The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-11-13
oF nIY RED BIRD



I'm ~ ONO md S hool. s S
Ihe blowing which was \ WI III tan
by Mrs. Ylrglhia D Young the ac-
comp mpllshed editorf OF the u Tairfax En-
terprise, should be- read by every child
the county. Read Sit to your chill
;dren, mot hers. lad g it " to u your
SpupilB, teach chers. Thes reading of 1t
will do you? all 'gpod
NJ B. STORY OF MY RED BIRD. Isl
When i say .my,' Red Bird chill
dren, / do NOT speak OF a bird In a
cage. N osi indeed | wouldn't cage a
wild bird for anything. i CALI him
= my birdp : because I love him $50.
Nothing is ours that we do not love.
Love changes ontsid de things into
partnership p wi th one's own self. s.;4;
Well my partnership p with this red
bird, whose real name Is the Cardinal
Gross beak, dates from last February.
1t was then he flashed into my big
cedar trees with his feather coat Of
the 5loyeliest red. He inspired me to
write some verses about him, In which
/ compared his color to the red tulips
that were then blooming in my flower
garden. The red bird ever since then
has lived on the two acres Of my lot.
He first. had his seat In the cedar
trees, whose berries and small insects
he found tOshis taste, then he inhab-.
tted the thickest Of the mock oranges,
and at that time he was Going his
courting, and SO sought shady Sc
cluded hooks where the leaves were
SO thick 1t was hard for me to peep
at him. You see l love my red bird
SO much that when l hear his pecu-
liar note drop my sewing, writing
or work Of whatever sort and run to
look at him and say good word to
him. Along in the summer he had
the most beautiful song. There was
q preliminary which called the
Clash of Oymbals, and after that
loud sweet whirring note came the
song, which compared we'll with the
mocking birds in beauty.
When the LeCOnte pears were ripe
he called at the tree every day, but
he varied his bill Of fare with my fne
tomatoes, where I'd see him every
day and Sunday too, lighted down on
the bushes with his mate, and eating
heartily. l gave him and eher free
leave to eat what they wanted for the
guod rent they paid In the pleasure it
gave me to luok at them.
In August, when the sunfiower
seeds were ripe, hanging down great
heads, he showed himself an acrobat
in getting them, balancing on one
foot and sometimes turning head
ever hcela to reach them. Meantime
he and his mate had made such
changes in their toilets that I had to
follow them round awhile to be cer-
tain Of their identity. His splendid
crimson coat had become dull and
threadbarc; as for tail he had but one
ragged feather left. His great or
gross -beak was the same however,
and his splendid crest In the shape Of
a Cardinals mitre, which gives him
his name, was the same. AS for his
mate, she was dull reddish brown
and shaggy too. don't think she
sings, but like her mate she springs
her rattle as the flies.
This is the last OF September and l
believe the molting or new feather
ing season is over with these beauty
birds. 1 see their crimson coats In
the grape vine where they help them
selves to the scuppernongs. wish
the vines might bear all winter for
the sake Of the birds.
Hope you will all remember, dear
children, that the laws OF South
Carolina now protect our birds. Su
that any person catching birds in a
trap or killing them in any way, is
liable to pay fine. l have in two
instances this year induced colored
people who had caaghtsmocking birds
to .Sct them free. Let us love and
care for the birds which help to fill
our world with song and beauty.