My Elm-Tree Oriole. 131 



counted musical as you hear of them, but, 

 wandering in the wild wastes, where man has 

 not as yet stamped tameness upon Nature's 

 breast, and such sounds will not seem harsh. 

 We do not then stop to analyze, or even to 

 particularize ; but we do realize that now we are 

 face to face with Nature in her tragic and un- 

 tamed mood, and have new impressions of the 

 great drama that is being performed, a drama 

 of which many know absolutely nothing, or 

 know through second hand, and so imperfectly. 

 We cannot and ought not to shut our eyes and 

 ears to tragedy, for all life has its tragic element. 

 If we do, the world about us can never be 

 rightly understood ; yet we need not linger long 

 where night gathers ere the day be done, or 

 stays in stern defiance of the sun. Happily, 

 there is always a more cheerful path into which 

 we may turn, a path that has only those features 

 which go to the furthering of peace and pleas- 

 ure ; where light, not shadow, greets us ; where 

 songs of love replace the cries of exultation and 

 despair ; where, if we desire, we may hear not 

 alone the cheery words of my elm-tree oriole, 

 but the gleesome rejoicing of a happy host, 



