BOYHOOD AND BIRDS. 
59 
before their numerous visitors. He was a good old man, and 
she the most loving of gentle wives — ^peace to their souls ! I 
believe the strawberries will grow spontaneously on their 
graves who nourished them so well, and the mocking birds, 
drawn by some " sweet compulsion," go there to sing,, while 
flowers that were their chosen loves, will sure creep close, to 
fill the place with odors. 
I did not hear of this incident till some five or six years 
after its occurrence, and then it was called up by my recital 
to the old man of an adventure of my own, a short time be- 
fore, which was nearly as ridiculous as this, and resembling it 
in many essential features. It was my first meeting with the 
mocking bird, too ! 
I was now a stout youth of sixteen, yet I had never seen 
the mocking bird ; though, of course, I had read and heard 
with eagerness much about it. I knew all the birds around 
me so well, that I could detect the presence of a stranger 
among them as readily as I should have noticed a sixth fin- 
ger or toe, which had suddenly been added to my worldly gifts. 
I was gunning one day, in a rich meadow, on which stood 
scattered many very tall trees. I observed above the top- 
most bough of one of these, a strange bird alighting as if he 
was afraid it would burn his toes. He would just touch a 
twig, while with wings wide spread, and then bound up 
again — ^hovering doubtfully over it, but with a movement so 
airy that I could scarcely believe it a substantial creature. 
As it thus fluttered and floated lightly with its front towards 
me, it seemed all white, a rich, soft, creamy white from 
throat to tip of the long tail-feathers ; but, now, in restless 
motion it turns its dark back, and I can see across each 
wide-spread wing the white bar in singular, sudden contrast. 
It seemed to me a thing from dream-land — so indescribably 
spirituelle was the grace of every movement 1 I could only 
form a remote conjecture as to what the bird really was, for it 
proved so exceedingly wary and shy, that I found it impos- 
sible to approach any nearer. It was not until my patience 
