The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-26
A WONDERFUL WARBLER.
History Of an Arkansas Mans Re-
markable hooking Bird.
A Magic Singer Tint Is Blind as BAT
and Otherwise Afflicted, But Whose
Notes Arc AS Soothing rs Those
of Flute.

notes Arc as Soothing rs Those
of II Flute.
The southern hooking bird, rs nature
made him, is regarded as great curl
osity. His courage has earned for him
the admiration of the world, says the
Arkansas Gazette. His beauty and
symmetry of form arc unrivalcd by any
other bird, and his notes of melody sur
pass those of any other fcathered
songstcr. Poems have been written
about his beauty and grace; musical
compositions with wonderful variations
have been arranged for every musical
instrument, brass and reed, to describe
In tuneful panegyric his musical versa
tility, and songs have been sung in cot
tage and castle laudatory of his esco-
phagcan accomplishments. BREATHING
the air of freedom and pcrchcd upon
the topmost limb of some widespread
ing magnolia, with voice in tune, he
Will arrest the attention of the most cX-
tremc cynic no matter how great the
indifference to music the latter may
possess or how apt Il subject, s'fit for
stratagcms" and spoils," he may be.
Place the bird in n cage and his notes
will be just as enhancing and ravishing
to the ear rs though he gave them in
the full enjoyment of his liberty. From
any point of view the hooking bird is n
curiosity.
One of the most remarkable birds of
this character. however, is owned by
Mrs. Thomas w. Baird. 1t is the Won
der of the neighborhood. Mrs Baird
became possessed of the bird about
three years ago when it was little
hcdgcling and up to Il few months ago
and from the time it rolled out of it's
ovarian home it never sang n note. At
first it contracted n NANCY disease. los
ing all its feathers, its'cntirc body for Il
period of over one year being entirely
bcrcft of covering.
AS with human beings upon whom
affection is forced, zone woe doth tread
upon the heels of another" so it is with
birds. Mrs. Bairds bird, whose conf
cal appearance had so long afforded Il
great deal of amusement for all who
saw him, began to droop. His feet
grew sore, which resulted in the loss of
three of his toes. Then one of his eyes
became diseased, the ball coming en-
tircly out Ills misfortunes did not end
here. His other eye became similarly
afflicted; the result being the same as
that which occurred to the former optic.
Then his bin got sore and before cure
was effected it became so twisted as,to
resemble pair of calipers. This last
allmcnt ended the physical sufferings
of the warbler. He grew fat and his
body was soon covered with a coat of
beautiful feathers.
Now he is the ornithic "Blind Tom
of the feathcrcd tribe-as blind as M
Arkansas senator to the states interest
when voting against worlds fair APP
preparation. But whatever loss he has
sustained in that direction has been
fully made up in his singing His notes
are as variable as those of {; violin and
as soft and melliflrous as those of a
flute. He sings by day and MARBLES by
night; his nocturnal notes possessing
such soft and soothing melody as to be
conducive to sleep.
When Mr.. Thomas w. Baird returns
to his home, jaded with the business
cares of the day and desires to WOO
natures sweet restorcr," should his
nerves he the least unbalanced,
"Arkic," rs his wonderful bird is
c3iicu, IL pidccu Ill his bed chamber,
and the music of the songstcr soon
'knits up the ravclcd sleeve of care" in
the room where the entcrprising mcr-
chant seeks his nocturnal rest.
The proper name of this bird is
'Arkansas." being called "Arllicr for
short lie has been properly christened,
Tor in many respects he represents the
determination of the average citizen
of the state from which he derives his
name. There are some Arkansans
who may be blind to the needs of the
commonwealth There is another class
whose ideas arc somewhat twisted after
the manner of "Arliic's" bill, while
there are others whose feet wander
away from them ut times, but Arkan-
sas. taken as whole. has lots Of music
in its voice to thrill the world with its
notes of progress, and whether it be
represented at the Columbian fair or
not. it will not mott its NANCY cont as
'ArlIic' did, and delight and fill with
wonder those who listen to the music
of the grand march of its procession of
developments.