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@@ -0,0 +1,2880 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Song of the Cardinal, by Gene Stratton-Porter + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Song of the Cardinal + +Author: Gene Stratton-Porter + +Posting Date: July 30, 2008 [EBook #533] +Release Date: May, 1996 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SONG OF THE CARDINAL *** + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +The Song of the Cardinal + + +by + +Gene Stratton-Porter + + + + +IN LOVING TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER + +MARK STRATTON + + +"For him every work of God manifested a new and heretofore +unappreciated loveliness." + + + +CONTENTS + + 1. "Good cheer! Good cheer!" exulted the Cardinal + 2. "Wet year! Wet year!" prophesied the Cardinal + 3. "Come here! Come here!" entreated the Cardinal + 4. "So dear! So dear!" crooned the Cardinal + 5. "See here! See here!" demanded the Cardinal + + + +Chapter 1 + +"Good cheer! Good cheer!" exulted the Cardinal + + +He darted through the orange orchard searching for slugs for his +breakfast, and between whiles he rocked on the branches and rang over +his message of encouragement to men. The song of the Cardinal was +overflowing with joy, for this was his holiday, his playtime. The +southern world was filled with brilliant sunshine, gaudy flowers, an +abundance of fruit, myriads of insects, and never a thing to do except +to bathe, feast, and be happy. No wonder his song was a prophecy of +good cheer for the future, for happiness made up the whole of his past. + +The Cardinal was only a yearling, yet his crest flared high, his beard +was crisp and black, and he was a very prodigy in size and colouring. +Fathers of his family that had accomplished many migrations appeared +small beside him, and coats that had been shed season after season +seemed dull compared with his. It was as if a pulsing heart of flame +passed by when he came winging through the orchard. + +Last season the Cardinal had pipped his shell, away to the north, in +that paradise of the birds, the Limberlost. There thousands of acres +of black marsh-muck stretch under summers' sun and winters' snows. +There are darksome pools of murky water, bits of swale, and high +morass. Giants of the forest reach skyward, or, coated with velvet +slime, lie decaying in sun-flecked pools, while the underbrush is +almost impenetrable. + +The swamp resembles a big dining-table for the birds. Wild grape-vines +clamber to the tops of the highest trees, spreading umbrella-wise over +the branches, and their festooned floating trailers wave as silken +fringe in the play of the wind. The birds loll in the shade, peel +bark, gather dried curlers for nest material, and feast on the pungent +fruit. They chatter in swarms over the wild-cherry trees, and overload +their crops with red haws, wild plums, papaws, blackberries and +mandrake. The alders around the edge draw flocks in search of berries, +and the marsh grasses and weeds are weighted with seed hunters. The +muck is alive with worms; and the whole swamp ablaze with flowers, +whose colours and perfumes attract myriads of insects and butterflies. + +Wild creepers flaunt their red and gold from the treetops, and the +bumblebees and humming-birds make common cause in rifling the +honey-laden trumpets. The air around the wild-plum and redhaw trees is +vibrant with the beating wings of millions of wild bees, and the +bee-birds feast to gluttony. The fetid odours of the swamp draw +insects in swarms, and fly-catchers tumble and twist in air in pursuit +of them. + +Every hollow tree homes its colony of bats. Snakes sun on the bushes. +The water folk leave trails of shining ripples in their wake as they +cross the lagoons. Turtles waddle clumsily from the logs. Frogs take +graceful leaps from pool to pool. Everything native to that section of +the country-underground, creeping, or a-wing--can be found in the +Limberlost; but above all the birds. + +Dainty green warblers nest in its tree-tops, and red-eyed vireos choose +a location below. It is the home of bell-birds, finches, and thrushes. +There are flocks of blackbirds, grackles, and crows. Jays and catbirds +quarrel constantly, and marsh-wrens keep up never-ending chatter. +Orioles swing their pendent purses from the branches, and with the +tanagers picnic on mulberries and insects. In the evening, night-hawks +dart on silent wing; whippoorwills set up a plaintive cry that they +continue far into the night; and owls revel in moonlight and rich +hunting. At dawn, robins wake the echoes of each new day with the +admonition, "Cheer up! Cheer up!" and a little later big black vultures +go wheeling through cloudland or hang there, like frozen splashes, +searching the Limberlost and the surrounding country for food. The +boom of the bittern resounds all day, and above it the rasping scream +of the blue heron, as he strikes terror to the hearts of frogdom; while +the occasional cries of a lost loon, strayed from its flock in northern +migration, fill the swamp with sounds of wailing. + +Flashing through the tree-tops of the Limberlost there are birds whose +colour is more brilliant than that of the gaudiest flower lifting its +face to light and air. The lilies of the mire are not so white as the +white herons that fish among them. The ripest spray of goldenrod is +not so highly coloured as the burnished gold on the breast of the +oriole that rocks on it. The jays are bluer than the calamus bed they +wrangle above with throaty chatter. The finches are a finer purple +than the ironwort. For every clump of foxfire flaming in the +Limberlost, there is a cardinal glowing redder on a bush above it. +These may not be more numerous than other birds, but their brilliant +colouring and the fearless disposition make them seem so. + +The Cardinal was hatched in a thicket of sweetbrier and blackberry. +His father was a tough old widower of many experiences and variable +temper. He was the biggest, most aggressive redbird in the Limberlost, +and easily reigned king of his kind. Catbirds, king-birds, and shrikes +gave him a wide berth, and not even the ever-quarrelsome jays plucked +up enough courage to antagonize him. A few days after his latest +bereavement, he saw a fine, plump young female; and she so filled his +eye that he gave her no rest until she permitted his caresses, and +carried the first twig to the wild rose. She was very proud to mate +with the king of the Limberlost; and if deep in her heart she felt +transient fears of her lordly master, she gave no sign, for she was a +bird of goodly proportion and fine feather herself. + +She chose her location with the eye of an artist, and the judgment of a +nest builder of more experience. It would be difficult for snakes and +squirrels to penetrate that briery thicket. The white berry blossoms +scarcely had ceased to attract a swarm of insects before the sweets of +the roses recalled them; by the time they had faded, luscious big +berries ripened within reach and drew food hunters. She built with far +more than ordinary care. It was a beautiful nest, not nearly so +carelessly made as those of her kindred all through the swamp. There +was a distinct attempt at a cup shape, and it really was neatly lined +with dried blades of sweet marsh grass. But it was in the laying of +her first egg that the queen cardinal forever distinguished herself. +She was a fine healthy bird, full of love and happiness over her first +venture in nest-building, and she so far surpassed herself on that +occasion she had difficulty in convincing any one that she was +responsible for the result. + +Indeed, she was compelled to lift beak and wing against her mate in +defense of this egg, for it was so unusually large that he could not be +persuaded short of force that some sneak of the feathered tribe had not +slipped in and deposited it in her absence. The king felt sure there +was something wrong with the egg, and wanted to roll it from the nest; +but the queen knew her own, and stoutly battled for its protection. +She further increased their prospects by laying three others. After +that the king made up his mind that she was a most remarkable bird, and +went away pleasure-seeking; but the queen settled to brooding, a +picture of joyous faith and contentment. + +Through all the long days, when the heat became intense, and the king +was none too thoughtful of her appetite or comfort, she nestled those +four eggs against her breast and patiently waited. The big egg was her +treasure. She gave it constant care. Many times in a day she turned +it; and always against her breast there was the individual pressure +that distinguished it from the others. It was the first to hatch, of +course, and the queen felt that she had enough if all the others failed +her; for this egg pipped with a resounding pip, and before the silky +down was really dry on the big terracotta body, the young Cardinal +arose and lustily demanded food. + +The king came to see him and at once acknowledged subjugation. He was +the father of many promising cardinals, yet he never had seen one like +this. He set the Limberlost echoes rolling with his jubilant +rejoicing. He unceasingly hunted for the ripest berries and seed. He +stuffed that baby from morning until night, and never came with food +that he did not find him standing a-top the others calling for more. +The queen was just as proud of him and quite as foolish in her +idolatry, but she kept tally and gave the remainder every other worm in +turn. They were unusually fine babies, but what chance has merely a +fine baby in a family that possesses a prodigy? The Cardinal was as +large as any two of the other nestlings, and so red the very down on +him seemed tinged with crimson; his skin and even his feet were red. + +He was the first to climb to the edge of the nest and the first to hop +on a limb. He surprised his parents by finding a slug, and winged his +first flight to such a distance that his adoring mother almost went +into spasms lest his strength might fail, and he would fall into the +swamp and become the victim of a hungry old turtle. He returned +safely, however; and the king was so pleased he hunted him an unusually +ripe berry, and perching before him, gave him his first language +lesson. Of course, the Cardinal knew how to cry "Pee" and "Chee" when +he burst his shell; but the king taught him to chip with accuracy and +expression, and he learned that very day that male birds of the +cardinal family always call "Chip," and the females "Chook." In fact, +he learned so rapidly and was generally so observant, that before the +king thought it wise to give the next lesson, he found him on a limb, +his beak closed, his throat swelling, practising his own rendering of +the tribal calls, "Wheat! Wheat! Wheat!" "Here! Here! Here!" and +"Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!" This so delighted the king that he whistled +them over and over and helped the youngster all he could. + +He was so proud of him that this same night he gave him his first +lesson in tucking his head properly and going to sleep alone. In a few +more days, when he was sure of his wing strength, he gave him +instructions in flying. He taught him how to spread his wings and +slowly sail from tree to tree; how to fly in short broken curves, to +avoid the aim of a hunter; how to turn abruptly in air and make a quick +dash after a bug or an enemy. He taught him the proper angle at which +to breast a stiff wind, and that he always should meet a storm head +first, so that the water would run as the plumage lay. + +His first bathing lesson was a pronounced success. The Cardinal +enjoyed water like a duck. He bathed, splashed, and romped until his +mother was almost crazy for fear he would attract a watersnake or +turtle; but the element of fear was not a part of his disposition. He +learned to dry, dress, and plume his feathers, and showed such +remarkable pride in keeping himself immaculate, that although only a +youngster, he was already a bird of such great promise, that many of +the feathered inhabitants of the Limberlost came to pay him a call. + +Next, the king took him on a long trip around the swamp, and taught him +to select the proper places to hunt for worms; how to search under +leaves for plant-lice and slugs for meat; which berries were good and +safe, and the kind of weeds that bore the most and best seeds. He +showed him how to find tiny pebbles to grind his food, and how to +sharpen and polish his beak. + +Then he took up the real music lessons, and taught him how to whistle +and how to warble and trill. "Good Cheer! Good Cheer!" intoned the +king. "Coo Cher! Coo Cher!" imitated the Cardinal. These songs were +only studied repetitions, but there was a depth and volume in his voice +that gave promise of future greatness, when age should have developed +him, and experience awakened his emotions. He was an excellent +musician for a youngster. + +He soon did so well in caring for himself, in finding food and in +flight, and grew so big and independent, that he made numerous +excursions alone through the Limberlost; and so impressive were his +proportions, and so aggressive his manner, that he suffered no +molestation. In fact, the reign of the king promised to end speedily; +but if he feared it he made no sign, and his pride in his wonderful +offspring was always manifest. After