Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1904-07-18
ON A COUNTRY ROAD
TT FURNISHES MANY BITS OF
INTEREST TO THE STUDENT.
What Tt Pays to Look For on Our
Rambles - The Little Things
That Make the World
Brighter.

| Yesterday I tramped for many miles
along a country road. The morning
was cloudy, but fresh and cool for the
time of year, and one could stride out
In comfort. In passing along the main
street Of the village where had spent
the night, I noticed a number Of
birds, busy with domestic duties.
Three pairs Of orioles were building
their gray, sack-like nests in the pen
dant branches of the elms which arched
the road, and bluebird, with a yellow
grub in his bill, lowered near a bird
box nailed in an apple tree close to first
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 f1uttered the
American flag, while upon the other was
perched 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 few minutes reached the open
country, where, for a mile or two, the
fragrant daisy fields stretched on either
side of the road. From these fields the
meadow larks we're calling, and the
bobolinks, rising and falling, fairly
trembled with the energy of their song.
BY the sides of the roads great masses OF
buttercups were abloom, taking the
place Of the dandelions, whose seeds
were flying in clouds before every gust,
of wind.
Crossing a stone bridge noticed
phoebe sitting on telegraph wire near
by, and taking thsH hint leaned over
the side to look down upon the back
of another little flycatcher, as she sat
upon her nest, built upon a projecting
bit of masonry. She could see me, too,
and after fidgeting for a moment, she
joined her mate on the telegraph wire,
where both birds were soon busy press
ing their feathers. In the nest were
five pure white eggs, lying in little
bowl of gray felt, which, in turn was sur
rounded by mud and moss. was
still looking over the side Of the bridge,
when the rattle of king1sher attract
ed my attention, and up the river came
a streak of blue, which ended at will
low branch stretching far out over the
water. The bird had a good-sized fish
in his BILL and perhaps because my pres
ence Disconnected him, he seemed as
though he didn't know what to do with
it. But rafting angrily, as dog might
growl on being interrupted at a meal,
he dropped from his perch and passed up
stream to more secluded landing place.
For a time the road ran between high,
sleeps banks, gay with Robins plantain,
and then it 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, little pond would appear, its stag
nant water made interesting by the re-
Election of beautifully cIouded sky and
dotting of yellow water lilies.
Suddenly, the stiffness of the morning
was broken by the yelp of dog, and,
looking over the fence, ] saw a big gray
woodchuck tearing through the grass
toward a stone wall, with fox terrier
in hot pursuit The woodchuck won the
race, and with one terrific whistle, dis
appeared among the friendly stones.
The terrier, an instant too late, was
greatly excited, shifting at the hole
where the chuck had vanished, and dam
cling about and yapping in his eagerness.
Once or twice he looked at me and
wagged his tail, perhaps with an i'm
preston that might pull out a stone or
two and let him settle his difficulties
with his foe. But didn't take the hint,
and left him to enjoy the odor of wood
chuck at safe distance.
Birds were everywhere, and in good
variety About a little cottage near the
roadside, a pair of yellow Warblers were
fitting, and from their actions / sus-
pect that they had nest in clump of
elderberry bushes in a corner Of the
garden. Several times I 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 flew, crying kitty, Kitty .
as they came and went. And once as
! passed a well-appointed cottage I saw
| newly-made barn swallows nest,
/ plastered to slight projection of the
woodwork on the under side of the piaz-
"a Never did hear so many song spar
rows singing in so short time, and
every few minutes / heard the call Of
cedar waxwings. as 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 was almost in
cessant.
! Toward evening came to some wood
land where heard the black-throated
/ green warbler, the ovenbird and the
warbling vireo, and where / saw the
| flicker go bounding off through the trees.
And as the night fell, and sat upon a
high bank overlooking valley, the
4 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 it rose and fell, as the mysterious