The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-05-03
SARGE PLUNKETT.
Pretty Girls and Happy Song Birds.
atlanta Consultation.

Pretty girls, happy birds and the wild
flowers are fit associates in weather like
the present-semehow ] always associate
them in the spring time.
Close to my window at home pair OF
mocking birds have built nest in an
apple tree. With the beginning of pref
ty weather they began to prospect around
for place to build this little house. At
last they settled upon this stubby apple
tree, and have watched them from the
very first straw they brought there. The
nest is finished now and some little eggs
are in it, Ireckon, and pretty soon some
little birds will be there, but they will
tarry but short time before they will be
after flying away to the woods, never
thinking and never knowing. as / know,
how patiently that mother bird luggsd
the straw for the little nest, how she
watched for intruders and with what
skill she lay and twined each straw in its
place and rounded 1t off so nicely just to
hold her little ones. This is nothing, I
guess; It is only nature, the most Of folks
would say, but it is so near akin to Whist
I have seen in human actions that it
strikes me. I have watched many good
woman with all the instincts of a mother,
with all the sensibilities of refined soul,
devoted and loving, who has had to bear
the flying away of her little ones and
received almost as little consideration as
this mother bird will receive. A moth.
er's devotion crops ont in everything, but
a mocking bird goes farther than any
thing. They will kill their young, poi
son them, if they can get to their cage
after bad folks have stole them away.
I have given all the praise to the
mother in this mocking bird business.
1t is right, but it's little strange from
me, for mostly I am in for the daddy
having his share and more. This daddy
mocking bird don't deserve any praise.
He was mighty upity when he came
about the tree, and was as indolent as he
was grand. Not thing would he do in
the way of bringing straw and helping to
round off the nest. He didn't have time,
he- was too full of songs and the apple
tree has been too low for him. The
talle.t. trees, big oaks and poplars, was
his place, and from one to the other he
would fly, all the time singing and lend.
ing cheer to everything in his hearing.
Over to the woods that skirt the fields he
would fly and sing sweetly for the plow-
man, then to the tallest oaks on the road
side he would sail and sing for psssers
by. All praised him who heard him. all
bat me, I did not nor I don't, for I know
how the mother bird was working-I
know how negligent he was of home and
how forgetful Of his mate while singing
for the praise of others. This is moth.
ing either-only nature-but it, too, im'
presses me as being as near akin to hu'
man actions that 1 will hush before | say
something harsh.
I should have not mentioned this
grand singer, but he has provoked 1t.
His little home is close to my window
and could not help but see. / had
much rather speak we'll of all birds, fox
when am tired physically and troubled
in mind I lite to go down by the little
branch and lay down on The green grass
there under the}srees. The birds down
there are my friends. They skit from
limb to limb and chirp happily. Down
in the little branch at my feet they hop
among the pebbles throwing water over
their pretty feathers-taking a bath.
They put on no airs and are not afraid of
me; they chirp for me just as they would
for king and this makes me feel good.
Birds and children are much the same
with me and the ones who take me in
their rambles and look to me for protec-
ton, doses me with species of hatery
that cuts my very heart. How can l
protect anything7 I never did anything
right in my life, but there are children
who believe what I say, they treat me
with confidence and makes me feel
proud, but sad, mighty sad, sometimes.
+ am not so old nor so mean that I
would forget pretty girls in their fresh
spring dresses. They are sweet to look
upon wherever you see them, but they
are prettiest to me among the wild flow
ers. Out picknicking is the place to see
them at their best, and last week crowd
of them made me wish I could call back
twenty-five or thirty years. Brown
swears that the older be gets the prettier
the girls grow. A crowd Of Georgia girls
in white aprons and sunbonnets, with a
fresh spring dress thrown in, all scram'
bled up With the wild flowers from these
old Georgia woods wouffdi~he q mighty
fine thing to place at the Worlds Fsis*-
These girls out pickuickipg are them
selves. They bend the saplings and ride
up and down grab limb and swing
away up; tumble over the logs and light
over bitches as active as cats and as
sraceful as fawns. I like to see it. 1t
makes me mad to see our girls treated as
if they couldn't do anything. Up at
Atlanta they lift them over the doorsteps,
on the cars and off the cars, and if one
was to drop pocket handkerchief or
glove there would be d dozen young men
to jump and give it TO her. This gal
lantry is all right, but if girl expects to
90 through life receiving this kind of
treatment she will be disappointed.
These very pame young gallants may
some day lay in bed and wait for bis wife
to make the fire in the mornings. Ihave
seen just such turns, and if you live long
l. r,n mill ooa II ton Or tkinpp tn