the Cardinal had explored the +swamp thoroughly, a longing for a wider range grew upon him; and day +after day he lingered around the borders, looking across the wide +cultivated fields, almost aching to test his wings in one long, high, +wild stretch of flight. + +A day came when the heat of the late summer set the marsh steaming, and +the Cardinal, flying close to the borders, caught the breeze from the +upland; and the vision of broad fields stretching toward the north so +enticed him that he spread his wings, and following the line of trees +and fences as much as possible, he made his first journey from home. +That day was so delightful it decided his fortunes. It would seem that +the swamp, so appreciated by his kindred, should have been sufficient +for the Cardinal, but it was not. With every mile he winged his +flight, came a greater sense of power and strength, and a keener love +for the broad sweep of field and forest. His heart bounded with the +zest of rocking on the wind, racing through the sunshine, and sailing +over the endless panorama of waving corn fields, and woodlands. + +The heat and closeness of the Limberlost seemed a prison well escaped, +as on and on he flew in straight untiring flight. Crossing a field of +half-ripened corn that sloped to the river, the Cardinal saw many birds +feeding there, so he alighted on a tall tree to watch them. Soon he +decided that he would like to try this new food. He found a place +where a crow had left an ear nicely laid open, and clinging to the +husk, as he saw the others do, he stretched to his full height and +drove his strong sharp beak into the creamy grain. After the stifling +swamp hunting, after the long exciting flight, to rock on this swaying +corn and drink the rich milk of the grain, was to the Cardinal his +first taste of nectar and ambrosia. He lifted his head when he came to +the golden kernel, and chipping it in tiny specks, he tasted and +approved with all the delight of an epicure in a delicious new dish. + +Perhaps there were other treats in the next field. He decided to fly +even farther. But he had gone only a short distance when he changed +his course and turned to the South, for below him was a long, shining, +creeping thing, fringed with willows, while towering above them were +giant sycamore, maple, tulip, and elm trees that caught and rocked with +the wind; and the Cardinal did not know what it was. Filled with +wonder he dropped lower and lower. Birds were everywhere, many flying +over and dipping into it; but its clear creeping silver was a mystery +to the Cardinal. + +The beautiful river of poetry and song that the Indians first +discovered, and later with the French, named Ouabache; the winding +shining river that Logan and Me-shin-go-me-sia loved; the only river +that could tempt Wa-ca-co-nah from the Salamonie and Mississinewa; the +river beneath whose silver sycamores and giant maples Chief Godfrey +pitched his campfires, was never more beautiful than on that perfect +autumn day. + +With his feathers pressed closely, the Cardinal alighted on a willow, +and leaned to look, quivering with excitement and uttering explosive +"chips"; for there he was, face to face with a big redbird that +appeared neither peaceful nor timid. He uttered an impudent "Chip" of +challenge, which, as it left his beak, was flung back to him. The +Cardinal flared his crest and half lifted his wings, stiffening them at +the butt; the bird he was facing did the same. In his surprise he +arose to his full height with a dexterous little side step, and the +other bird straightened and side-stepped exactly with him. This was +too insulting for the Cardinal. Straining every muscle, he made a dash +at the impudent stranger. + +He struck the water with such force that it splashed above the willows, +and a kingfisher, stationed on a stump opposite him, watching the +shoals for minnows, saw it. He spread his beak and rolled forth +rattling laughter, until his voice reechoed from point to point down +the river. The Cardinal scarcely knew how he got out, but he had +learned a new lesson. That beautiful, shining, creeping thing was +water; not thick, tepid, black marsh water, but pure, cool, silver +water. He shook his plumage, feeling a degree redder from shame, but +he would not be laughed into leaving. He found it too delightful. In +a short time he ventured down and took a sip, and it was the first real +drink of his life. Oh, but it was good! + +When thirst from the heat and his long flight was quenched, he ventured +in for a bath, and that was a new and delightful experience. How he +splashed and splashed, and sent the silver drops flying! How he ducked +and soaked and cooled in that rippling water, in which he might remain +as long as he pleased and splash his fill; for he could see the bottom +for a long distance all around, and easily could avoid anything +attempting to harm him. He was so wet when his bath was finished he +scarcely could reach a bush to dry and dress his plumage. + +Once again in perfect feather, he remembered the bird of the water, and +returned to the willow. There in the depths of the shining river the +Cardinal discovered himself, and his heart swelled big with just pride. +Was that broad full breast his? Where had he seen any other cardinal +with a crest so high it waved in the wind? How big and black his eyes +were, and his beard was almost as long and crisp as his father's. He +spread his wings and gloated on their sweep, and twisted and flirted +his tail. He went over his toilet again and dressed every feather on +him. He scoured the back of his neck with the butt of his wings, and +tucking his head under them, slowly drew it out time after time to +polish his crest. He turned and twisted. He rocked and paraded, and +every glimpse he caught of his size and beauty filled him with pride. +He strutted like a peacock and chattered like a jay. + +When he could find no further points to admire, something else caught +his attention. When he "chipped" there was an answering "Chip" across +the river; certainly there was no cardinal there, so it must be that he +was hearing his own voice as well as seeing himself. Selecting a +conspicuous perch he sent an incisive "Chip!" across the water, and in +kind it came back to him. Then he "chipped" softly and tenderly, as he +did in the Limberlost to a favourite little sister who often came and +perched beside him in the maple where he slept, and softly and tenderly +came the answer. Then the Cardinal understood. "Wheat! Wheat! Wheat!" +He whistled it high, and he whistled it low. "Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!" +He whistled it tenderly and sharply and imperiously. "Here! Here! +Here!" At this ringing command, every bird, as far as the river +carried his voice, came to investigate and remained to admire. Over and +over he rang every change he could invent. He made a gallant effort at +warbling and trilling, and then, with the gladdest heart he ever had +known, he burst into ringing song: "Good Cheer! Good Cheer! Good Cheer!" + +As evening came on he grew restless and uneasy, so he slowly winged his +way back to the Limberlost; but that day forever spoiled him for a +swamp bird. In the night he restlessly ruffled his feathers, and +sniffed for the breeze of the meadows. He tasted the corn and the +clear water again. He admired his image in the river, and longed for +the sound of his voice, until he began murmuring, "Wheat! Wheat! +Wheat!" in his sleep. In the earliest dawn a robin awoke him singing, +"Cheer up! Cheer up!" and he answered with a sleepy "Cheer! Cheer! +Cheer!" Later the robin sang again with exquisite softness and +tenderness: "Cheer up, Dearie! Cheer up, Dearie! Cheer up! Cheer up! +Cheer!" The Cardinal, now fully awakened, shouted lustily, "Good +Cheer! Good Cheer!" and after that it was only a short time until he +was on his way toward the shining river. It was better than before, +and every following day found him feasting in the corn field and +bathing in the shining water; but he always returned to his family at +nightfall. + +When black frosts began to strip the Limberlost, and food was almost +reduced to dry seed, there came a day on which the king marshalled his +followers and gave the magic signal. With dusk he led them southward, +mile after mile, until their breath fell short, and their wings ached +with unaccustomed flight; but because of the trips to the river, the +Cardinal was stronger than the others, and he easily kept abreast of +the king. In the early morning, even before the robins were awake, the +king settled in the Everglades. But the Cardinal had lost all liking +for swamp life, so he stubbornly set out alone, and in a short time he +had found another river. It was not quite so delightful as the shining +river; but still it was beautiful, and on its gently sloping bank was +an orange orchard. There the Cardinal rested, and found a winter home +after his heart's desire. + +The following morning, a golden-haired little girl and an old man with +snowy locks came hand in hand through the orchard. The child saw the +redbird and immediately claimed him, and that same day the edict went +forth that a very dreadful time was in store for any one who harmed or +even frightened the Cardinal. So in security began a series of days +that were pure delight. The orchard was alive with insects, attracted +by the heavy odours, and slugs infested the bark. Feasting was almost +as good as in the Limberlost, and always there was the river to drink +from and to splash in at will. + +In those days the child and the old man lingered for hours in the +orchard, watching the bird that every day seemed to grow bigger and +brighter. What a picture his coat, now a bright cardinal red, made +against the waxy green leaves! How big and brilliant he seemed as he +raced and darted in play among the creamy blossoms! How the little +girl stood with clasped hands worshipping him, as with swelling throat +he rocked on the highest spray and sang his inspiring chorus over and +over: "Good Cheer! Good Cheer!" Every day they came to watch and +listen. They scattered crumbs; and the Cardinal grew so friendly that +he greeted their coming with a quick "Chip! Chip!" while the delighted +child tried to repeat it after him. Soon they became such friends that +when he saw them approaching he would call softly "Chip! Chip!" and +then with beady eyes and tilted head await her reply. + +Sometimes a member of his family from the Everglades found his way into +the orchard, and the Cardinal, having grown to feel a sense of +proprietorship, resented the intrusion and pursued him like a streak of +flame. Whenever any straggler had this experience, he returned to the +swamp realizing that the Cardinal of the orange orchard was almost +twice his size and strength, and so startlingly red as to be a wonder. + +One day a gentle breeze from the north sprang up and stirred the orange +branches, wafting the heavy perfume across the land and out to sea, and +spread in its stead a cool, delicate, pungent odour. The Cardinal +lifted his head and whistled an inquiring note. He was not certain, +and went on searching for slugs, and predicting happiness in full round +notes: "Good Cheer! Good Cheer!" Again the odour swept the orchard, so +strong that this time there was no mistaking it. The Cardinal darted +to the topmost branch, his crest flaring, his tail twitching nervously. +"Chip! Chip!" he cried with excited insistence, "Chip! Chip!" + +The breeze was coming stiffly and steadily now, unlike anything the +Cardinal ever had known, for its cool breath told of ice-bound fields +breaking up under the sun. Its damp touch was from the spring showers +washing the face of the northland. Its subtle odour was the +commingling of myriads of unfolding leaves and crisp plants, +upspringing; its pungent perfume was the pollen of catkins. + +Up in the land of the Limberlost, old Mother Nature, with strident +muttering, had set about her annual house cleaning. With her efficient +broom, the March wind, she was sweeping every nook and cranny clean. +With her scrub-bucket overflowing with April showers, she was washing +the face of all creation, and if these measures failed to produce +cleanliness to her satisfaction, she gave a final polish with storms of +hail. The shining river was filled to overflowing; breaking up the ice +and carrying a load of refuse, it went rolling to the sea. The ice and +snow had not altogether gone; but the long-pregnant earth was mothering +her children. She cringed at every step, for the ground was teeming +with life. Bug and worm were working to light and warmth. Thrusting +aside the mold and leaves above them, spring beauties, hepaticas, and +violets lifted tender golden-green heads. The sap was flowing, and +leafless trees were covered with swelling buds. Delicate mosses were +creeping over every stick of decaying timber. The lichens on stone and +fence were freshly painted in unending shades of gray and green. +Myriads of flowers and vines were springing up to cover last year's +decaying leaves. + +"The beautiful uncut hair of graves" was creeping over meadow, +spreading beside roadways, and blanketing every naked spot. + +The Limberlost was waking to life even ahead of the fields and the +river. Through the winter it had been the barest and dreariest of +places; but now the earliest signs of returning spring were in its +martial