FRIENDS IN FEATHERS 



veranda. He tried the wistaria. Mercy ! she would be killed if 

 she went near it! He dilated on the plum-tree. Shocking! It 

 was entirely too close to the Cabin. Then he took every tree of 

 the orchard and the big forest trees in turn, carrying grass-blades, 

 and working industriously. But no! She was a deep-wood 

 bird; she was not going to be coaxed into any such locations. 



Sadly he and I watched her select a big hickory across the 

 street and then begin her nest. I honestly do not think she got 

 much help with it, while it is the truth that Robin's song was a 

 failure in comparison with his former efforts. The dear bird 

 loved us. He knew his home; it seemed to me, even after 

 the new mate was brooding, that he bewailed his first love and his 

 old location. He did his duty about feeding but he always came 

 to me to search for food, to bathe and to sing. 



The following year it was on the twenty-fifth of February, 

 three weeks to the day before the other Robins arrived, that he 

 announced himself at the well. Again we hurried to meet and 

 welcome him. No mate was with him and none arrived later. 

 He was still growing and was an immense fellow. Shortly after 

 his arrival he was attracted by a long-haired white spaniel, a new 

 possession of Molly-Cotton's, and he seemed unable to decide 

 whether it was a dog or cat. 



Soon I noticed him perching on the back of an oaken bench 

 that stood on the front veranda, directly across a big six-foot 

 square plate-glass window. I sat at my desk a few feet away 

 while he settled there looking at me. He came more and more 

 frequently, staying longer each time. At last a heavy snow fell, 

 covering everything several inches deep. Then he adopted the 

 bench back and for an hour at a time would perch there. 



Our movements did not worry him in the least and unless the 

 little dog jumped to the deep seat of the window inside he seldom 

 took flight except for food and water. One day he sat motionless 



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