The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-08
The Fire-Hang Birds Nest.

AS I am sitting in the sun, upon the
porch today,
look with wonder at the elm that stands
across the way;
/ say and mean with wonder" for now
it seems to me
That elm is not as tall as years ago it
used to be!
The old-fashionedDO mob maoharoharori
The old fire-hangbird built her nest
there for many springs
High up amid the sportive winds the
curious cradle swings,
But not so high as when a little boy I
did my best
To scale that elm and carry off the old
tire-hanSbird's nest!
The Hubbard boys had tried in vain to
reach the homely prize
That dangled from that upper outer twig
in haunting wise,
And once when Deacon Turner's boy had
almost grasped the limb.
He fell! and had to have doctor operate
on him!
Philetus Baker broke his leg and Orrin
But what of that? The danger gave the
sport a special charm!
The Bixby and the Cutler boys. the New
tons and the rest
Ran every risk to carry off the old fire.
hangbird'S nest!
I can remember that used to knee my
trousers through.
And mother used to wonder how my legs
got black and blue
And how she used to talk to me and
make, stern threats when she
Discovered that my hobby was the nest
in yonder tree;
How, as she patched my trousers or
creased my purple legs,
She told me twould be wicked to destroy
a hangbird's eggs.
And then she called on father and on
gran'pa to attest
That they. as boys had never robbed an
old fire-hangbird's nest!
Yet all those years I coveted the trophy
Haunting there,
While, as it were in mockery of my alb
iect despair,
The old fre-hangbird confidently used to
come and so,
AS if she were Indifferent to the bandit
horde below.
And sometimes clinging to her nest we
thought we heard her chide
The callow brood whose cries betrayed
the fear that reigned inside:
Hush, little dears! all profitless will be
their wicked quest
knew my business when I built the old
fire-hangbird' nest"
For many, very many years that mother
To rear her pretty little brood within
that coy home.
She is the selfsame bird of old-Tm GER
tain it is She
quite forgotten me-
Just as of old, that prudent, crafty bird
of compound name,
land in parenthesis I'll say her nest is
Just the same).
Just as of old, the passion, too, that fires
the youthful breast
To climb unto and comprehend the old
fire-hangbirds nest!
I like to see the old-time friend swing
in that ancient tree,
And, if the elrn's as tall and sturdy IS it
used to be.
I'm sure that many year that nest shall
in the breezes blow,
For BOYS arn't what they used to be a
forty years ago.
The elm looks shorter than it did when
brother Rufe and 1
Reheld with enviouS hearts that trophy
Haunted from on high;
He writes that in the city where he's liv-
ing way out west
His little boys have never seen an old
fre-hangbird's nest!
Poor little chaps; how lonesomelike their
city life must be
I wish they'd come and live awhile in this
old house with me!
THEY'D have the honest friends an6
healthful sports 1 used to know
When brother RUFF and l were boys q
forty years ago.
So, when they grew from romping lads
to busy, healthful men,
They could recall with proper pride theil
country life again;
And of those recollections of their youth
I'm sure the best
| Would be of how they sought in vain the
| old fire-hangbird's nest!