4 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
reckless to the last, comes garrulous, chattering down, and 
dips upon an island pebble ; and Bobby Linkum, with his 
amorous song shivered into silvery quavers, comes eagerly 
hurrying after, and dashes up the spray, like as not, amid- 
stream ; the Indigo Bird darts in, and the Sparrows skip 
chirpingly over the curled last-winter leaves; the yellow- 
eyed Thrush, with long bounds and drooping wings, splashes 
plump into the water ; the Cat Bird, with faint purr, glides 
meekly down ; the Elfin Mocker, even, silent now and pant- 
ing, half-spreading its white-barred wings with every hop, 
follows the rest ; with low chirrup and quick pattering feet, 
the dusky-dotted Partridge hurries in; now see them one 
and all dip their thirsty bills into the cool ripples — a single 
drop, then each is upturned towards heaven, and softest eyes 
look the mute eloquence of thanks. 
Down they all go again — anothei drop — ^up they rise to- 
gether, pointing toward the home of God, gesticulating 
praises while they take his gifts. 
Beautiful worshippers ! Lovely and fitting temple of the 
Most High ! your shady places have been hallowed by those 
simple prayers. That inarticulate incense, like the invisible 
aroma of hill-side violets, has ascended gratefully to heaven ! 
Ye human Formalists, who, to the alarm of chimes, go on 
your knees to mumble the set forms of praise ! what is your 
faith compared to these ? 
Would that ye would read this Elder Bible more — its 
wide, miraculous pages have many a sentient chapter such 
as this, where all the breathing is of love ! Turn aside to 
look upon them with a calm regard ; who knows but that 
the light abiding with these gentle things, may find its way 
through the hard crust of cant, and wake to flowering some 
genial place beside thy heart. 
Ye are not all ossified — ^brain, sense and heart — even down 
to that altar of the belly gods within you! Be of good 
cheer, and not affrighted because of great black-letter Tomes, 
God's Commentary on his written Eevelation was given first 
