Impressions 



ing bird. It was a day of universal rejoicing, 

 a veritable jubilee. I said this, aloud, and the 

 red wings took up the thought expressed, and 

 surely a bird never spoke our language more 

 plainly than these epauletted soldiers of the 

 marsh — jubilee, jubilee. 



I lingered until the westering sun turned my 

 thoughts homeward, and, though the way was 

 long and the path winding, I thought nothing 

 of all this. Bird music is too tonic to permit 

 weariness to creep in. Every mile was worth 

 what it cost, considering the song at the end of 

 it ; and not a mile, nor a fraction thereof, with- 

 out its attendant concourse of sweet sounds. 

 The thrill of reviving activities was felt in the 

 earth; a tremor could be fancied as affecting 

 every gnarly old oak along the hill. Had rocks 

 moved, I could hardly have been surprised. 

 The message of April had been received; the 

 summons was about to be obeyed cheerfully. 



Let him who doubts look and listen for him- 

 self. He was neither blind nor deaf who said : 

 "A bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that 

 which hath wings shall tell the matter." Alas ! 

 how many are deaf to every message, so deep- 

 rooted is self-suflBcieney. 



53 



