Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-03-22

lated. During the first few months OF
his residence with me, no gave
one song Of perhaps twenty
notes, ending in lovely ire
molo. This had great variety OF ar
rangement but It bore unmisiakable
resemblance to the original theme II
was in quality totally unlike any bird
note l ever heard, and thrilling In an
extraordinary degree. though 1t was
uttered with the beak nearly closed. 1
can readily believe what Mr.. ODER and
others assert, that II must have star
Ting effect when poured out freely in
his native woods. This song alone
placed the clarin at the head OF all
songsters that have heard or heard
Of. But after nearly year OF this, he
came out one memorable day with an
entirely new melody, much more intri-
cate and more beautiful, which for
some time he reserved for very special
and particular occasions, still Civ
ing the former one ordinari-
ly. Some months later, to my
amazement. he added third chant
which so resembled that Of the wood
thrush that II he had been near one I
should have thought 1t a remarkable
mimicry. He delivered this with the
exquisite feeling OF the native bird,
even the delicious quivering tone at
the end, which indeed my bird often
repeated in a low tone by itself. Some
times, when the room was very still,
and he sitting on his perch. feathers
pulled out perfectly happy. he
breathed out this most bewitching
tremulous sound without opening his
beak-a performance enchanting boz
yond words to express
These themes the clarin constantly
varied, and In the three years OF his
life with me l often noted down.
in sort OF phonetic way.
his songs as he delivered them.
and / have six or seven that
are perfectly distinct and different He
never mixed them together. or united
them; he rarely sang two on the Same
day. All through, too, there seemed
so much reserve power that one could
not resist the conviction that he could
60 on and on. and break ones heart
with his voice, II he chose
The birds own deep feeling was
shown by his conduct; the least move
ment In the room shut him up instant
ly. One could heartily say with an
other bird-lover across the sea. IF he
has not a soul. who will answer TO me
for the human soulp"
1t was reserved for the last weeks OF
his life for my bird 10 give mo the
most genuine surprise. One day. ] sat
quietly at my desk. The bird stood
on q perch very near my head
so near / could not turn TO look
at him, when, without q mo
ment's hesitation. without an
instant's preliminary practice, he
burst out into a glorious, heavenly,
perfect song that struck me dumb and
breathless. Not daring to move hand |
or foot, yet wanting some record OF tho |
wonderful aria, jotted down. in the |
page was writing, few OF the OPEN
ing notes; could re-write my page,
but could not bear To lose tho music. |
Three times, at intervals Of perhaps
one minute, he uttered the same mar
velous song. and then l never heard It |
again. After all. l had not record OF |
1t, for though It was deliberate and
at every repetition was SPELL
bound, and could not separate II into
tones.
Though ] should live to DO thou
sand years old, and visit evory country
under Heaven, am sure should never |
hear such rapturous burst OF song
again
Low and soft as the soothing fill
or the fountni OF Eden; sweet as tho Gull
Oi angels over the Jasper wall
That welcomes soul 10 Heaven.
Olive 7horae Miller. in AtlaatSc.