music, for when the green hyla pipes, and the bullfrog drums, +the bird voices soon join them. The catkins bloomed first; and then, +in an incredibly short time, flags, rushes, and vines were like a sea +of waving green, and swelling buds were ready to burst. In the upland +the smoke was curling over sugar-camp and clearing; in the forests +animals were rousing from their long sleep; the shad were starting anew +their never-ending journey up the shining river; peeps of green were +mantling hilltop and valley; and the northland was ready for its +dearest springtime treasures to come home again. + +From overhead were ringing those first glad notes, caught nearer the +Throne than those of any other bird, "Spring o' year! Spring o' year!"; +while stilt-legged little killdeers were scudding around the Limberlost +and beside the river, flinging from cloudland their "Kill deer! Kill +deer!" call. The robins in the orchards were pulling the long dried +blades of last year's grass from beneath the snow to line their +mud-walled cups; and the bluebirds were at the hollow apple tree. Flat +on the top rail, the doves were gathering their few coarse sticks and +twigs together. It was such a splendid place to set their cradle. The +weatherbeaten, rotting old rails were the very colour of the busy dove +mother. Her red-rimmed eye fitted into the background like a tiny +scarlet lichen cup. Surely no one would ever see her! The Limberlost +and shining river, the fields and forests, the wayside bushes and +fences, the stumps, logs, hollow trees, even the bare brown breast of +Mother Earth, were all waiting to cradle their own again; and by one of +the untold miracles each would return to its place. + +There was intoxication in the air. The subtle, pungent, ravishing +odours on the wind, of unfolding leaves, ice-water washed plants, and +catkin pollen, were an elixir to humanity. The cattle of the field +were fairly drunk with it, and herds, dry-fed during the winter, were +coming to their first grazing with heads thrown high, romping, +bellowing, and racing like wild things. + +The north wind, sweeping from icy fastnesses, caught this odour of +spring, and carried it to the orange orchards and Everglades; and at a +breath of it, crazed with excitement, the Cardinal went flaming through +the orchard, for with no one to teach him, he knew what it meant. The +call had come. Holidays were over. + +It was time to go home, time to riot in crisp freshness, time to go +courting, time to make love, time to possess his own, time for mating +and nest-building. All that day he flashed around, nervous with dread +of the unknown, and palpitant with delightful expectation; but with the +coming of dusk he began his journey northward. + +When he passed the Everglades, he winged his way slowly, and repeatedly +sent down a challenging "Chip," but there was no answer. Then the +Cardinal knew that the north wind had carried a true message, for the +king and his followers were ahead of him on their way to the +Limberlost. Mile after mile, a thing of pulsing fire, he breasted the +blue-black night, and it was not so very long until he could discern a +flickering patch of darkness sweeping the sky before him. The Cardinal +flew steadily in a straight sweep, until with a throb of triumph in his +heart, he arose in his course, and from far overhead, flung down a +boastful challenge to the king and his followers, as he sailed above +them and was lost from sight. + +It was still dusky with the darkness of night when he crossed the +Limberlost, dropping low enough to see its branches laid bare, to catch +a gleam of green in its swelling buds, and to hear the wavering chorus +of its frogs. But there was no hesitation in his flight. Straight and +sure he winged his way toward the shining river; and it was only a few +more miles until the rolling waters of its springtime flood caught his +eye. Dropping precipitately, he plunged his burning beak into the +loved water; then he flew into a fine old stag sumac and tucked his +head under his wing for a short rest. He had made the long flight in +one unbroken sweep, and he was sleepy. In utter content he ruffled his +feathers and closed his eyes, for he was beside the shining river; and +it would be another season before the orange orchard would ring again +with his "Good Cheer! Good Cheer!" + + + +Chapter 2 + +"Wet year! Wet year!" prophesied the Cardinal + + +The sumac seemed to fill his idea of a perfect location from the very +first. He perched on a limb, and between dressing his plumage and +pecking at last year's sour dried berries, he sent abroad his +prediction. Old Mother Nature verified his wisdom by sending a dashing +shower, but he cared not at all for a wetting. He knew how to turn his +crimson suit into the most perfect of water-proof coats; so he +flattened his crest, sleeked his feathers, and breasting the April +downpour, kept on calling for rain. He knew he would appear brighter +when it was past, and he seemed to know, too, that every day of +sunshine and shower would bring nearer his heart's desire. + +He was a very Beau Brummel while he waited. From morning until night +he bathed, dressed his feathers, sunned himself, fluffed and flirted. +He strutted and "chipped" incessantly. He claimed that sumac for his +very own, and stoutly battled for possession with many intruders. It +grew on a densely wooded slope, and the shining river went singing +between grassy banks, whitened with spring beauties, below it. Crowded +around it were thickets of papaw, wild grape-vines, thorn, dogwood, and +red haw, that attracted bug and insect; and just across the old snake +fence was a field of mellow mould sloping to the river, that soon would +be plowed for corn, turning out numberless big fat grubs. + +He was compelled almost hourly to wage battles for his location, for +there was something fine about the old stag sumac that attracted +homestead seekers. A sober pair of robins began laying their +foundations there the morning the Cardinal arrived, and a couple of +blackbirds tried to take possession before the day had passed. He had +little trouble with the robins. They were easily conquered, and with +small protest settled a rod up the bank in a wild-plum tree; but the +air was thick with "chips," chatter, and red and black feathers, before +the blackbirds acknowledged defeat. They were old-timers, and knew +about the grubs and the young corn; but they also knew when they were +beaten, so they moved down stream to a scrub oak, trying to assure each +other that it was the place they really had wanted from the first. + +The Cardinal was left boasting and strutting in the sumac, but in his +heart he found it lonesome business. Being the son of a king, he was +much too dignified to beg for a mate, and besides, it took all his time +to guard the sumac; but his eyes were wide open to all that went on +around him, and he envied the blackbird his glossy, devoted little +sweetheart, with all his might. He almost strained his voice trying to +rival the love-song of a skylark that hung among the clouds above a +meadow across the river, and poured down to his mate a story of adoring +love and sympathy. He screamed a "Chip" of such savage jealousy at a +pair of killdeer lovers that he sent them scampering down the river +bank without knowing that the crime of which they stood convicted was +that of being mated when he was not. As for the doves that were +already brooding on the line fence beneath the maples, the Cardinal was +torn between two opinions. + +He was alone, he was love-sick, and he was holding the finest building +location beside the shining river for his mate, and her slowness in +coming made their devotion difficult to endure when he coveted a true +love; but it seemed to the Cardinal that he never could so forget +himself as to emulate the example of that dove lover. The dove had no +dignity; he was so effusive he was a nuisance. He kept his dignified +Quaker mate stuffed to discomfort; he clung to the side of the nest +trying to help brood until he almost crowded her from the eggs. He +pestered her with caresses and cooed over his love-song until every +chipmunk on the line fence was familiar with his story. The Cardinal's +temper was worn to such a fine edge that he darted at the dove one day +and pulled a big tuft of feathers from his back. When he had returned +to the sumac, he was compelled to admit that his anger lay quite as +much in that he had no one to love as because the dove was disgustingly +devoted. + +Every morning brought new arrivals--trim young females fresh from their +long holiday, and big boastful males appearing their brightest and +bravest, each singer almost splitting his throat in the effort to +captivate the mate he coveted. They came flashing down the river bank, +like rockets of scarlet, gold, blue, and black; rocking on the willows, +splashing in the water, bursting into jets of melody, making every +possible display of their beauty and music; and at times fighting +fiercely when they discovered that the females they were wooing +favoured their rivals and desired only to be friendly with them. + +The heart of the Cardinal sank as he watched. There was not a member +of his immediate family among them. He pitied himself as he wondered +if fate had in store for him the trials he saw others suffering. Those +dreadful feathered females! How they coquetted! How they flirted! How +they sleeked and flattened their plumage, and with half-open beaks and +sparkling eyes, hopped closer and closer as if charmed. The eager +singers, with swelling throats, sang and sang in a very frenzy of +extravagant pleading, but just when they felt sure their little loves +were on the point of surrender, a rod distant above the bushes would go +streaks of feathers, and there was nothing left but to endure the +bitter disappointment, follow them, and begin all over. For the last +three days the Cardinal had been watching his cousin, rose-breasted +Grosbeak, make violent love to the most exquisite little female, who +apparently encouraged his advances, only to see him left sitting as +blue and disconsolate as any human lover, when he discovers that the +maid who has coquetted with him for a season belongs to another man. + +The Cardinal flew to the very top of the highest sycamore and looked +across country toward the Limberlost. Should he go there seeking a +swamp mate among his kindred? It was not an endurable thought. To be +sure, matters were becoming serious. No bird beside the shining river +had plumed, paraded, or made more music than he. Was it all to be +wasted? By this time he confidently had expected results. Only that +morning he had swelled with pride as he heard Mrs. Jay tell her +quarrelsome husband that she wished she could exchange him for the +Cardinal. Did not the gentle dove pause by the sumac, when she left +brooding to take her morning dip in the dust, and gaze at him with +unconcealed admiration? No doubt she devoutly wished her plain pudgy +husband wore a scarlet coat. But it is praise from one's own sex that +is praise indeed, and only an hour ago the lark had reported that from +his lookout above cloud he saw no other singer anywhere so splendid as +the Cardinal of the sumac. Because of these things he held fast to his +conviction that he was a prince indeed; and he decided to remain in his +chosen location and with his physical and vocal attractions compel the +finest little cardinal in the fields to seek him. + +He planned it all very carefully: how she would hear his splendid music +and come to take a peep at him; how she would be captivated by his size +and beauty; how she would come timidly, but come, of course, for his +approval; how he would condescend to accept her if she pleased him in +all particulars; how she would be devoted to him; and how she would +approve his choice of a home, for the sumac was in a lovely spot for +scenery, as well as nest-building. + +For several days he had boasted, he had bantered, he had challenged, he +had on this last day almost condescended to coaxing, but not one little +bright-eyed cardinal female had come to offer herself. + +The performance of a brown thrush drove him wild with envy. The thrush +came gliding up the river bank, a rusty-coated, sneaking thing of the +underbrush, and taking possession of a thorn bush just opposite the +sumac, he sang for an hour in the open. There was no way to improve +that music. It was woven fresh from the warp and woof of his fancy. +It was a song so filled with the joy and gladness of spring, notes so +thrilled with love's pleading and passion's tender pulsing pain, that +at its close there were a half-dozen admiring thrush females gathered +around. With care and deliberation the brown thrush selected the most +attractive, and she followed him to the thicket as if charmed. + +It was the Cardinal's dream materialized for another before his very +eyes, and it filled him with envy. If that plain brown bird that +slinked as if he had a theft to account for, could, by showing himself +and singing for an hour, win a mate, why should not he, the most +gorgeous bird of the woods, openly flaunting his charms and discoursing +his music, have at least equal success? Should he, the proudest, most +magnificent of cardinals, be compelled to go seeking a mate like any +common bird? Perish the thought! + +He went to the river to bathe. After finding a spot where the water +flowed