Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-04-09
CHAPTER XIX.

BIG maple sheltered the house
"a of the Widow Vaughn. After
4 ~ the noon hour of summer
day its tide of shadow began
flowing fathoms deep over house and
garden to the near field, where finally
1t joined the great flood of night. The
maple was indeed q robins inn at some
crossing OF the invisible roads of the
air. Its green dome lowered high
above and fell to the gable end of the
little house. Its deep and leafy thatch
bid every timber of its frame save the
rough column. Its trunk was the main
beam, each limb n corridor, each tier
of limbs floor, and branch rose above
branch like steps in stairway. Up
and down the high dome Of the maple
were thousand balconies overlooking
the meadow.
From its highest tier Of a summer
morning the notes of the bobolink
came rushing off his Tyre, and farther
down the golden robin sounded his pic
colo. But chiefly it was the home and
refuge of the familiar red hreasted
ASDAAAs LIZ I'LL Au0 us uuEleuC GUS
toms. Each young bird, leaving his
cradle. climbed his own stairway till
he came out upon balcony and got a
first timid look Mt field and sky. There
be might try his wings and keep in
the world he knew by using bill and
claw on the lower tiers,
AT dawn the great hall Of the maple
rang with music, for every lodger paid
his score with song. Therela 1t was
ever cool and clean and shady though
the sun were hot. Its every nook and
Granny was often swept and busted by
the wind. Its branches leading up and
outward to the green wall were as In.
Vulnerable stairways. Each separate
home was out on rocking beams, with
Its own flicker of skylight overhead
For time at dusk there was contin-
ual futter Of weary wings at the lower
entrance, good night twitter and a
sound Of tiny feet climbing the stair
ways in that gloomy hall. At last
there was moment Of gossip and then
silence on every floor.
There seemed to be a night watch
IN the lower hall, and IL any green
young bird were, late and noisy going
up to his home Re got a shaking and
probably lost a few feathers from the
nape of his neck. Long before day
break those hungry, half clad little peo-
pie of the nests began to worry and
crowd their mothers. At first the old
pipds tried to quiet them with caress-
ing movements and had at last to hold
their places with bill and claw. AS
light came an old cock peered about
him, stretched his wings, climbed a
stairway and blew his trumpet on the
outer wall. The robins day had begun.
Mid-autumn, when its people SILVER
ed and found fault and talked of NOV.
ing, the maple tried to please them
with new and brighter colors-gold,
with the warmth of summer in its
look; scarlet, suggesting love and the
June roses. Soon it stood hare and de-
serted Then what was there in the
observation-disclosures chorus of the old
tree for enc listening In the night?
Belize 1T might he many things, ac-
cording to the ear, hut was 1t not
often something to make one think Of
that solemn message: Man that is
born OF woman is of few days and
full Of troubles" They who lived in
that small house under the tree knew
little of all that passed in the big
world. Trumpet blasts Of fame, thun-
der of rise and downfall, came family
to them. There the delights of art and
luxury We're unknown. Yet those sim
pie folk were acquainted with pleasure
and even with thrilling and impressive
incidents. Field and garden teemed
with eyentful life, and hard by was
the great city of the woods.