The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-08-23
THE FIRE-HANG-BlRD.


AS | an sitting in the sun upon the porch to-
day
Hook with wonder at the elm that stands across
the way;
say and mean with wonder" p" for now II seems
to me
That en- is not as tall as years ago 1t used to
b.
The old fire hang birds built her nest therein
for many springs
High up amid the sportive winds the curious
cradle swings,
But not so high as when little boy did my
best
TO scale that elm and carry of the old fire hang.
BIRDS nest
The Hubbard boys had tried in vain TO reach
the homely prize
That tGuClcd from that upper outer twig in
tuuEting wise,
And oacc, when Deacon Turner's boy had al
most graspod the limb,
He fell ana had to have doctor operate on
him,
Philcius Baker broke his leg and orrin Root his
arm
But wha. of thatS The danger gave the sport
special charm!
The 3ixhics, and the Cutler boys the Newtons
and the rest
Ran every risk to carry of the old tirc.hung-
birds nest!
through
Tha, mother used to wonder how my legs got
black and blue
And how she used to talk TO me and make stern
threats when she
Discovered that my hobby was the nest in yon
der tree:
How as she patched my trousers or greasedmy
purple legs,
She told me 'twould be wicked to destroy
hangbrd's eggs,
And then she'd call on father and on gran'pa to
attest
That they, as boys had never robbed an old
fre.hang birdsnest!
Yet all those years coveted the trophy faunt.
ing there,
While, as it were in mockery Of my abject de-
The old fre.hang bird confidently used to con
and 60
As If she we're Indifferent to the bandit horde
below
And sometimes clinging to her nest we thought
we heard her chide
The callow brood whose cries betrayed the fear
that reigned inside;
"Hush, little dears all prohtless shall be their
wicked quest
1 knew my business when built the old fire
hang.birds nest"
For many very many years that mother bird
has come
To rear her pretty little brood within that cosy
home.
She is the self.same bird of old-rm certain it
Although the chances are that she has quite for
gotten me.
Just as of old that prudent, crafty bird of com
pound name,
(And in parenthesis I'll say her nest is still the
same);
Just as OF old the passion, too, that fires the
Youthful breast
To climb unto and comprehensive old fire hang
birds nest!
like to see my old.time friend swing in that
ancient tree
And, II the elm's as tall and sturdy as IT ussd
to be,
I'm sure that manya year that nest shall in the
breeZes blow,
years ago!
The elm looks shorter than 1t did when brother
Rufc and
Beheld with envious hearts that trophy faunt.
ed from on high
He writes that in the city where he's living way
out West
His little boys have never seen an old fire hang.
birds nest
Poor little chaps how lonesomelilse their city
life must be
I wish they'd come and live awhile in this old
house with me-
They'd have the honest friends and healthful
sports used TO know,
When brother Rufe and l were boys a forty |
years ago.
So, when they grew from romping lads to busy, |
useful men, |
Tey could recall with proper pride their coun |
try life again;
And OF those recollections OF their youth I'm |
sure the best
Would be OF how they sought in vain the old |
fre-hang birds nest!
Eugene Field, in Youths Companion.