Evening star., 1947-01-15
This and hat /
By Charles E. TraceUell.

haS,fyItsSffSdEf - Aftfs .y
your pleasant letters, your sane and
merciful observations, which attract a
large following, give one hope and
courage.
Beyond the confusions so removed
from the sources of peace we all need
q basic faith. The eternal verities hold.
And it is possiblesto look up, though this
involves deliberate concentration in this
heartsick world. It pays a thousand
fold.
In home farther North We had
nice little back yard with a bit Of flower
garden and lilacs. climbing roses, a
grapevine trained over the screened
porch, a young mountain ash in the
corner and an apple tree.
Il sometimes had enormous sun
flowers next to the back fence for the
Kentucky cardinals. Many birds came
to that yard, but our chief interest was
in the cardinals. All winter one could
expect them after o'clock in the after
noon.
Blue jays came earlier The cardi-
mails waited until the jays had their FILL
I've seen inpertinent jays with their
mouths so full of sunhower seeds their
bills could not close, and then they
would hop to shrub and on a twig
low and near the deep snow I have seen
them place the seeds In row and stay
right there to crack and eat this favor
tie food.
Here in Washington one hears much
OF the tameness of the cardinals. We
have never found them tame.
With their great variety Of song
the starlings here have some exquisite
tones-a whirling whistle - muted
chirps-beautiful calls, at times with
almost voice of wood thrush.
But I cannot approve of their effects
on our bird life. One must be factual.
We brought them here, upsetting ma
ture's balance. Where I am in Wash
ington one sees little else, though yes
terday I saw mockingbird and q
cardinal, the first I've seen here In
weeks.
I'VE have upset the balance Of our
country in some of our importations 1t
would SEEM"
VERY sincerely yours, o. ]. H. S."
This correspondent is right about car
dinals not being tame.
They are real wild birds.
We will never forget one rescued
from cat
The bird was frantic, and being so
struggled as much against the resculng
hands as against the cruel paws.
He struck repeatedly at the hands
ana almost made them let go.
This bird was cared for during sew
eraI days, and came out of his expert
ence none the worse, but at no time did
he relent in his unceasing fury.
He struggled, pecked and fought back.
No. Sir Cardinal Is not tame by any
standards. 1t is his exquisite wildness,
perhaps, which helps give him some OF
his charm.
As for that clumsy creature. the
starting, we think he is more sinned
against than SHINING.
The eternal verities, so well extolled
by our correspondent, have something
to say on this, too.
Somehow natures balance has way
of taking in the apparently unwanted.
If those who were there before can
not stand the gaff, they go under.
That seems to be the law.
It has been worked out in so many
ways, and sometimes in such startling
fashion, that all who run and fly may
read.
The proud conqueror has always been
conquered at last by the good points OF
the minority he enslaved.
Perhaps In time, II let alone, Old Man
Startling will come to be accepted in
the land OF freedom and progress to
which he was brought.
History points that way.