The St. Johns herald., 1892-06-23
A WONDERFUL WARBLER.
History Of an Arkansas Mans Re- ~- markable Mocking Bird.
4 Magic Singer That Is Blind as Bat and Otherwise Afflicted, But Whose Notes Are as Soothing as Those
 of Flute.

The southern mocl1ing bird, as nature made him, is regarded as great curi- osity. His courage has earned for him the admiration of the world, says the Arkansas Gazette. His beauty and symmetry of form are unrivaled by any other bird, and his notes of melody sur pass those of any other feathered songster. 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- phagean accomplishments. Breathing the air of freedom and perched upon the topmost limb of some widespread ing magnolia, with voice in tune, he will arrest the attention Of the most ex. treme cynic no matter how great the indifference to music the latter may possess or how apt subject, lift for stratagems and spoils," he may be. Place the bird in cage and his notes will be just as entrancing and ravishing to the ear as though he gave them in the full enjoyment of his liberty. From any point of view the mocking bird is 8 curiosity.
 One of the most remarkable birds of this character, however, is owned by Mrs. Thomas w. Baird It is the won der of the neighborhood. Mrs. Baird became possessed of the bird about three years ago when it was little fledgeling, and up to a few months ago and from the time it rolled out of its ovarian home it never sang a note. At first it contracted mangy disease, los ing all it's feathers, its'entirc body for 8 period of over one year being entirely bereft of covering.
 As with human beings upon whom af1liction is forced, lone woe doth tread upon the heels of another" so it is with birds. Mrs. Baird's bird, whose conli- cal appearance had so long afforded 8 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- tirely out. His 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 bill got sore and before cure was effected it became so twisted as to resemble pair of calipers. This last ailment 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 feathered tribe-as blind as an Arkansas senator to the states interest when voting against worlds fair ap- propriation. 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 mellifluous as those of a flute. He sings by day and warbles by night; his nocturnal notes possessing such soft and soothing melody as to be conducive to sleep.
 When Mir. Thomas w. Baird returns to his home, jaded with the business cares of the day and desires to woo natures sweet restorer," should his nerves be the least unbalanced, "Arkie," as his wonderful bird is called, is placed in his bed chamber, and the music of the songster soon ''lnits up the ravcled sleeve of care'' iu the room where the entcrprising mer- chant seeks his nocturnal rest.
 The proper name of this bird is Arkansas" being called ''Arliie" for short. He has been properly christened, for in many respects he represents the determination of the average citizen of the state from which he derives his name. There arc some Arl1ansans who may be blind to the needs of the commonwealth. There is another class whose ideas are somewhat twisted after the manner of 'Arl1ie's' bill, while there are others whose feet wander away from them at times, but Arl1an- Sas, taken as a whole, has lots of music in its voice to thrill the world with it's notes of progress, and whether it be represented at the Columbian fair or not, it will not mott its mangy coat as ''Arlie'' did, and delight and fill with wonder those who listen to tho music of the grand march of its procession of