crystal-clear over a bed of white limestone, he washed until he +felt that he could be no cleaner. Then the Cardinal went to his +favourite sun-parlour, and stretching on a limb, he stood his feathers +on end, and sunned, fluffed and prinked until he was immaculate. + +On the tip-top antler of the old stag sumac, he perched and strained +until his jetty whiskers appeared stubby. He poured out a tumultuous +cry vibrant with every passion raging in him. He caught up his own +rolling echoes and changed and varied them. He improvised, and set the +shining river ringing, "Wet year! Wet year!" + +He whistled and whistled until all birdland and even mankind heard, for +the farmer paused at his kitchen door, with his pails of foaming milk, +and called to his wife: + +"Hear that, Maria! Jest hear it! I swanny, if that bird doesn't stop +predictin' wet weather, I'll get so scared I won't durst put in my corn +afore June. They's some birds like killdeers an' bobwhites 'at can +make things pretty plain, but I never heard a bird 'at could jest speak +words out clear an' distinct like that fellow. Seems to come from the +river bottom. B'lieve I'll jest step down that way an' see if the +lower field is ready for the plow yet." + +"Abram Johnson," said his wife, "bein's you set up for an honest man, +if you want to trapse through slush an' drizzle a half-mile to see a +bird, why say so, but don't for land's sake lay it on to plowin' 'at +you know in all conscience won't be ready for a week yet 'thout +pretendin' to look." + +Abram grinned sheepishly. "I'm willin' to call it the bird if you are, +Maria. I've been hearin' him from the barn all day, an' there's +somethin' kind o' human in his notes 'at takes me jest a little +diffrunt from any other bird I ever noticed. I'm really curious to set +eyes on him. Seemed to me from his singin' out to the barn, it 'ud be +mighty near like meetin' folks." + +"Bosh!" exclaimed Maria. "I don't s'pose he sings a mite better 'an +any other bird. It's jest the old Wabash rollin' up the echoes. A +bird singin' beside the river always sounds twicet as fine as one on +the hills. I've knowed that for forty year. Chances are 'at he'll be +gone 'fore you get there." + +As Abram opened the door, "Wet year! Wet year!" pealed the flaming +prophet. + +He went out, closing the door softly, and with an utter disregard for +the corn field, made a bee line for the musician. + +"I don't know as this is the best for twinges o' rheumatiz," he +muttered, as he turned up his collar and drew his old hat lower to keep +the splashing drops from his face. "I don't jest rightly s'pose I +should go; but I'm free to admit I'd as lief be dead as not to answer +when I get a call, an' the fact is, I'm CALLED down beside the river." + +"Wet year! Wet year!" rolled the Cardinal's prediction. + +"Thanky, old fellow! Glad to hear you! Didn't jest need the +information, but I got my bearin's rightly from it! I can about pick +out your bush, an' it's well along towards evenin', too, an' must be +mighty near your bedtime. Looks as if you might be stayin' round these +parts! I'd like it powerful well if you'd settle right here, say 'bout +where you are. An' where are you, anyway?" + +Abram went peering and dodging beside the fence, peeping into the +bushes, searching for the bird. Suddenly there was a whir of wings and +a streak of crimson. + +"Scared you into the next county, I s'pose," he muttered. + +But it came nearer being a scared man than a frightened bird, for the +Cardinal flashed straight toward him until only a few yards away, and +then, swaying on a bush, it chipped, cheered, peeked, whistled broken +notes, and manifested perfect delight at the sight of the white-haired +old man. Abram stared in astonishment. + +"Lord A'mighty!" he gasped. "Big as a blackbird, red as a live coal, +an' a-comin' right at me. You are somebody's pet, that's what you are! +An' no, you ain't either. Settin' on a sawed stick in a little wire +house takes all the ginger out of any bird, an' their feathers are +always mussy. Inside o' a cage never saw you, for they ain't a feather +out o' place on you. You are finer'n a piece o' red satin. An' you +got that way o' swingin' an' dancin' an' high-steppin' right out in God +A'mighty's big woods, a teeterin' in the wind, an' a dartin' 'crost the +water. Cage never touched you! But you are somebody's pet jest the +same. An' I look like the man, an' you are tryin' to tell me so, by +gum!" + +Leaning toward Abram, the Cardinal turned his head from side to side, +and peered, "chipped," and waited for an answering "Chip" from a little +golden-haired child, but there was no way for the man to know that. + +"It's jest as sure as fate," he said. "You think you know me, an' you +are tryin' to tell me somethin'. Wish to land I knowed what you want! +Are you tryin' to tell me `Howdy'? Well, I don't 'low nobody to be +politer 'an I am, so far as I know." + +Abram lifted his old hat, and the raindrops glistened on his white +hair. He squared his shoulders and stood very erect. + +"Howdy, Mr. Redbird! How d'ye find yerself this evenin'? I don't +jest riccolict ever seein' you before, but I'll never meet you agin +'thout knowin' you. When d'you arrive? Come through by the special +midnight flyer, did you? Well, you never was more welcome any place in +your life. I'd give a right smart sum this minnit if you'd say you +came to settle on this river bank. How do you like it? To my mind +it's jest as near Paradise as you'll strike on earth. + +"Old Wabash is a twister for curvin' and windin' round, an' it's +limestone bed half the way, an' the water's as pretty an' clear as in +Maria's springhouse. An' as for trimmin', why say, Mr. Redbird, I'll +jest leave it to you if she ain't all trimmed up like a woman's spring +bunnit. Look at the grass a-creepin' right down till it's a trailin' +in the water! Did you ever see jest quite such fine fringy willers? +An' you wait a little, an' the flowerin' mallows 'at grows long the +shinin' old river are fine as garden hollyhocks. Maria says 'at thy'd +be purtier 'an hers if they were only double; but, Lord, Mr. Redbird, +they are! See 'em once on the bank, an' agin in the water! An' back a +little an' there's jest thickets of papaw, an' thorns, an' wild +grape-vines, an' crab, an' red an' black haw, an' dogwood, an' sumac, +an' spicebush, an' trees! Lord! Mr. Redbird, the sycamores, an' maples, +an' tulip, an' ash, an' elm trees are so bustin' fine 'long the old +Wabash they put 'em into poetry books an' sing songs about 'em. What +do you think o' that? Jest back o' you a little there's a sycamore +split into five trunks, any one o' them a famous big tree, tops up +'mong the clouds, an' roots diggin' under the old river; an' over a +little farther's a maple 'at's eight big trees in one. Most anything +you can name, you can find it 'long this ole Wabash, if you only know +where to hunt for it. + +"They's mighty few white men takes the trouble to look, but the Indians +used to know. They'd come canoein' an' fishin' down the river an' camp +under these very trees, an' Ma 'ud git so mad at the old squaws. +Settlers wasn't so thick then, an' you had to be mighty careful not to +rile 'em, an' they'd come a-trapesin' with their wild berries. Woods +full o' berries! Anybody could get 'em by the bushel for the pickin', +an' we hadn't got on to raisin' much wheat, an' had to carry it on +horses over into Ohio to get it milled. Took Pa five days to make the +trip; an' then the blame old squaws 'ud come, an' Ma 'ud be compelled +to hand over to 'em her big white loaves. Jest about set her plumb +crazy. Used to get up in the night, an' fix her yeast, an' bake, an' +let the oven cool, an' hide the bread out in the wheat bin, an' get the +smell of it all out o' the house by good daylight, so's 'at she could +say there wasn't a loaf in the cabin. Oh! if it's good pickin' you're +after, they's berries for all creation 'long the river yet; an' jest +wait a few days till old April gets done showerin' an' I plow this corn +field!" + +Abram set a foot on the third rail and leaned his elbows on the top. +The Cardinal chipped delightedly and hopped and tilted closer. + +"I hadn't jest 'lowed all winter I'd tackle this field again. I've +turned it every spring for forty year. Bought it when I was a young +fellow, jest married to Maria. Shouldered a big debt on it; but I +always loved these slopin' fields, an' my share of this old Wabash +hasn't been for sale nor tradin' any time this past forty year. I've +hung on to it like grim death, for it's jest that much o' Paradise I'm +plumb sure of. First time I plowed this field, Mr. Redbird, I only hit +the high places. Jest married Maria, an' I didn't touch earth any too +frequent all that summer. I've plowed it every year since, an' I've +been 'lowin' all this winter, when the rheumatiz was gettin' in its +work, 'at I'd give it up this spring an' turn it to medder; but I don't +know. Once I got started, b'lieve I could go it all right an' not feel +it so much, if you'd stay to cheer me up a little an' post me on the +weather. Hate the doggondest to own I'm worsted, an' if you say it's +stay, b'lieve I'll try it. Very sight o' you kinder warms the cockles +o' my heart all up, an' every skip you take sets me a-wantin' to be +jumpin', too. + +"What on earth are you lookin' for? Man! I b'lieve it's grub! +Somebody's been feedin' you! An' you want me to keep it up? Well, you +struck it all right, Mr. Redbird. Feed you? You bet I will! You +needn't even 'rastle for grubs if you don't want to. Like as not +you're feelin' hungry right now, pickin' bein' so slim these airly +days. Land's sake! I hope you don't feel you've come too soon. I'll +fetch you everything on the place it's likely a redbird ever teched, +airly in the mornin' if you'll say you'll stay an' wave your torch +'long my river bank this summer. I haven't a scrap about me now. Yes, +I have, too! Here's a handful o' corn I was takin' to the banty +rooster; but shucks! he's fat as a young shoat now. Corn's a leetle +big an' hard for you. Mebby I can split it up a mite." + +Abram took out his jack-knife, and dotting a row of grains along the +top rail, he split and shaved them down as fine as possible; and as he +reached one end of the rail, the Cardinal, with a spasmodic "Chip!" +dashed down and snatched a particle from the other, and flashed back to +the bush, tested, approved, and chipped his thanks. + +"Pshaw now!" said Abram, staring wide-eyed. "Doesn't that beat you? +So you really are a pet? Best kind of a pet in the whole world, too! +Makin' everybody, at sees you happy, an' havin' some chance to be happy +yourself. An' I look like your friend? Well! Well! I'm monstrous +willin' to adopt you if you'll take me; an', as for feedin', from +to-morrow on I'll find time to set your little table 'long this same +rail every day. I s'pose Maria 'ull say 'at I'm gone plumb crazy; but, +for that matter, if I ever get her down to see you jest once, the +trick's done with her, too, for you're the prettiest thing God ever +made in the shape of a bird, 'at I ever saw. Look at that topknot a +wavin' in the wind! Maybe praise to the face is open disgrace; but +I'll take your share an' mine, too, an' tell you right here an' now 'at +you're the blamedest prettiest thing 'at I ever saw. + +"But Lord! You ortn't be so careless! Don't you know you ain't +nothin' but jest a target? Why don't you keep out o' sight a little? +You come a-shinneyin' up to nine out o' ten men 'long the river like +this, an' your purty, coaxin', palaverin' way won't save a feather on +you. You'll get the little red heart shot plumb outen your little red +body, an' that's what you'll get. It's a dratted shame! An' there's +law to protect you, too. They's a good big fine for killin' such as +you, but nobody seems to push it. Every fool wants to test his aim, +an' you're the brightest thing on the river bank for a mark. + +"Well, if you'll stay right where you are, it 'ull be a sorry day for +any cuss 'at teches you; 'at I'll promise you, Mr. Redbird. This +land's mine, an' if you locate on it, you're mine till time to go back +to that other old fellow 'at looks like me. Wonder if he's any +willinger to feed you an' stand up for you 'an I am?" + +"Here! Here! Here!" whistled the Cardinal. + +"Well, I'm mighty glad if you're sayin' you'll stay! Guess it will be +all right if you don't meet some o' them Limberlost hens an' tole off +to the swamp. Lord! the Limberlost ain't to be compared with the +river, Mr. Redbird. You're foolish if you go! Talkin' 'bout goin', I +must be goin' myself, or Maria will be comin' down the line fence with +the lantern; an', come to think of it, I'm a little moist, not to say +downright damp. But then you WARNED me, didn't you, old fellow? Well, +I told Maria seein' you 'ud be like meetin' folks, an' it has been. +Good deal more'n I counted on, an' I've talked more'n I have in a whole +year. Hardly think now 'at I've the reputation o' being a mighty quiet +fellow, would you?" + +Abram straightened and touched his hat brim in a trim half military +salute. "Well, good-bye, Mr. Redbird. Never had more pleasure meetin' +anybody in my life 'cept first time I met Maria. You think about the +plowin', an', if you say `stay,' it's a go! Good-bye; an' do be a +little more careful o' yourself. See you in the mornin', right after +breakfast, no count taken o' the weather." + +"Wet