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

To give sign, we and they are his
creatures, one family here.
Robert Browning.
Happy Heart was mocker. But
his mockings were free from hint OF
evil and void of any reminder OF sat
ire or hatred. Wild, yet passionately
sweet they were, and fraught with
such varied melody that ones very
heart was captivated with the active
beauty which ever permeated the
mockings Of this friend who, in free
dom, served. me with his heart songs
and not with labor. Could expect
or exact else of service when 1t SEEM
ed, as a, little child listener had said'
as IL the angels were singing In the
trees? To hear Happy Heart was TO
become, without hesitation, his lover,
for he was a southern mocking bird
the king Of singers and singer FOR
kings. OF him it could be said:
"Those silver songs, so sweet, so clear,
The listener held his breath TO hear.
or Happy Hearts early life l knew
nothing. The first time 1 saw him
was one snowy morning in March.
Looking out my window, 1 saw him
hopping d;sconsolately about in the
frozen garden, and seeking, l thought,
for food. I at one time tried to make
friends with him; but he was exceed
ingly distrustful, and seemed to pre-
fer remaining alone and hungry in the
barren garden rather than respond TO
nv friendly advances-even though l
had arranged a tempting array or
bread crumbs and grass seed on
board near the garden gate. So long
as I stood near the food, even though
I stood motionless as statue, Happy
Heart continued to remain afar from
ia bird likeness of hunger and dis
trust. 1 was aware Immediately that
my presence would hinder him from
accepting my friendships offering and
Herewith appease his hunger. So
quietly 1 left the garden and, entering
the house, watched him closely from
the window.
After several minutes of seeming
inattention to the food, Happy Heart
slowly and cautiously came nearer
and nearer, stretching his silvery-
feathered neck this way and that in
an attempt to convince himself that no
hidden imp of treachery lurked near
the feast-laden board. After few
pauses and a few moments of instinc-
tive deliberation and lessening hesi-
fancy, hunger mastered curiosity and
dispelled all fear. Straight to the
board ne hoped, and forthwith began
to gobble up the food with steady ce-
lerity and never-decreasing avidity.
Just at this juncture pair of i'm
pudent pewees, observing him from
their perch on a half-decayed limb OF
a nearby tree, flew down, boldly seek
ing a share in the unsolicited feast.
But Happy Heart spread his beautiful
wings, all dusky gray and tipped with
white, and so suddenly put himself in
to such a threatening attitude that the
pewees' hasty flight betokened that he
of the happy heart was devourer of
morning at least.
His repast was soon over; and the
little girl, who had been watching
with me, exclaimed. as Happy Heart
shook the flakes of snow from his
back and fluttered to the garden gate:
"Oh, just look! He's too greedy to
show his manners!"
But when Happy Heart lifted his
voice in song, the little girl clapped
her hands in glee, and thought it no
act of graciousness to overlook the
breech of good manners.
What a thank offering! What a
volume of music poured with delight
some ease from his little throat! The
school children who were then on
their way to school, stopped to listen
to the marvellous melody.
"Hurrah for snow and song!"
shouted boy as he scudded away on
snow shoes.
My, what happy heart!" called
one Of trio Of sweet-faced girls who
went hurrying arm in arm.
With the window open, l listened,
enraptured, to the songs of all the
birds of the summer. Though the
meadow lark was far away I heard
its carols sung by the songful heart.
The lively little wren trilled, the spar
rows twittered and wild hawks called
right at the garden gate. HE is a
happy heart" l murmured in ecstasy
The school children have named him
Alright. Happy Heart henceforth
shall be his name"
Just as I was thinking what a pow
er Happy Heart would be to "drive
dull care away" a sudden gust of
wind shook the garden gate, and he
was gone. I watched him. newly
named and newly loved, disappear
through the densely falling snow and
enter the sweet solitude of the solemn
woods He did not appear again that
day Would / ever see him again?
This was my mental query as
awoke next morning and opened the
shutters. l looked out. There was
nothing but snow wherever 1 looked
and there was only one sign of life in
the garden. Happy Heart had. re-
membering me, hoped. returned! Or
was it merely the remembrance of the
feast of the previous day and anticipa-
tiOn of another that had brought him
again to the garden? l could not tell
and was inclined to believe that Hap
py Heart was unconsciously bent on
the hindrance of the longed-fOr pro-
motion of our friendship. He would
come no nearer me than on the pre-
viOus morning, though he seemed less
distrustful. He began to show inten-
tions of flight when attempted to get
near him or lure him near me; so /
sprinkled some food near the garden
gate and stepped back few feet But
it was not till was again in the house
that he partook of the food. He ate
every bit of it undisturbed; and l was
very much disappointed when he left
without chirn of song Rut NV dis