Heard on the Hill-Side. 65 



here and there chirped the cheerful chickadee. 

 This is one of the day's minor incidents we 

 should all see and hear. It conveys a useful 

 hint to those pessimistically disposed. It brings 

 out the full meaning of the day. It means 

 wholesome appreciation. He who faces the 

 coming day whistling is not likely to look upon 

 sunset weeping. Later, my little bird uttered 

 the phcebe note, as Thoreau calls it, but I hold 

 it says, Hear me. Whether or not, I listened. 

 Wind cold as charity roared in the tree-tops ; 

 but why mind it ? Hear me ! was the sweet 

 sunrise salutation of the chickadee, and I half 

 believed that some herald of approaching spring 

 had charmed the tangled green brier and added 

 brightness to the mosses. Hear me ! and, heed- 

 ing the command, I strolled along the hill-side. 

 A squirrel barked, but must we take the first 

 greeting as indicative of a disappointing day 

 because it is a surly one ? It matters little if a 

 cross-grained squirrel is rude. There is gen- 

 erally some discordant note whatever the con- 

 ditions or wherever we happen to be. Jays are 

 pretty sure to screech when the matins of the 

 white-throated sparrows are floating along this 

 5 