year! Wet year!" called the Cardinal after his retreating figure. + +Abram turned and gravely saluted the second time. The Cardinal went to +the top rail and feasted on the sweet grains of corn until his craw was +full, and then nestled in the sumac and went to sleep. Early next +morning he was abroad and in fine toilet, and with a full voice from +the top of the sumac greeted the day--"Wet year! Wet year!" + +Far down the river echoed his voice until it so closely resembled some +member of his family replying that he followed, searching the banks +mile after mile on either side, until finally he heard voices of his +kind. He located them, but it was only several staid old couples, a +long time mated, and busy with their nest-building. The Cardinal +returned to the sumac, feeling a degree lonelier than ever. + +He decided to prospect in the opposite direction, and taking wing, he +started up the river. Following the channel, he winged his flight for +miles over the cool sparkling water, between the tangle of foliage +bordering the banks. When he came to the long cumbrous structures of +wood with which men had bridged the river, where the shuffling feet of +tired farm horses raised clouds of dust and set the echoes rolling with +their thunderous hoof beats, he was afraid; and rising high, he sailed +over them in short broken curves of flight. But where giant maple and +ash, leaning, locked branches across the channel in one of old Mother +Nature's bridges for the squirrels, he knew no fear, and dipped so low +beneath them that his image trailed a wavering shadow on the silver +path he followed. + +He rounded curve after curve, and frequently stopping on a conspicuous +perch, flung a ringing challenge in the face of the morning. With +every mile the way he followed grew more beautiful. The river bed was +limestone, and the swiftly flowing water, clear and limpid. The banks +were precipitate in some places, gently sloping in others, and always +crowded with a tangle of foliage. + +At an abrupt curve in the river he mounted to the summit of a big ash +and made boastful prophecy, "Wet year! Wet year!" and on all sides +there sprang up the voices of his kind. Startled, the Cardinal took +wing. He followed the river in a circling flight until he remembered +that here might be the opportunity to win the coveted river mate, and +going slower to select the highest branch on which to display his +charms, he discovered that he was only a few yards from the ash from +which he had made his prediction. The Cardinal flew over the narrow +neck and sent another call, then without awaiting a reply, again he +flashed up the river and circled Horseshoe Bend. When he came to the +same ash for the third time, he understood. + +The river circled in one great curve. The Cardinal mounted to the +tip-top limb of the ash and looked around him. There was never a +fairer sight for the eye of man or bird. The mist and shimmer of early +spring were in the air. The Wabash rounded Horseshoe Bend in a silver +circle, rimmed by a tangle of foliage bordering both its banks; and +inside lay a low open space covered with waving marsh grass and the +blue bloom of sweet calamus. Scattered around were mighty trees, but +conspicuous above any, in the very center, was a giant sycamore, split +at its base into three large trees, whose waving branches seemed to +sweep the face of heaven, and whose roots, like miserly fingers, +clutched deep into the black muck of Rainbow Bottom. + +It was in this lovely spot that the rainbow at last materialized, and +at its base, free to all humanity who cared to seek, the Great +Alchemist had left His rarest treasures--the gold of sunshine, diamond +water-drops, emerald foliage, and sapphire sky. + +For good measure, there were added seeds, berries, and insects for the +birds; and wild flowers, fruit, and nuts for the children. Above all, +the sycamore waved its majestic head. + +It made a throne that seemed suitable for the son of the king; and +mounting to its topmost branch, for miles the river carried his +challenge: "Ho, cardinals! Look this way! Behold me! Have you seen any +other of so great size? Have you any to equal my grace? Who can +whistle so loud, so clear, so compelling a note? Who will fly to me for +protection? Who will come and be my mate?" + +He flared his crest high, swelled his throat with rolling notes, and +appeared so big and brilliant that among the many cardinals that had +gathered to hear, there was not one to compare with him. + +Black envy filled their hearts. Who was this flaming dashing stranger, +flaunting himself in the faces of their females? There were many +unmated cardinals in Rainbow Bottom, and many jealous males. A second +time the Cardinal, rocking and flashing, proclaimed himself; and there +was a note of feminine approval so strong that he caught it. Tilting +on a twig, his crest flared to full height, his throat swelled to +bursting, his heart too big for his body, the Cardinal shouted his +challenge for the third time; when clear and sharp arose a cry in +answer, "Here! Here! Here!" It came from a female that had accepted +the caresses of the brightest cardinal in Rainbow Bottom only the day +before, and had spent the morning carrying twigs to a thicket of red +haws. + +The Cardinal, with a royal flourish, sprang in air to seek her; but her +outraged mate was ahead of him, and with a scream she fled, leaving a +tuft of feathers in her mate's beak. In turn the Cardinal struck him +like a flashing rocket, and then red war waged in Rainbow Bottom. The +females scattered for cover with all their might. The Cardinal worked +in a kiss on one poor little bird, too frightened to escape him; then +the males closed in, and serious business began. The Cardinal would +have enjoyed a fight vastly with two or three opponents; but a +half-dozen made discretion better than valour. He darted among them, +scattering them right and left, and made for the sycamore. With all +his remaining breath, he insolently repeated his challenge; and then +headed down stream for the sumac with what grace he could command. + +There was an hour of angry recrimination before sweet peace brooded +again in Rainbow Bottom. The newly mated pair finally made up; the +females speedily resumed their coquetting, and forgot the captivating +stranger--all save the poor little one that had been kissed by +accident. She never had been kissed before, and never had expected +that she would be, for she was a creature of many misfortunes of every +nature. + +She had been hatched from a fifth egg to begin with; and every one +knows the disadvantage of beginning life with four sturdy older birds +on top of one. It was a meager egg, and a feeble baby that pipped its +shell. The remainder of the family stood and took nearly all the food +so that she almost starved in the nest, and she never really knew the +luxury of a hearty meal until her elders had flown. That lasted only a +few days; for the others went then, and their parents followed them so +far afield that the poor little soul, clamouring alone in the nest, +almost perished. Hunger-driven, she climbed to the edge and exercised +her wings until she managed some sort of flight to a neighbouring bush. +She missed the twig and fell to the ground, where she lay cold and +shivering. + +She cried pitifully, and was almost dead when a brown-faced, barefoot +boy, with a fishing-pole on his shoulder, passed and heard her. + +"Poor little thing, you are almost dead," he said. "I know what I'll +do with you. I'll take you over and set you in the bushes where I +heard those other redbirds, and then your ma will feed you." + +The boy turned back and carefully set her on a limb close to one of her +brothers, and there she got just enough food to keep her alive. + +So her troubles continued. Once a squirrel chased her, and she saved +herself by crowding into a hole so small her pursuer could not follow. +The only reason she escaped a big blue racer when she went to take her +first bath, was that a hawk had his eye on the snake and snapped it up +at just the proper moment to save the poor, quivering little bird. She +was left so badly frightened that she could not move for a long time. + +All the tribulations of birdland fell to her lot. She was so frail and +weak she lost her family in migration, and followed with some strangers +that were none too kind. Life in the South had been full of trouble. +Once a bullet grazed her so closely she lost two of her wing quills, +and that made her more timid than ever. Coming North, she had given +out again and finally had wandered into Rainbow Bottom, lost and alone. + +She was such a shy, fearsome little body, the females all flouted her; +and the males never seemed to notice that there was material in her for +a very fine mate. Every other female cardinal in Rainbow Bottom had +several males courting her, but this poor, frightened, lonely one had +never a suitor; and she needed love so badly! Now she had been kissed +by this magnificent stranger! + +Of course, she knew it really was not her kiss. He had intended it for +the bold creature that had answered his challenge, but since it came to +her, it was hers, in a way, after all. She hid in the underbrush for +the remainder of the day, and was never so frightened in all her life. +She brooded over it constantly, and morning found her at the down curve +of the horseshoe, straining her ears for the rarest note she ever had +heard. All day she hid and waited, and the following days were filled +with longing, but he never came again. + +So one morning, possessed with courage she did not understand, and +filled with longing that drove her against her will, she started down +the river. For miles she sneaked through the underbrush, and watched +and listened; until at last night came, and she returned to Rainbow +Bottom. The next morning she set out early and flew to the spot from +which she had turned back the night before. From there she glided +through the bushes and underbrush, trembling and quaking, yet pushing +stoutly onward, straining her ears for some note of the brilliant +stranger's. + +It was mid-forenoon when she reached the region of the sumac, and as +she hopped warily along, only a short distance from her, full and +splendid, there burst the voice of the singer for whom she was +searching. She sprang into air, and fled a mile before she realized +that she was flying. Then she stopped and listened, and rolling with +the river, she heard those bold true tones. Close to earth, she went +back again, to see if, unobserved, she could find a spot where she +might watch the stranger that had kissed her. When at last she reached +a place where she could see him plainly, his beauty was so bewildering, +and his song so enticing that she gradually hopped closer and closer +without knowing she was moving. + +High in the sumac the Cardinal had sung until his throat was parched, +and the fountain of hope was almost dry. There was nothing save defeat +from overwhelming numbers in Rainbow Bottom. He had paraded, and made +all the music he ever had been taught, and improvised much more. Yet +no one had come to seek him. Was it of necessity to be the Limberlost +then? This one day more he would retain his dignity and his location. +He tipped, tilted, and flirted. He whistled, and sang, and trilled. +Over the lowland and up and down the shining river, ringing in every +change he could invent, he sent for the last time his prophetic +message, "Wet year! Wet year!" + + + +Chapter 3 + +"Come here! Come here!" entreated the Cardinal + + +He felt that his music was not reaching his standard as he burst into +this new song. He was almost discouraged. No way seemed open to him +but flight to the Limberlost, and he so disdained the swamp that +love-making would lose something of its greatest charm if he were +driven there for a mate. The time seemed ripe for stringent measures, +and the Cardinal was ready to take them; but how could he stringently +urge a little mate that would not come on his imploring invitations? +He listlessly pecked at the berries and flung abroad an inquiring +"Chip!" With just an atom of hope, he frequently mounted to his +choir-loft and issued an order that savoured far more of a plea, "Come +here! Come here!" and then, leaning, he listened intently to the voice +of the river, lest he fail to catch the faintest responsive "Chook!" it +might bear. + +He could hear the sniffling of carp wallowing beside the bank. A big +pickerel slashed around, breakfasting on minnows. Opposite the sumac, +the black bass, with gamy spring, snapped up, before it struck the +water, every luckless, honey-laden insect that fell from the feast of +sweets in a blossom-whitened wild crab. The sharp bark of the red +squirrel and the low of cattle, lazily chewing their cuds among the +willows, came to him. The hammering of a woodpecker on a dead +sycamore, a little above him, rolled to his straining ears like a drum +beat. + +The Cardinal hated the woodpecker more than he disliked the dove. + +It was only foolishly effusive, but the woodpecker was a veritable +Bluebeard. The Cardinal longed to pull the feathers from his back +until it was as red as his head, for the woodpecker had dressed his +suit in finest style, and with dulcet tones and melting tenderness had +gone acourting. Sweet as the dove's had been his wooing, and one more +pang the lonely Cardinal had