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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



with liis sturdy song and dignified, soldierly bearing, the captain's 

 effort was full of hints, in manner and motive, for the composer, 

 the singer, and the orator. When, a few mornings after his no- 

 table improvisation, I found the captain's lifeless body, I was not 

 surprised at the gentle demeanor of his many widows ; they felt, 

 perhaps more keenly than I, that one of the mighty had fallen. 



It was several weeks before I found a substitute for the cap- 

 tain ; at length a boy brought him, and I saw at a glance that he 

 was the " general." With a word or two by way of greeting, he 

 paused and stood erect before the bereft hens. Soon a pullet, 

 the only shy member of the company, ran to him and put her 

 head close to his. If the general moved, Ruth-like, she moved. 

 A mourner of wider experience was no less interesting in be- 

 havior. For some moments she stood aloof in disgust; then, 

 with more ruffle at her neck than was becoming, flew at the 

 general with all fury. The astonished soldier returned several 

 blows, then, checking himself, held his head to the ground, cov- 

 ered with confusion. The fair insulter had no idea of quitting ; 

 she continued the onslaught, finally ending it with a series of 

 smart picks square on the lordly comb. The general " grinned 

 and bore it," and thus ended the ludicrous mistake ; for a mistake 

 it was, the general fancying for an instant that he was dealing 

 with a foeman worthy of his spur. On discovering his blunder, 

 he was glad to suffer the most crushing humiliation. The new- 

 comer proved a lusty crower ; and, after taking his morning call 

 several times, and finding it without variation, I recorded him : 



But one day, at a late hour, when he was at large, I heard him 

 use very different intervals. Listening to the strange version 

 over and over again, I was much surprised and perplexed ; for, if 

 I had erred in his case, which was a plain one, what might be my 

 errors in intricate cases ! I immediately changed the record to 

 the new form, and wrote in the margin, " Every man is a genius 

 in going wrong." But the next morning my ear caught the first 

 The second was this : 



form again 



i 



t= 



The same to the eye, but very unlike to the ear. Had the second 

 form been given in the key of the first, thus : 



>_ > >_ . 



*=* 



* 



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