Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-22
CHAPTER II.


ing Busy away, sought to quiet his
noisy children. But this was no easy
task. Peace was a stranger to the lit
tie home until Happy Heart had satis-
fed the cravings Of hunger. which
had beset the little ones, by going out
and finding food for them.
After this new responsibility had
been thrust upon the care-free Happy
Heart, he sang but little until the
brides were ready and eager to test
their wings in flying. But after the
nest was abandoned and Happy Heart
had. with fatherliness and accompa-
nying love. guided the little ones on
their first perilous flight, he again be-
gan to fling his very heart away In
melody. Never to my knowing did he
return to the old nest which Busy had
builded. Always he remained in the
garden, and orchard, and frequently
he made trips to the house. But with
all my coaxing, with crumbs, worms,
and flies, offered with gentle words OF
enticement, I could not convince him
that no harm would come to him If he
would have sufficient confidence In me
to eat out of my hand.
| It was with music that / promoted
our friendship and inspired him with
confidence in his often-shunned friend
found that II Emusic hath power 10
soothe the savage breast" that 1t also
has power to make friends closer
friends.
One evening, when the breath OF
the night was sweet upon the roses.
was on the front veranda, listening to
Happy Hearts singing as he sat mid
| the thick foliage blossoms Of the hon.
eysuckle vine that clung to one end OF
the porch. Taking my guitar, I stole
softly to that end of the porch. Fol
once I was only in a few feet of him
AS I sat down in the hammock,
could see him through a slight open
i ing in the vines; his white-tipped tai
was moving slightly as he sang and
there was a happy light in his beau
tiful eyes.
| Gently-Oh, so gently!-I touched
the vibrant strings Of the guitar. In.
stantly Happy Heart stopped singing
but, much to my pleasure, did not fly
Softly I continued to pick the strings
Of the guitar, and Happy Heart sal
listening. Then, turning quickly, he
peered through the foliage of the
1 I'M
a bit afraid I sat still, scarcely dar-
ing to breathe, and Happy Hear
/ hoped nearer. Yet he seemed dis.
satisfied with his cautious investiga'
ton, and came so near that I could
easily have reached out my hand and
touched him. But I dared not, for he
moved slightly. then paused again
and listened.
| From whence came that marvellous
sound? Could danger lurk near such
melody? Surely an enemy could moi
mask his face behind such beauty!
Greatly to my establishment, Happy
Heart, after some hesitancy, threw
aside distrust, and he showed no sigr
Of fear as he fluttered from the vines
to my shoulder. Fearing that 1 might
i frighten him, l barely touched the
strings of the guitar; they responded
family to my touch, and Happy Hear
was unafraid.
But, o, flight of pleasure, a string
snapped discordantly Swift as g
voice Happy Heart was gone, out into
i the silken moonlight, and away from
a friend disappointed and regretful.
missed him the next day. For g
whole week he stayed away, and the
i little girl came to me and asked II
Happy Heart was not coming back.
II hope so, little girl" I answered
with a doubtful little smile.
IF l ask God to send our Happy
Heart back to sing for US and make
us glad, He will do it-wont He?'
she asked, with look of sweet seri-
BUSINESS in her eyes.
Maybe He will" 1 assured her
But it seemed as if my hopes would be
shattered; and the little girl came to
me with tears in her eyes:
Il don't believe God is going to an
swer my prayers" she said with a
sigh.
And it did seem so, for we watched
the garden and orchard, and when we
went rambling through the woods we
listened, hoping to hear the dear voice
we loved. But nothing of Happy
Heart did we see; nor did we hear
him singing. Where had he gone?
1t was not till the end of summer
that we knew. | was passing the
house of near neighbOr one morning
when l noticed a bird cage hanging
from the limb of Il maple tree near
the gate. The cage held a prisoner
detected and songless. AS l looked il
seemed to me that the prisoner
mocking- -bird-was familiar, despite
the ruffled feathers and dropping
head. | stopped my horse, to be con-
vinced.
Happy Heart, Happy Heart"
called softly, as l often did while Hap
py Heart sang outside my window.
| Instantly the imprisoned bird began
to beat against the bars of the gilded
cage with it's cramped wings, uttering
peculiar cries all the while. My rec
ognition of Happy Heart and my call
ing to him had caused him to recog-
niZe me.
No wonder he had never returned!
How could he come back TO the friends
who loved him, when his wings, like
his body, were imprisoned behind the
cruel bars of cage? Leaving my
horse. ! climbed to the top of the gate
post and stuck the tips Of my fingers
between the bars of the cage. Happy