CHARM OF A WINDOW 171 



against the upper one, by means of a stick 

 out of my trunk, I drew the one comfortable 

 chair up by the window, and seated myself 

 to see who might be my neighbors. 



A well-placed window looking into some 

 quiet corner of the outside world, furnished 

 with blinds without and easy-chair within, 

 has always been attractive to me. Indeed, I 

 dislike ever to shut my windows, for I love 

 to hear the cheerful bird- voices. Not even a 

 fog, an old-fashioned sea-fog on the coast of 

 Maine, will silence the cheery notes of robin, 

 Maryland yellow-throat, swallows, sandpipers, 

 and others. No rain is wet enough to dampen 

 the musical ardor of the song-sparrow. So I 

 wrap myself up and sit by an open window, 

 whatever the weather. 



The great charm of window-study is, of 

 course, the becoming acquainted with the 

 natural manners of our little brothers when 

 they do not suspect an observer ; and to one 

 who has enjoyed that pleasure it is far more 

 satisfactory than the longest list of birds 

 merely seen and identified. 



From such a point of vantage one sum- 

 mer I took note of the bewitching boys in 



