BIRDS ANGELUS IN AIKEN 



By Ceiestine Eustis 



At half past five on the morning of February 1914, 

 red Cardinal begins to chirp faintly, for the first time, 

 as if he was not quite awake. The second time he 

 chirps louder, he wakes up all the cocks in the neigh- 

 borhood. I can hear them waking up each other in 

 the far distance. Like in a circle, in a few moments 

 the Cardinal pipes up again, and is answered by a 

 Mockingbird's pretty song. The Cardinal has a hard 

 time arousing his feathered friends. He whistles five 

 or six times and is still only answered by the cocks. 

 He whistled now more faintly, as if he was sleepy him- 

 self or fears he has awakened too early, mistaking the 

 time. Another Mockingbird trills faintly! But the 

 cocks are all wide awake by this time and they crow 

 loud enough to wake up the dead. The Cardinal is 

 still persistent in his angelus and now there are faint 

 responses in different directions. Encouraged, the 

 Cardinal asserts himself and whistles loudly — another 

 Cardinal responds — and our friend answers louder. 

 Now several birds join in and another pipes up sharp- 

 ly, as much as to say, "I am waking up too." In the 

 distance I hear strange noises which are unknown to 

 me. My Cardinal friend whistles incessantly, loud 

 and louder, as much as to say, "Wake up lazy feath- 

 ers." ]\ r ow I hear the discordant noises of the Blue 

 Jays calling each other from far and wide. The Car- 

 dinal goes on with its note. "Wake up! Wake up!" 

 Another strange bird responds with a thrill which sets 

 them all singing and the air is alive with beautiful 

 sounds. 



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