THE MASTERS OF MELODY. 93 



and only commonplace cares concern the bird, the 

 song that charmed is sung no more, and while we are 

 yet hoping and expecting at least one more repe- 

 tition, we are greeted with a complaining mee-aa, or 

 something like it, that is decidedly cat-like, and, what 

 is worse, sounds much like the " bah! "of impu- 

 dence in reply to a civil question. No one likes this 

 cry of the cat-bird. It suggests insult ; and, while 

 the man will turn away in disgust, the boy will reply 

 with a well-aimed stone that requires all the bird's 

 alertness to dodge successfully ; and this mee-aa is 

 all we hear until the birds leave us in mid-autumn. 

 If nothing succeeds like success, as illustrated by the 

 cat-bird in the orchard, then nothing fails so com- 

 pletely as failure, as shown in the vocal efforts of 

 this voluble bird during the late summer and fall. 

 Do one thing well and perfection is expected in all 

 directions ; yet who among men and which of the 

 birds has ever reached this high degree ? The cat- 

 bird has reasons for not singing in August, and for 

 what we interpret as complaining instead. It is none 

 of our business. We are wholly unreasonable. There 

 is enough sweetness in the May-day orchard song 

 of the bird to remain with us as a delightful rec- 

 ollection until May-day comes again, and for this 

 we should be thankful. The musical cat-bird is a 

 distinct success ; the fretful cat-bird, on the other 

 hand, is not a failure. If we ignore its voice and 

 consider its ways, we are sure of abundant entertain- 

 ment, for let it be understood at the very outset that 

 the bird means well and has no thought of showing 



