The Colfax chronicle., 1890-10-25
THE FIRE-HANo-BlRD.

THE FIRE-HAN0-BlRD.
As am sitting in the sun upon the porch to-
day,
look with wonder at the elm that stands across
say and mean with wonder, for now it seems
tome
That elm is not as tall as years ago II used TO
bel
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 on the old firehsng.
birds nestl
the Hubbard boys had tried In vain to reach
the homely prize
That danglcd from that upper outer twig in
taunting wise,
And once, when Deacon Turner's boy had al
most grasped the limb,
He fell! and had to have doctor operate on
PhiIetus Baker broke his leg and Orrin Root his
arm
But what Of thati The danger gave the sport
Especial charml
The Bixbies. and the Cutler boys. the Newtons
and the rest
Ran every risk TO carry on the old fire. hang
birds nesti
I can remember that I used to knee my trousers
through,
That 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 creased my
purple legs,
She told me 'twould be wicked to destroy q
hang BIRDS eggs,
And then she'd call on father and on gran'pa to
attest
That they, as boys, had never robbed an old
hre-hang bird'snestl
Yet all those years coveted the trophy Haunt
ing there,
While, as it were in mockery Of my abjcct de-
spafr,
The old ire.hang.bird confidently used to come
As If she were Indifferent to the bandit horde
beloWi
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 dearst ali prohtIess shall be their
wicked quest
know my business whom built the old fire.
hang birds nestw
For many, very many years that mother bird
has como
To orear her pretty little brood within that cosy
home
She Is the sslf-ssme bird Of old-rm certain It
Although the chances are that she has quite for
gotten me.
Just rs Of old that prudent. crafty bird Of com
pound name.
(And in parenthesis I'll say her nest is still the
ssmet;
Just Is Of old the passion, too that fires the
To climb unto and comprehend the oldire-hang-
birds nestl -
like to sec my oId-time friend swing in that
ancient tree,
And. II the elm as tall and sturdy as It usfd
to be,
I'm sure that manys year that nest shall in the
For boys aren't what they used to be forty
years ago!
The elm looks shorter than 1t did when brother
Rufe and
Beheld with envious hearts that trophy fiaunt
ed from on high;
He writes that In the city where he's living way
His little boys have never seen an old nre-hang
birds nest.
Poor little chapsl how lonesomelike their city
life must be-
wish they'd come and live awhile in this olt
house with me.
They'd have the honest friends and heaithfu
sports used to know,
When brother Rufe and I were boys q forty
years ngo.
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 recoliections of their youth Tn
sure the best
Would be of how they sought In vain the ole
hre-hang birds nest
Eugene Field In Youths Companion.