suffered at being forced to witness his +felicity; yet scarcely had his plump, amiable little mate consented to +his caresses and approved the sycamore, before he turned on her, pecked +her severely, and pulled a tuft of plumage from her breast. There was +not the least excuse for this tyrannical action; and the sight filled +the Cardinal with rage. He fully expected to see Madam Woodpecker +divorce herself and flee her new home, and he most earnestly hoped that +she would; but she did no such thing. She meekly flattened her +feathers, hurried work in a lively manner, and tried in every way to +anticipate and avert her mate's displeasure. Under this treatment he +grew more abusive, and now Madam Woodpecker dodged every time she came +within his reach. It made the Cardinal feel so vengeful that he longed +to go up and drum the sycamore with the woodpecker's head until he +taught him how to treat his mate properly. + +There was plently of lark music rolling with the river, and that +morning brought the first liquid golden notes of the orioles. They had +arrived at dawn, and were overjoyed with their homecoming, for they +were darting from bank to bank singing exquisitely on wing. There +seemed no end to the bird voices that floated with the river, and yet +there was no beginning to the one voice for which the Cardinal waited +with passionate longing. + +The oriole's singing was so inspiring that it tempted the Cardinal to +another effort, and perching where he gleamed crimson and black against +the April sky, he tested his voice, and when sure of his tones, he +entreatingly called: "Come here! Come here!" + +Just then he saw her! She came daintily over the earth, soft as down +before the wind, a rosy flush suffusing her plumage, a coral beak, her +very feet pink--the shyest, most timid little thing alive. Her bright +eyes were popping with fear, and down there among the ferns, anemones +and last year's dried leaves, she tilted her sleek crested head and +peered at him with frightened wonder and silent helplessness. + +It was for this the Cardinal had waited, hoped, and planned for many +days. He had rehearsed what he conceived to be every point of the +situation, and yet he was not prepared for the thing that suddenly +happened to him. He had expected to reject many applicants before he +selected one to match his charms; but instantly this shy little +creature, slipping along near earth, taking a surreptitious peep at +him, made him feel a very small bird, and he certainly never before had +felt small. The crushing possibility that somewhere there might be a +cardinal that was larger, brighter, and a finer musician than he, +staggered him; and worst of all, his voice broke suddenly to his +complete embarrassment. + +Half screened by the flowers, she seemed so little, so shy, so +delightfully sweet. He "chipped" carefully once or twice to steady +himself and clear his throat, for unaccountably it had grown dry and +husky; and then he tenderly tried again. "Come here! Come here!" +implored the Cardinal. He forgot all about his dignity. He knew that +his voice was trembling with eagerness and hoarse with fear. He was +afraid to attempt approaching her, but he leaned toward her, begging +and pleading. He teased and insisted, and he did not care a particle +if he did. It suddenly seemed an honour to coax her. He rocked on the +limb. He side-stepped and hopped and gyrated gracefully. He fluffed +and flirted and showed himself to every advantage. It never occurred +to him that the dove and the woodpecker might be watching, though he +would not have cared in the least if they had been; and as for any +other cardinal, he would have attacked the combined forces of the +Limberlost and Rainbow Bottom. + +He sang and sang. Every impulse of passion in his big, crimson, +palpitating body was thrown into those notes; but she only turned her +head from side to side, peering at him, seeming sufficiently frightened +to flee at a breath, and answered not even the faintest little "Chook!" +of encouragement. + +The Cardinal rested a second before he tried again. That steadied him +and gave him better command of himself. He could tell that his notes +were clearing and growing sweeter. He was improving. Perhaps she was +interested. There was some encouragement in the fact that she was +still there. The Cardinal felt that his time had come. + +"Come here! Come here!" He was on his mettle now. Surely no cardinal +could sing fuller, clearer, sweeter notes! He began at the very first, +and rollicked through a story of adventure, colouring it with every +wild, dashing, catchy note he could improvise. He followed that with a +rippling song of the joy and fulness of spring, in notes as light and +airy as the wind-blown soul of melody, and with swaying body kept time +to his rhythmic measures. Then he glided into a song of love, and +tenderly, pleadingly, passionately, told the story as only a courting +bird can tell it. Then he sang a song of ravishment; a song quavering +with fear and the pain tugging at his heart. He almost had run the +gamut, and she really appeared as if she intended to flee rather than +to come to him. He was afraid to take even one timid little hop toward +her. + +In a fit of desperation the Cardinal burst into the passion song. + +He arose to his full height, leaned toward her with outspread quivering +wings, and crest flared to the utmost, and rocking from side to side in +the intensity of his fervour, he poured out a perfect torrent of +palpitant song. His cardinal body swayed to the rolling flood of his +ecstatic tones, until he appeared like a flaming pulsing note of +materialized music, as he entreated, coaxed, commanded, and pled. From +sheer exhaustion, he threw up his head to round off the last note he +could utter, and breathlessly glancing down to see if she were coming, +caught sight of a faint streak of gray in the distance. He had planned +so to subdue the little female he courted that she would come to him; +he was in hot pursuit a half day's journey away before he remembered it. + +No other cardinal ever endured such a chase as she led him in the +following days. Through fear and timidity she had kept most of her +life in the underbrush. The Cardinal was a bird of the open fields and +tree-tops. He loved to rock with the wind, and speed arrow-like in +great plunges of flight. This darting and twisting over logs, among +leaves, and through tangled thickets, tired, tried, and exasperated him +more than hundreds of miles of open flight. Sometimes he drove her +from cover, and then she wildly dashed up-hill and down-dale, seeking +another thicket; but wherever she went, the Cardinal was only a breath +behind her, and with every passing mile his passion for her grew. + +There was no time to eat, bathe, or sing; only mile after mile of +unceasing pursuit. It seemed that the little creature could not stop +if she would, and as for the Cardinal, he was in that chase to remain +until his last heart-beat. It was a question how the frightened bird +kept in advance. She was visibly the worse for this ardent courtship. +Two tail feathers were gone, and there was a broken one beating from +her wing. Once she had flown too low, striking her head against a rail +until a drop of blood came, and she cried pitifully. Several times the +Cardinal had cornered her, and tried to hold her by a bunch of +feathers, and compel her by force to listen to reason; but she only +broke from his hold and dashed away a stricken thing, leaving him half +dead with longing and remorse. + +But no matter how baffled she grew, or where she fled in her headlong +flight, the one thing she always remembered, was not to lead the +Cardinal into the punishment that awaited him in Rainbow Bottom. +Panting for breath, quivering with fear, longing for well-concealed +retreats, worn and half blinded by the disasters of flight through +strange country, the tired bird beat her aimless way; but she would +have been torn to pieces before she would have led her magnificent +pursuer into the wrath of his enemies. + +Poor little feathered creature! She had been fleeing some kind of +danger all her life. She could not realize that love and protection +had come in this splendid guise, and she fled on and on. + +Once the Cardinal, aching with passion and love, fell behind that she +might rest, and before he realized that another bird was close, an +impudent big relative of his, straying from the Limberlost, entered the +race and pursued her so hotly that with a note of utter panic she +wheeled and darted back to the Cardinal for protection. When to the +rush of rage that possessed him at the sight of a rival was added the +knowledge that she was seeking him in her extremity, such a mighty wave +of anger swept the Cardinal that he appeared twice his real size. Like +a flaming brand of vengeance he struck that Limberlost upstart, and +sent him rolling to earth, a mass of battered feathers. With beak and +claw he made his attack, and when he so utterly demolished his rival +that he hopped away trembling, with dishevelled plumage stained with +his own blood, the Cardinal remembered his little love and hastened +back, confidently hoping for his reward. + +She was so securely hidden, that although he went searching, calling, +pleading, he found no trace of her the remainder of that day. The +Cardinal almost went distracted; and his tender imploring cries would +have moved any except a panic-stricken bird. He did not even know in +what direction to pursue her. Night closed down, and found him in a +fever of love-sick fear, but it brought rest and wisdom. She could not +have gone very far. She was too worn. He would not proclaim his +presence. Soon she would suffer past enduring for food and water. + +He hid in the willows close where he had lost her, and waited with what +patience he could; and it was a wise plan. Shortly after dawn, moving +stilly as the break of day, trembling with fear, she came slipping to +the river for a drink. It was almost brutal cruelty, but her fear must +be overcome someway; and with a cry of triumph the Cardinal, in a +plunge of flight, was beside her. She gave him one stricken look, and +dashed away. The chase began once more and continued until she was +visibly breaking. + +There was no room for a rival that morning. The Cardinal flew abreast +of her and gave her a caress or attempted a kiss whenever he found the +slightest chance. She was almost worn out, her flights were wavering +and growing shorter. The Cardinal did his utmost. If she paused to +rest, he crept close as he dared, and piteously begged: "Come here! +Come here!" + +When she took wing, he so dexterously intercepted her course that +several time she found refuge in his sumac without realizing where she +was. When she did that, he perched just as closely as he dared; and +while they both rested, he sang to her a soft little whispered love +song, deep in his throat; and with every note he gently edged nearer. +She turned her head from him, and although she was panting for breath +and palpitant with fear, the Cardinal knew that he dared not go closer, +or she would dash away like the wild thing she was. The next time she +took wing, she found him so persistently in her course that she turned +sharply and fled panting to the sumac. When this had happened so often +that she seemed to recognize the sumac as a place of refuge, the +Cardinal slipped aside and spent all his remaining breath in an +exultant whistle of triumph, for now he was beginning to see his way. +He dashed into mid-air, and with a gyration that would have done credit +to a flycatcher, he snapped up a gadfly that should have been more +alert. + +With a tender "Chip!" from branch to branch, slowly, cautiously, he +came with it. Because he was half starved himself, he knew that she +must be almost famished. Holding it where she could see, he hopped +toward her, eagerly, carefully, the gadfly in his beak, his heart in +his mouth. He stretched his neck and legs to the limit as he reached +the fly toward her. What matter that she took it with a snap, and +plunged a quarter of a mile before eating it? She had taken food from +him! That was the beginning. Cautiously he impelled her toward the +sumac, and with untiring patience kept her there the remainder of the +day. He carried her every choice morsel he could find in the immediate +vicinity of the sumac, and occasionally she took a bit from his beak, +though oftenest he was compelled to lay it on a limb beside her. At +dusk she repeatedly dashed toward the underbrush; but the Cardinal, +with endless patience and tenderness, maneuvered her to the sumac, +until she gave up, and beneath the shelter of a neighbouring grapevine, +perched on a limb that was the Cardinal's own chosen resting-place, +tucked her tired head beneath her wing, and went to rest. When she was +soundly sleeping, the Cardinal crept as closely as he dared, and with +one eye on his little gray love, and the other roving for any possible +danger, he spent a night of watching for any danger that might approach. + +He was almost worn out; but this was infinitely better than the +previous night, at any rate, for now he not only knew where she was, +but she was fast asleep in his own favourite place. Huddled on the +limb, the Cardinal gloated over her. He found her beauty perfect. To +be sure, she was dishevelled; but she could make her toilet. There +were a few