The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-11-01
BEYOND THE BARS.
Alluring Engagements Which Nat
ure Onars Her Lovers.
The Barn Yard, the Meadow, tho Brook
and the Great Rambling Barn,
Each Possesses Its Own
Peculiar Charm.

The road ends at the farmhouse
that is TO say. it runs square mp to a
set OF bars opening into barn-yard.
But If one is not daunted by bars and
the little unpleasantness of a barn.
yard, he may reap his reward. | was
not daunted; did reap my reward.
The inclosure crossed and other bars
passed. ] entered Il pasture beyond. In
the corners of the rail fence which zig
gags along one side has grown up n
thick hedge Of weeds bushes, and even
trees, self-sown, and in parts impas-
sable. This is the home of the small
birds.
As ! passed up the shady path be-
side the fence there was scurrying and
scampering, small brown wings flashed
everywhere, cries of dismay arose on
all sides-the sharp pip OF chippy,
and the anxious notes of song and other
sparrows. | stopped to let them get
over their fright little. and looked
over the fence into the meadow that
covers slope of tho mountain--if one
may so call what is really more like .
series OF terraces.
At tho top of all is the barn, and l
was at once attracted by the eccentric
movements of dog belonging to the
farmhouse, who now and then ap-
pcared above the edge of the terrace
in great excitement and haste, and as
suddenly disappeared. What could be
the matter? | fastened down The
meadow (through more bars) to the
edge of the first fall OF the land. There
saw the family pet, beautiful
shepherd dog, greatly excited. run
ming back and forth on a rather mar
row ledge below me. Now he rushed
frantically along for thirty or forty
feet, with tail wagglng as II in sport,
then suddenly wheeled and ran back
in the same eager way. Sometimes he
made dash to tho left. and tore mad
ly up the steep side of the mountain;
again he flung himself over the edge,
going almost heels over head in his
zeal.
But what could be the cause? l
could see no playmate; his young mas
ter was moving further down the
meadow. | thought of woodchucks -
his favorite game-but though ! looked
carefully, not one OF those wary Great
ures was to be seen. moreover, it is
business and not play when dog and
woodchuck meet. At last, seeing tho |
dog leap into the air, my eye fell upon
his play-fellow barn swallow! II
could hardly believe my eyes, but |
sat down on convenient bank and |
watched for some time the strange |
game. The dog would sit quietly at
one end OF the run till sparrow
swooped down just over his head, and
skinned along at that height and |
length of the terrace. On his appear.
ance the dog started full speed after
him, and when the bird turned back
the dog did the same, II the swallow
went up toward the barn the dog
scrambled up the steep bank after
him; if downward toward the lower
meadow. his four-footed pursuer fol-
lowed. When the bird rose higher,
the dog--as | said--sat down and
waited.
"And SO tho swallows are the mer-
riest follows" sings Diamond in Mac
donald's most charming book: and hav-
ing caught one Of them enjoying a
game of romps with dog, must fain
agree with the child.
While l looked, the dog walked off,
much as II he did not like q spectator,
and tie path beside the hedge again
allured me, | returned to the pasture
and walked slowly along. The field
swept straight up the mountain, with
here and there a solitary tree or an
outcropping rock, but all paths
on this hillside lead TO brooks.
and one Of these little streams
with its bordering OF trees. leaping
and bounding down the valley, is
belt OF beauty of which the birds and
! never tire. Where the road crosses
the streamlct is little bridge, or some-
times only stepping-stones, and the
deep shade on both sides combines
with the soothing song Of the water to
make natural place OF rest.
Here, again, pause and look about
to see who / have disturbed by my
coming, for ono can hardly move,
find, without intruding upon somebody
who lives in that spot There are birds
to whom this special piece Of earth is
home; their nests are hidden close by,
and these are-in their opinion, no
doubt their private grounds. In that
bunk behind me Is the dark entrance
to woodchuck's home; this very stone
is his front doorstep; here he sits up
and views the prospect Ger" and
here he sclaces himself with music
when darkness has silenced the birds.
Other md smaller doors there are.
opening into some Of the millions OF
private apartments in our old earth.
whose tenants walt for 'tho high fas-