132 SCRAPING ACQUAINTANCE. 



moreover, who has probably been at school in 

 his time, — for most of his words are spelled 

 correctly, — and 3- et he knows my name only 

 as he has seen it signed once in a while to a few 

 lines in a newspaper." Thoughts like these, 

 however, did not prevent his replying to the 

 note (my " valued favor ") with all politeness, 

 although he confessed himself unable to answer 

 my question ; and by the time I had occasion to 

 trouble him again I had learned that he was to 

 be addressed as Doctor, and, furthermore, was 

 an ornithologist of world-wide reputation, being, 

 in fact, one of the three joint-authors of the 

 most important work so far issued on the birds 

 of North America. 



Certainly I was and am grateful to him (he 

 is now dead) for his generous treatment of my 

 ignorance ; but even warmer is my feeling to- 

 ward that city thrush, who, all unconscious of 

 what he was doing, started me that day on a 

 line of study which has been ever since a con- 

 tinual delight. Most gladly would I do him 

 any kindness in my power ; but I have little 

 doubt that, long ere this, he, too, has gone the 

 way of all the earth. As to what he was think- 

 ing about on that memorable May morning, I am 

 as much in the dark as ever. But there is no 

 law against a bird's behaving mysteriously, I 

 suppose. Most of us, I am sure, often do things 



