XXXVII 



THE CARDINAL 



EAELY one spring morning we started from home to 

 drive to Sigourney, our country seat — father, mother 

 and I. I remember well that when we entered the great 

 body of timber that extended from the Rock Creek bot- 

 toms to Skunk Eiver I was interested at once, for my ear 

 detected the whistle of a bird with which I was un- 

 acquainted. I had no sooner noticed this than father said 

 to mother, '^Hear that? "I believe that is a southern red 

 bird/' He stopped the team and we listened. Surely 

 enough we heard the whistle repeated and almost as soon 

 as the song was finished a streak of red flashed through 

 the air, and a bright cardinal-red bird alighted on a 

 branch not far from our horses' heads. I think I shall 

 always remember that bird because I was so impressed 

 with its beauty. He was a little smaller than a blue jay 

 and almost a uniform shade of cardinal red. He ruffled 

 up a beautiful topknot, chirped at us a time or two, and 

 then began his delightful love call again. 



In about a month I had the good luck to accompany 

 father and mother to Sigourney again, and we decided to 

 take the same road and see if we could find this red bird's 

 nest. Mother was reared in the South where cardinals 

 are abundant and knew their habits well, and father hav- 



253 



