The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-11-12
on ! eity's outskirts. can have little

m the vide flower borders at their
feet. the plants. but little disturbed, /.
growing thickly. those behind sire
tching forward seeking light and air.
Old plum trees chung TO the walls,
apple trees stood here and there an
ong the flowers One big anchusa :
had thrust its coarse stem and its
prickly leaves in among the branches
of a small tree. which seemed its
self TO bear the clusters of heavenly
blue flowers. | think this Chinese
native was the only modern plant
in the big tangled borders. Tall
holIyhocks we're there, pink. white
and crimson: sunflowers. foxgloyes
white and yellow daisies, quaint.
many colored snap dragons. flaunt-
ing purple flags. raising high heads
above masses OF for-get-menots,
sweet williams. pale monthly roses.
sweet smelling phlox, great clumps
of lavender. mignonette, deep Grim
son peonies. pure lilies, campanulas I
and columbines. IA goodly COMPANY
1 Towering each in its season.
Between the borders and the house
lay the lawn. Too narrow for ten
mis- or cropuet, its well tended and
smooth green surfac" was undisturb-
cd Nv net or iron hoop. Attic for eni
a dark hedge ran from wall to the
house. hiding the kitchtn garden be
yond. BY its side two apple trees
gnarled and bent with age, leant for
ward over the grass. In their shade
| spent many hours watching the
auiet half hidden life of that gard
For it was the favorite haunt OF
many birds.
The rattle of the many motors In
the road, the blare of the grama-
phone, the shouting of the children,
scarce penetrated behind the high
walls. The songs of the birds filled
the still air. 1t seemed to me as
if each had it's appointed time for
music making. The wren would be-
gin it, early in the morning, perchei
on the topmost twig of the apple
tree by the wall The loudness Of
his voice, issuing from so tiny a
throat, often astonished me. Then
a thrush, with full speckled breast,
which hitherto had been busiiy
searching for worms at the far emil
Of the lawn, would fly up into the
sycamore and burst into song. A
I gay colored chaffinch practised his
pretty. unchanging tune, on the
bough just above my head. Closet!
pressed against the wall,a nuthatcI
brown and mouse-like, crept IT.
long beak probing at the crumblin'
| mortar. From time to time
| would utter . low complaining note
Beyond the hedge, far. out of sigh
among the bushes, in the kitche
garden, white throat warhled il
soft low tones But l think tn
the sweetest song of all was til
the shadows heightened, in the oil
garden, he would mount to the wa
and there, sharply outlined agains
the paling sky, pour forth swee
wild melody. Then one must kee
very still for the slightest SCUM
the closing of window, the rust
81. of paper, would serve to scare ava
, the most shy of all the garden bird
vuh a Il arp cry of warrine :"
mate. he would drop arrowlike frol
the wall
The boldest birds I'M that garde
we're no songsters. Starlings, wit
shining plummage and odd sidlir
/. eait, would strut up and down II
lawn, undisturbed by my presenc
Close above me, tiny blue tits or ;
ox-eye would twist and swing hei
downwards in the apple tree, Spa
rows hoped hithcr and thither-- on
path--contentious birds these, reqr
ing not infrequently some attenti
- from the custodian of the place.
For as such, got to look upon I
hosts wise grey dog, He was, l
IN lieve, of ancient lineage, as only
fitted dweller in that fair old G;
den. Sternly he kept the pes
within its confines. No tresspass
beast or human, escaped unnotict
Though dignified and sedate
mien. he could on occasion be vt
swift, as some small boys in quest
apples, and many vagrant cat h
reason to remember.
He would sit out on the lawn,
right. head erect for an hour or mi
listening, watching. OF the birds
@their legitimate business OF wo
getting, on the grass, he would tt
little notice, or they of him.
should some sparrOws burst out
furious quarrelsome chatter bene
y THE hedge ne would disperse the
putants and drive away the tn