feathers gone; but they would grow speedily. She made a +heart-satisfying picture, on which the Cardinal feasted his love-sick +soul, by the light of every straying moonbeam that slid around the +edges of the grape leaves. + +Wave after wave of tender passion shook him. In his throat half the +night he kept softly calling to her: "Come here! Come here!" + +Next morning, when the robins announced day beside the shining river, +she awoke with a start; but before she could decide in which direction +to fly, she discovered a nice fresh grub laid on the limb close to her, +and very sensibly remained for breakfast. Then the Cardinal went to +the river and bathed. He made such delightful play of it, and the +splash of the water sounded so refreshing to the tired draggled bird, +that she could not resist venturing for a few dips. When she was wet +she could not fly well, and he improved the opportunity to pull her +broken quills, help her dress herself, and bestow a few extra caresses. +He guided her to his favourite place for a sun bath; and followed the +farmer's plow in the corn field until he found a big sweet beetle. He +snapped off its head, peeled the stiff wing shields, and daintily +offered it to her. He was so delighted when she took it from his beak, +and remained in the sumac to eat it, that he established himself on an +adjoining thorn-bush, where the snowy blossoms of a wild morning-glory +made a fine background for his scarlet coat. He sang the old pleading +song as he never had sung it before, for now there was a tinge of hope +battling with the fear in his heart. + +Over and over he sang, rounding, fulling, swelling every note, leaning +toward her in coaxing tenderness, flashing his brilliant beauty as he +swayed and rocked, for her approval; and all that he had suffered and +all that he hoped for was in his song. Just when his heart was growing +sick within him, his straining ear caught the faintest, most timid call +a lover ever answered. Only one imploring, gentle "Chook!" from the +sumac! His song broke in a suffocating burst of exultation. +Cautiously he hopped from twig to twig toward her. With tender throaty +murmurings he slowly edged nearer, and wonder of wonders! with tired +eyes and quivering wings, she reached him her beak for a kiss. + +At dinner that day, the farmer said to his wife: + +"Maria, if you want to hear the prettiest singin', an' see the cutest +sight you ever saw, jest come down along the line fence an' watch the +antics o' that redbird we been hearin'." + +"I don't know as redbirds are so scarce 'at I've any call to wade +through slush a half-mile to see one," answered Maria. + +"Footin's pretty good along the line fence," said Abram, "an' you never +saw a redbird like this fellow. He's as big as any two common ones. +He's so red every bush he lights on looks like it was afire. It's past +all question, he's been somebody's pet, an' he's taken me for the man. +I can get in six feet of him easy. He's the finest bird I ever set +eyes on; an' as for singin', he's dropped the weather, an' he's askin' +folks to his housewarmin' to-day. He's been there alone for a week, +an' his singin's been first-class; but to-day he's picked up a mate, +an' he's as tickled as ever I was. I am really consarned for fear +he'll burst himself." + +Maria sniffed. + +"Course, don't come if you're tired, honey," said the farmer. "I +thought maybe you'd enjoy it. He's a-doin' me a power o' good. My +joints are limbered up till I catch myself pretty near runnin', on the +up furrow, an' then, down towards the fence, I go slow so's to stay +near him as long as I can." + +Maria stared. "Abram Johnson, have you gone daft?" she demanded. + +Abram chuckled. "Not a mite dafter'n you'll be, honey, once you set +eyes on the fellow. Better come, if you can. You're invited. He's +askin' the whole endurin' country to come." + +Maria said nothing more; but she mentally decided she had no time to +fool with a bird, when there were housekeeping and spring sewing to do. +As she recalled Abram's enthusiastic praise of the singer, and had a +whiff of the odour-laden air as she passed from kitchen to +spring-house, she was compelled to admit that it was a temptation to +go; but she finished her noon work and resolutely sat down with her +needle. She stitched industriously, her thread straightening with a +quick nervous sweep, learned through years of experience; and if her +eyes wandered riverward, and if she paused frequently with arrested +hand and listened intently, she did not realize it. By two o'clock, a +spirit of unrest that demanded recognition had taken possession of her. +Setting her lips firmly, a scowl clouding her brow, she stitched on. +By half past two her hands dropped in her lap, Abram's new hickory +shirt slid to the floor, and she hesitatingly arose and crossed the +room to the closet, from which she took her overshoes, and set them by +the kitchen fire, to have them ready in case she wanted them. + +"Pshaw!" she muttered, "I got this shirt to finish this afternoon. +There's butter an' bakin' in the mornin', an' Mary Jane Simms is comin' +for a visit in the afternoon." + +She returned to the window and took up the shirt, sewing with unusual +swiftness for the next half-hour; but by three she dropped it, and +opening the kitchen door, gazed toward the river. Every intoxicating +delight of early spring was in the air. The breeze that fanned her +cheek was laden with subtle perfume of pollen and the crisp fresh odour +of unfolding leaves. Curling skyward, like a beckoning finger, went a +spiral of violet and gray smoke from the log heap Abram was burning; +and scattered over spaces of a mile were half a dozen others, telling a +story of the activity of his neighbours. Like the low murmur of +distant music came the beating wings of hundreds of her bees, rimming +the water trough, insane with thirst. On the wood-pile the guinea cock +clattered incessantly: "Phut rack! Phut rack!" Across the dooryard came +the old turkey-gobbler with fan tail and a rasping scrape of wing, +evincing his delight in spring and mating time by a series of explosive +snorts. On the barnyard gate the old Shanghai was lustily challenging +to mortal combat one of his kind three miles across country. From the +river arose the strident scream of her blue gander jealously guarding +his harem. In the poultry-yard the hens made a noisy cackling party, +and the stable lot was filled with cattle bellowing for the freedom of +the meadow pasture, as yet scarcely ready for grazing. + +It seemed to the little woman, hesitating in the doorway, as if all +nature had entered into a conspiracy to lure her from her work, and +just then, clear and imperious, arose the demand of the Cardinal: "Come +here! Come here!" + +Blank amazement filled her face. "As I'm a livin' woman!" she gasped. +"He's changed his song! That's what Abram meant by me bein' invited. +He's askin' folks to see his mate. I'm goin'." + +The dull red of excitement sprang into her cheeks. She hurried on her +overshoes, and drew an old shawl over her head. She crossed the +dooryard, followed the path through the orchard, and came to the lane. +Below the barn she turned back and attempted to cross. The mud was deep +and thick, and she lost an overshoe; but with the help of a stick she +pried it out, and replaced it. + +"Joke on me if I'd a-tumbled over in this mud," she muttered. + +She entered the barn, and came out a minute later, carefully closing +and buttoning the door, and started down the line fence toward the +river. + +Half-way across the field Abram saw her coming. No need to recount how +often he had looked in that direction during the afternoon. He slapped +the lines on the old gray's back and came tearing down the slope, his +eyes flashing, his cheeks red, his hands firmly gripping the plow that +rolled up a line of black mould as he passed. + +Maria, staring at his flushed face and shining eyes, recognized that +his whole being proclaimed an inward exultation. + +"Abram Johnson," she solemnly demanded, "have you got the power?" + +"Yes," cried Abram, pulling off his old felt hat, and gazing into the +crown as if for inspiration. "You've said it, honey! I got the power! +Got it of a little red bird! Power o' spring! Power o' song! Power o' +love! If that poor little red target for some ornery cuss's bullet can +get all he's getting out o' life to-day, there's no cause why a +reasonin' thinkin' man shouldn't realize some o' his blessings. You +hit it, Maria; I got the power. It's the power o' God, but I learned +how to lay hold of it from that little red bird. Come here, Maria!" + +Abram wrapped the lines around the plow handle, and cautiously led his +wife to the fence. He found a piece of thick bark for her to stand on, +and placed her where she would be screened by a big oak. Then he stood +behind her and pointed out the sumac and the female bird. + +"Jest you keep still a minute, an' you'll feel paid for comin' all +right, honey," he whispered, "but don't make any sudden movement." + +"I don't know as I ever saw a worse-lookin' specimen 'an she is," +answered Maria. + +"She looks first-class to him. There's no kick comin' on his part, I +can tell you," replied Abram. + +The bride hopped shyly through the sumac. She pecked at the dried +berries, and frequently tried to improve her plumage, which certainly +had been badly draggled; and there was a drop of blood dried at the +base of her beak. She plainly showed the effects of her rough +experience, and yet she was a most attractive bird; for the dimples in +her plump body showed through the feathers, and instead of the usual +wickedly black eyes of the cardinal family, hers were a soft tender +brown touched by a love-light there was no mistaking. She was a +beautiful bird, and she was doing all in her power to make herself +dainty again. Her movements clearly indicated how timid she was, and +yet she remained in the sumac as if she feared to leave it; and +frequently peered expectantly among the tree-tops. + +There was a burst of exultation down the river. The little bird gave +her plumage a fluff, and watched anxiously. On came the Cardinal like +a flaming rocket, calling to her on wing. He alighted beside her, +dropped into her beak a morsel of food, gave her a kiss to aid +digestion, caressingly ran his beak the length of her wing quills, and +flew to the dogwood. Mrs. Cardinal enjoyed the meal. It struck her +palate exactly right. She liked the kiss and caress, cared, in fact, +for all that he did for her, and with the appreciation of his +tenderness came repentance for the dreadful chase she had led him in +her foolish fright, and an impulse to repay. She took a dainty hop +toward the dogwood, and the invitation she sent him was exquisite. +With a shrill whistle of exultant triumph the Cardinal answered at a +headlong rush. + +The farmer's grip tightened on his wife's shoulder, but Maria turned +toward him with blazing, tear-filled eyes. "An' you call yourself a +decent man, Abram Johnson?" + +"Decent?" quavered the astonished Abram. "Decent? I believe I am." + +"I believe you ain't," hotly retorted his wife. "You don't know what +decency is, if you go peekin' at them. They ain't birds! They're +folks!" + +"Maria," pled Abram, "Maria, honey." + +"I am plumb ashamed of you," broke in Maria. "How d'you s'pose she'd +feel if she knew there was a man here peekin' at her? Ain't she got a +right to be lovin' and tender? Ain't she got a right to pay him best +she knows? They're jest common human bein's, an' I don't know where +you got privilege to spy on a female when she's doin' the best she +knows." + +Maria broke from his grasp and started down the line fence. + +In a few strides Abram had her in his arms, his withered cheek with its +springtime bloom pressed against her equally withered, tear-stained one. + +"Maria," he whispered, waveringly, "Maria, honey, I wasn't meanin' any +disrespect to the sex." + +Maria wiped her eyes on the corner of her shawl. "I don't s'pose you +was, Abram," she admitted; "but you're jest like all the rest o' the +men. You never think! Now you go on with your plowin' an' let that +little female alone." + +She unclasped his arms and turned homeward. + +"Honey," called Abram softly, "since you brought 'em that pocketful o' +wheat, you might as well let me have it." + +"Landy!" exclaimed Maria, blushing; "I plumb forgot my wheat! I +thought maybe, bein' so early, pickin' was scarce, an' if you'd put out +a little wheat an' a few crumbs, they'd stay an' nest in the sumac, as +you're so fond o' them." + +"Jest what I'm fairly prayin' they'll do, an' I been carryin' stuff an' +pettin' him up best I knowed for a week," said Abram, as he knelt, and +cupped his shrunken hands, while Maria guided the wheat from her apron +into them. "I'll scatter it along the top rail, an' they'll be after +it in fifteen minutes. Thank you, Maria. 