Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-10-21

80 -. 90
IT WAS A SAD SCENE.
few minutes afterward saw him stand
ing on the roof the cottage, and Jenny
standing on the door step looking the
picture of perfect happiness. That day
they began moving in, the furniture
consisting principally of mattress of
fresh hay and bric-a brac decorations
of leaves and twigs
When the painters came to paint my
dwelling l expressed some fears that
their work would iniure the health of
my little tenants, and, suresenough,
Jenny became i'll and one day dropped
dead on the walk under the cottage.
We were all grieved, of course, and /
curiously' awaited to see what the male
bird would do when he came home.
Soon we heard his joyous voice as he
approached his little home. lie en-
tered and found it empty, and then,
mounting the roof, he gave two or
three loud calls preparatory to the
longest and clearest burst of song
had yet heard from his little throat.
Receiving no response, he started in
quest of his mate, only to return un
successful. On his return he saw hel
body on the walk and descended with
joyous twittering to greet her. 1t was
sad scene for the poor fellow seemed
to have no knowledge of the tragedy
of death. He kissed her frequently
chartered to her, and then would fly tc
the door of the cottage and sing his
prettiest airs, evidently trying to Goa,
her to return. Soon he flew away, re
turning with white feather, which
he offered her as present, but in vain
He repeated his embraces, his en-
treaties and his songs and brough
numerous pretty feathers, but all to ne
purpose. He did not realize that the
faithful little bride was but a speck OF
dust, as mute and lifeless as the white
feathers he carried in his beak.
Finally, when he had gone from on
sight again, we tendcrly removed tn,
little body and buried it in the corne
of the garden. | was confident tina
the little widower would soon wet
again, but he remained true all tn,
summer, inhabiting the little cottag,
alone, his song less frequent, but We
Joyous and hopeful, and full of faitl
that his little bride would return t,
him ere the summer waned. lie stage,
with us until the waning days of sum
mer, and have not seen him since
With his neighbors, the blue birds an,
martins, he had doubtless started to
wards his winter home, and when hi
little Iowa cottage is covered with th
drifting SHOWS of winter he will b.
snug and warm amid the green field
and flowers of the sunny south.
While | have always a Ecnuin
friendship and admiration for my mod
est little tenants, the blue birds AN
wrens, | must confess the most int
macy with my large number of sum
mer boarders, the martins. The fou
families of martins in their cottag
made large party in themselves, bu
scarcely day passed during the sun
mer when they did not entertain thei
friends. Frequently the roof, bot
stories, and balconies of the cottag
were covered by these cheerful and sc
cial birds. They were always tame
showing no alarm no matter how man
people observed them, and frequent
when leaving the cottage the bird
would dash down and pass within
few inches of the face of the observer
thought at first this was a sort of be
ligerent attack during the hatchin
season, caused by the apprehensions {
the birds for the safety of their young
but as it occurred frequently, from tn
opening to the close of the season,
am of the opinion that this conduct {
the birds is more in the nature of
trick or pleasant greeting.
A few days before the young bird
take their flight from the nest there
always large concourse of the bir6
around the cottage. One evening
counted thirty-four birds swarmin
around the little home, all seemin
fairly intoxicated with Joy and goo
feeling. As the same visitation o.
Cured last season and continued fC
three or four days preceding the fligl
of the young birds, my conclusion
that the birds have custom of eel,
brating the maturity of the youu
birds of their neighbors, and max
these visitations not only to celebrat
an important anniversary in bird lif,
but to encourage the young birds to tr
their piuions for the journey of life.
Truly the great voice OF nature pr,
claims the one main object IF life is /
love and be loved. And the myria
voices and scenes in nature are ii
most blessed ministrations to the wear
and suffering and despairing hearts ,
men if they would on reach out an
touch the hem of her divine garment.
My martins have left me. They
now on their journey to the 6eautif
land Of the orange and magnolia, a.