
blue-bird. He is at constant war-the SOL
dier Of the bird world
| S