Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-03


September days have the warmth q
summer In their briefer hours. but "
their lenxrhening evenings prophetic
breath 81 autumn.
The cricket chirps In the noonude.
making the most Of what remains Of ms
brief life; the bamblebee ia busy among
the clover blossoms Of the Aftermath !;
and their shriii cry and dreamy hum
mold the outdoor world above the voices
Of the song birds, row silent or depart
ed
What little while ago they were our
fAmiliars-nos in more than OCCASIONAL
sopg. bot noted ail about Us in their ae-
customed haunss-tpzrrow. ROBIN ann
oriole each trying now and then, a. II
10 keep ir In memory, strain OF MS
springrime love song; and the CUCKOO
Il 1ted farewell prophecy OF ram Inc
boboiinks, 10 sober sameness OF travei-
ing gear, still held the meadowside
tf1ickets Of weeds; and the SWALLOWS sat
in ,edate eoneiAve on the barn ridge.
Theu, looking and listening for them.
We .pddealy become aware they are
zone the adobe city Of the cave jewellers
silent and deserted; the whilom Choir
isrers OF the sunny summer meadows
ieparted 70 q less inhospitable welcome
In more genial eIimes. How unobtrusive
xas their exodus. We awake and miss
them. or we think OF them and see them
not. and then we realize that Win
them, too, summer has gone
This also the waited thistiedown and
the blooming asters tell Us, and though
the woods are dark with their latest
xreeuuess. In the lowlands the gaudy
standard Of autumn Ia already displayed
Ia It's shadow the mnskrat IL matching
his winter home, and on his newshorn
uatery lawn the full. fedged wild duck
broods disport In fullness Of feather and
strength OF pinion. Evil days are these
Of September that now befali them
Alack, for the callow days OF peaceful
summer, when no honest gunner was
abroad and the law held the murderous
gun 10 allegiance, and only the keel OF
the unarmed angler rippiet the sui
channel. Continual unrest and abiding
fear are now their lot. and henceforth
till spring brings the truce Of close time
to their prosecuted race
More silently than the fishers craft
the skiff of the sportsman now invades
the rush paled thoroughfares. Noise
tfbs as kIIDSLo pddUlTi SbuoSNA eAi1N
along the even path. till alarmed by
some keener sense than Is given us, up
rise wood duck. dusky duck and teal
from their reedy cover. Then the ready
gun belches its thunder. and suddenly
CONSERVATION pervades the marshes. All
the world has burst forth in burning
of powder. From end to end, from Dor
der TO border, the fenny expanse roars
with discharge and echo, and nowhere
within 1t is there peace or rest for the
sole OF webbed foot. Even the poor
bittern and herons, harmless and worth
less, flap to and fro from one to another
now unsafe retreat, in constant danger
Of death from every BOBBY gunner who
can cover their slow fight
The upland woods, too, are awakened
from the slumber Of their late summer
days How silent they had grown when
their songsters had departed rarely
stirred but by the woodpecker's busy
hammer, the chatter and bark of SPUR
rels and the crows making vociferous
proclamation against some winged or
furred enemy. The grouse have waxed
fat among the border patches OF ber-
ry bushes, rarely disturbed in the seclu-
sion OF the thickets but by the soft foot
fall of the fox, the ieeting shadow Of a
cruising hawk and the halloo of the cow
boy driving home his herd from the hill
side pasture. But now come enemies
more relentless than beast or
bird Of prey, a sound more alarm
ing than the cowboys distant call
man and his companion the dog. the
terrible thunder of the gun. A new ter
ror is revealed to the young birds. a half
forgotten one brought afresh to the old
The crows have found fresh cause for
clamor, and the squirrels lapse into a
silence of fear.
Peace and the quietness of peace have
departed from the realm of the woods,
and henceforth while the green leaves
grow bright as blossoms with the touch
of frost, then brown and sere, and till
long after they lie under the white
shroud Of winter, is wild denizens shall
abide in constant fear and unrest.
So fare with the wood folk, these days
of September, wherein the sportsman
reoiceth with exceeding gladness.-
Forest and Stream.