The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-08-25
ON A COUNTRY ROAD.
TT FURNISHES MANY BITS OF
INTEREST TO THE STUDENT.
What It Pays to Look For on Our
Rambles - The Little Things
That Make the World
Brighter.


time of year, and one could stride out
| In comfort In passing along the main
street of the village where had spent
| the night, / noticed a number OF
birds, busy with domestic duties
Three pairs OF orioles were building
their gray, sack-like nests in the pen
| Gant branches of the elTcs which arcneo
the road, and a bluebird. with yellow
grub in his bill, lowered near biro
box nailed in an apple tree close TO nrst
floor window. In one neatly-kept garden,
with a lawn on both sides Of the path.
| there were two white poles set up. one
| In either lawn. From one huttered the
American flag. while upon the other was
perched a well-made martin house,
around which six or eight stately mar
| tins sailed in circles, some OF them sing
| ing their soft liquid songs. and at times
alighting on what might be termed the
piazzas of the miniature dwelling ITSELF
At one of the upper windows OF their
| home, two bright-faced children were
eagerly watching the birds, and nudg-
| ing one another to notice each move
ment of the handsome swallows.
| In a few minutes reached the open
country, where, for a mile or two. the
| fras rant daisy fields stretched on either
side of the road From these fields the
meadow larks were calling, and the
bob olinks, rising and falling. fairly
| tre.nbled with the energy Of their song
By the sides of the roads great masses OF
Blu .tercups were abloom, taking the
place of the dandelions, whose seed:
we're flying in clouds before every gust
of wind.
Crossing a stone bridge I noticed
phoebe sitting on a telegraph wire near
by, and taking the hint I leaned over
the side to look down upon the back
of another little fiycatcher. as she SAT
upon her nest. built upon projecting
bit Of masonry She could see me, too.
and after fidgeting for q moment, she
joined her mate on the telegraph wire.
where both birds were soon busy press
ing their feathers. In the nest were
Ave pure white eggs. lying in little
bowl Of gray felt, which. In turn was sur
rounded by mud and mosa
| For q time the road ran between high.
sleeps banks. gay with Robins plantain.
and then 1t dipped down into hollow.
where, in the wet land on either side.
grew myriads of purple iris. Now and
then in some spot more wet than the
rest. q little pond would appear, its stag
nant water made interesting by the re-
Election Of beautifully clouded sky and
. dotting Of yellow water lilies.
1 Suddenly, the stiffness Of the morning
was broken by the yelp Of . dog. and.
looking over the fence. saw big gray
woodchuck tearing through the grass
toward . stone wall. with = fox terrier
In hot pursuit The Wo0dchuck won the
race, and with one terrific whistle, dis
appeared among the friendly stones.
The terrier. m instant too late, was
greatly excited, snin1ng at the hole
where the chuck had vanished, and dan
cling about and yappjng In his easerness.
Once or twice he looked 1t me and
wagged his tail. perhaps with an Inn
i preston that might pull out . stone or
two and let him settle his dinculties
with his foe. But didn't take the hint.
and left him to enjoy the odor Of wood
.huck at . safe distance.
Birds were everywhere. ana in good
variety. About . little cottage near the
roadside, pair Of yellow warblers were
fitting, and from their actions sus-
pect that they had nest in . clump Of
elderberry bushes In corner Of the
garden. Several times saw chimney
swifts drop down the chimneys Of de-
serted houses, and In and out Of the
belfry Of An old church. . troop Of barn
swallows few, crying Kitty. Kitty"
as they came and went. And once q I
passed . well-appointed cottage saw
. newly-made barn swallows nest.
plastered to q slight projection Of the
woodwork ON the under side Of the piax-
| q. Never did hear SO many song spar
rows singing In 90 short time, and
every few minutes heard the call Of
cedar warnings. IS small focks passed
overhead Chipping sparrows. too. sang
with an earestness worthy of better
performance, and the vigorous preach
ing" Of the red-eyed vireo wa. almost in
| cessant
Toward evening came to some wood
land where I heard the -throated
green warbler, the ovenbird and the
warbling vireo. and where l saw the
flicker 90 bounding OF through the trees.
And as the night fell, and sat upon y
high bank overlooking q valley. the
voice Of whip-poor-will burst from the
gathering mists beneath me. and for a
long time sat and listened to the weird
call as 1t rose and fell. as the mysterious
bird passed from point to point on BUSH
ness of his own.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNEA
4 Mans Smallness.
/ The measure of the smallness Of .
man is the ease with which he crawl
out of promises.-Ram's Horn.
II The Prima Donna.
4 Citiman-You look particularly hap
py to-day.
i gubhubs-I am. I've lust succeeded