THE FLOWN BIRD. 



R. H. STODDARD. 



The maple leaves are whirled away, 

 The depths of the great pines are 

 stirred; 

 Night settles on the sullen day 



As in its nest the mountain bird. 

 My wandering feet go up and down, 

 And back and forth, from town to town, 

 Through the lone woods and by the sea, 

 To find the bird that fled from me. 

 I followed, and I follow yet, 

 I have forgotten to forget. 



My heart goes back, but I go on, 



Through summer heat and winter 

 snow ; 



Poor heart, we are no longer one, 

 We are divided by our woe. 



Go to the nest I built, and call. 



She may be hiding after all. 



The empty nest, if that remains. 



And leave me in the long, long rains. 



My sleeves with tears are always wet, 



I have forgotten to forget. 



Men know my story, but not me 



For such fidelity, they say, 

 Exists not — such a man as he 



Exists not in the world to-day. 

 If his light bird has flown the nest. 

 She is no worse than all the rest; 

 Constant they are not, only good 

 To bill and coo, and hatch the brood. 

 He has but one thing to regret. 

 He has forgotten to forget. 



All day I see the ravens fly, 



I hear the sea-birds scream all night; 

 The moon goes up and down the sky. 



And the sun comes in ghostly light. 

 Leaves whirl, white flakes about me 



blow^ — 

 Are they spring blossoms or the snow? 

 Only my hair! Good- bye, my heart, 

 The time has come for us to part. 

 Be still, you will be happy yet. 

 For death remembers to forget! 



FOREST PARK, SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



THIS is one of the most beautiful 

 public parks in the United 

 States. In his annual report, 

 which is a handsomely printed 

 and illustrated volume, President 

 Marsh says that while there are few 

 changes during the year in the make- 

 up of the big family of birds and ani- 

 mals that compose the zoological and 

 ornithological department, it continues 

 to be an ever increasing source of 

 pleasure to the thousands of persons 

 who visit the park for recreation, and 

 no part of the park is more thoroughly 

 appreciated. The departure from the 

 usual plan of park menageries in ar- 

 ranging an exhibit of domestic animals 

 has been a marked success, giving to 

 the park visitors a chance to become 

 acquainted with the more common 

 breeds of the higher types of our do- 

 mestic animals, an education in which 



the average city resident is sadly lack- 

 ing. The exhibit of thoroughbred cows 

 has been especially a source of pleas- 

 ure and instruction. The collection 

 comprises seven thoroughbred cattle, 

 no two of the same breed, and children 

 and grown people alike take delight in 

 visiting the barns to see these splendid 

 animals, finding it as instructive as it is 

 entertaining. 



This is a departure that might be 

 favorably considered by other boards 

 of park commissioners. All of the do- 

 mestic animals of superior breed might 

 be annually exhibited with great ad- 

 vantage to the general public. 



The ornithological and zoological 

 exhibits of Forest Park are hardly sur- 

 passed anywhere, containing as they 

 do one hundred and eighty-nine speci- 

 mens of animals and three hundred 

 and ninety-seven of birds. 