'T was good o' you to think +of it." + +Maria watched him steadily. How dear he was! How dear he always had +been! How happy they were together! "Abram," she asked, hesitatingly, +"is there anything else I could do for--your birds?" + +They were creatures of habitual repression, and the inner glimpses they +had taken of each other that day were surprises they scarcely knew how +to meet. Abram said nothing, because he could not. He slowly shook +his head, and turned to the plow, his eyes misty. Maria started toward +the line fence, but she paused repeatedly to listen; and it was no +wonder, for all the redbirds from miles down the river had gathered +around the sumac to see if there were a battle in birdland; but it was +only the Cardinal, turning somersaults in the air, and screaming with +bursting exuberance: "Come here! Come here!" + + + +Chapter 4 + +"So dear! So dear!" crooned the Cardinal + + +She had taken possession of the sumac. The location was her selection +and he loudly applauded her choice. She placed the first twig, and +after examining it carefully, he spent the day carrying her others just +as much alike as possible. If she used a dried grass blade, he carried +grass blades until she began dropping them on the ground. If she +worked in a bit of wild grape-vine bark, he peeled grape-vines until +she would have no more. It never occurred to him that he was the +largest cardinal in the woods, in those days, and he had forgotten that +he wore a red coat. She was not a skilled architect. Her nest +certainly was a loose ramshackle affair; but she had built it, and had +allowed him to help her. It was hers; and he improvised a paean in its +praise. Every morning he perched on the edge of the nest and gazed in +songless wonder at each beautiful new egg; and whenever she came to +brood she sat as if entranced, eyeing her treasures in an ecstasy of +proud possession. + +Then she nestled them against her warm breast, and turned adoring eyes +toward the Cardinal. If he sang from the dogwood, she faced that way. +If he rocked on the wild grape-vine, she turned in her nest. If he +went to the corn field for grubs, she stood astride her eggs and peered +down, watching his every movement with unconcealed anxiety. The +Cardinal forgot to be vain of his beauty; she delighted in it every +hour of the day. Shy and timid beyond belief she had been during her +courtship; but she made reparation by being an incomparably generous +and devoted mate. + +And the Cardinal! He was astonished to find himself capable of so much +and such varied feeling. It was not enough that he brooded while she +went to bathe and exercise. The daintiest of every morsel he found was +carried to her. When she refused to swallow another particle, he +perched on a twig close by the nest many times in a day; and with sleek +feathers and lowered crest, gazed at her in silent worshipful adoration. + +Up and down the river bank he flamed and rioted. In the sumac he +uttered not the faintest "Chip!" that might attract attention. He was +so anxious to be inconspicuous that he appeared only half his real +size. Always on leaving he gave her a tender little peck and ran his +beak the length of her wing--a characteristic caress that he delighted +to bestow on her. + +If he felt that he was disturbing her too often, he perched on the +dogwood and sang for life, and love, and happiness. His music was in a +minor key now. The high, exultant, ringing notes of passion were +mellowed and subdued. He was improvising cradle songs and lullabies. +He was telling her how he loved her, how he would fight for her, how he +was watching over her, how he would signal if any danger were +approaching, how proud he was of her, what a perfect nest she had +built, how beautiful he thought her eggs, what magnificent babies they +would produce. Full of tenderness, melting with love, liquid with +sweetness, the Cardinal sang to his patient little brooding mate: "So +dear! So dear!" + +The farmer leaned on his corn-planter and listened to him intently. "I +swanny! If he hasn't changed his song again, an' this time I'm blest +if I can tell what he's saying!" Every time the Cardinal lifted his +voice, the clip of the corn-planter ceased, and Abram hung on the notes +and studied them over. + +One night he said to his wife: "Maria, have you been noticin' the +redbird of late? He's changed to a new tune, an' this time I'm +completely stalled. I can't for the life of me make out what he's +saying. S'pose you step down to-morrow an' see if you can catch it for +me. I'd give a pretty to know!" + +Maria felt flattered. She always had believed that she had a musical +ear. Here was an opportunity to test it and please Abram at the same +time. She hastened her work the following morning, and very early +slipped along the line fence. Hiding behind the oak, with straining +ear and throbbing heart, she eagerly listened. "Clip, clip," came the +sound of the planter, as Abram's dear old figure trudged up the hill. +"Chip! Chip!" came the warning of the Cardinal, as he flew to his mate. + +He gave her some food, stroked her wing, and flying to the dogwood, +sang of the love that encompassed him. As he trilled forth his tender +caressing strain, the heart of the listening woman translated as did +that of the brooding bird. + +With shining eyes and flushed cheeks, she sped down the fence. Panting +and palpitating with excitement, she met Abram half-way on his return +trip. Forgetful of her habitual reserve, she threw her arms around his +neck, and drawing his face to hers, she cried: "Oh, Abram! I got it! +I got it! I know what he's saying! Oh, Abram, my love! My own! To me +so dear! So dear!" + +"So dear! So dear!" echoed the Cardinal. + +The bewilderment in Abram's face melted into comprehension. He swept +Maria from her feet as he lifted his head. + +"On my soul! You have got it, honey! That's what he's saying, plain +as gospel! I can tell it plainer'n anything he's sung yet, now I sense +it." + +He gathered Maria in his arms, pressed her head against his breast with +a trembling old hand, while the face he turned to the morning was +beautiful. + +"I wish to God," he said quaveringly, "'at every creature on earth was +as well fixed as me an' the redbird!" Clasping each other, they +listened with rapt faces, as, mellowing across the corn field, came the +notes of the Cardinal: "So dear! So dear!" + +After that Abram's devotion to his bird family became a mild mania. He +carried food to the top rail of the line fence every day, rain or +shine, with the same regularity that he curried and fed Nancy in the +barn. From caring for and so loving the Cardinal, there grew in his +tender old heart a welling flood of sympathy for every bird that homed +on his farm. + +He drove a stake to mark the spot where the killdeer hen brooded in the +corn field, so that he would not drive Nancy over the nest. When he +closed the bars at the end of the lane, he always was careful to leave +the third one down, for there was a chippy brooding in the opening +where it fitted when closed. Alders and sweetbriers grew in his fence +corners undisturbed that spring if he discovered that they sheltered an +anxious-eyed little mother. He left a square yard of clover unmowed, +because it seemed to him that the lark, singing nearer the Throne than +any other bird, was picking up stray notes dropped by the Invisible +Choir, and with unequalled purity and tenderness, sending them ringing +down to his brooding mate, whose home and happiness would be despoiled +by the reaping of that spot of green. He delayed burning the +brush-heap from the spring pruning, back of the orchard, until fall, +when he found it housed a pair of fine thrushes; for the song of the +thrush delighted him almost as much as that of the lark. He left a +hollow limb on the old red pearmain apple-tree, because when he came to +cut it there was a pair of bluebirds twittering around, frantic with +anxiety. + +His pockets were bulgy with wheat and crumbs, and his heart was big +with happiness. It was the golden springtime of his later life. The +sky never had seemed so blue, or the earth so beautiful. The Cardinal +had opened the fountains of his soul; life took on a new colour and +joy; while every work of God manifested a fresh and heretofore +unappreciated loveliness. His very muscles seemed to relax, and new +strength arose to meet the demands of his uplifted spirit. He had not +finished his day's work with such ease and pleasure in years; and he +could see the influence of his rejuvenation in Maria. She was flitting +around her house with broken snatches of song, even sweeter to Abram's +ears than the notes of the birds; and in recent days he had noticed +that she dressed particularly for her afternoon's sewing, putting on +her Sunday lace collar and a white apron. He immediately went to town +and bought her a finer collar than she ever had owned in her life. + +Then he hunted a sign painter, and came home bearing a number of pine +boards on which gleamed in big, shiny black letters: + + +----------------------+ + | NO HUNTING ALLOWED | + | ON THIS FARM | + +----------------------+ + + +He seemed slightly embarrassed when he showed them to Maria. "I feel a +little mite onfriendly, putting up signs like that 'fore my +neighbours," he admitted, "but the fact is, it ain't the neighbours so +much as it's boys that need raising, an' them town creatures who call +themselves sportsmen, an' kill a hummin'-bird to see if they can hit +it. Time was when trees an' underbrush were full o' birds an' +squirrels, any amount o' rabbits, an' the fish fairly crowdin' in the +river. I used to kill all the quail an' wild turkeys about here a body +needed to make an appetizing change, It was always my plan to take a +little an' leave a little. But jest look at it now. Surprise o' my +life if I get a two-pound bass. Wild turkey gobblin' would scare me +most out of my senses, an', as for the birds, there are jest about a +fourth what there used to be, an' the crops eaten to pay for it. I'd +do all I'm tryin' to for any bird, because of its song an' colour, an' +pretty teeterin' ways, but I ain't so slow but I see I'm paid in what +they do for me. Up go these signs, an' it won't be a happy day for +anybody I catch trespassin' on my birds." + +Maria studied the signs meditatively. "You shouldn't be forced to put +'em up," she said conclusively. "If it's been decided 'at it's good +for 'em to be here, an' laws made to protect 'em, people ought to act +with some sense, an' leave them alone. I never was so int'rested in +the birds in all my life; an' I'll jest do a little lookin' out myself. +If you hear a spang o' the dinner bell when you're out in the field, +you'll know it means there's some one sneakin' 'round with a gun." + +Abram caught Maria, and planted a resounding smack on her cheek, where +the roses of girlhood yet bloomed for him. Then he filled his pockets +with crumbs and grain, and strolled to the river to set the Cardinal's +table. He could hear the sharp incisive "Chip!" and the tender mellow +love-notes as he left the barn; and all the way to the sumac they rang +in his ears. + +The Cardinal met him at the corner of the field, and hopped over bushes +and the fence only a few yards from him. When Abram had scattered his +store on the rail, the bird came tipping and tilting, daintily caught +up a crumb, and carried it to the sumac. His mate was pleased to take +it; and he carried her one morsel after another until she refused to +open her beak for more. He made a light supper himself; and then +swinging on the grape-vine, he closed the day with an hour of music. +He repeatedly turned a bright questioning eye toward Abram, but he +never for a moment lost sight of the nest and the plump gray figure of +his little mate. As she brooded over her eggs, he brooded over her; +and that she might realize the depth and constancy of his devotion, he +told her repeatedly, with every tender inflection he could throw into +his tones, that she was "So dear! So dear!" + +The Cardinal had not known that the coming of the mate he so coveted +would fill his life with such unceasing gladness, and yet, on the very +day that happiness seemed at fullest measure, there was trouble in the +sumac. He had overstayed his time, chasing a fat moth he particularly +wanted for his mate, and she, growing thirsty past endurance, left the +nest and went to the river. Seeing her there, he made all possible +haste to take his turn at brooding, so he arrived just in time to see a +pilfering red squirrel starting away with an egg. + +With a vicious scream the Cardinal struck him full force. His rush of +rage cost the squirrel an eye; but it lost the father a birdling, for +the squirrel dropped the egg outside the nest. The Cardinal mournfully +carried away the tell-tale bits of shell, so that any one seeing them +would not look up and discover his treasures. That left three eggs; +and the brooding bird mourned over the lost one so pitifully that the +Cardinal perched close to the nest the remainder of the day, and +whispered over and over for her comfort that she was "So dear! So dear!" + + + +Chapter 5 + +"See here! See here!" demanded the Cardinal + + +The mandate repeatedly rang from the topmost twig of the thorn tree, +and yet the Cardinal was not in earnest. He was beside himself with a +new and delightful excitement, and he found it impossible to refrain +from giving vent to his feelings. He was commanding the farmer and +every furred and feathered denizen of the river bottom to see; then he +fought like a wild thing if any of them ventured close, for great +things were happening in the sumac. + +In past days the Cardinal had brooded an hour every morning while his +mate went to take her exercise, bathe, and fluff in the sun parlour. +He had gone to her that morning as usual, and she looked at him with +anxious eyes and refused to move. He had hopped to the very edge of +the nest and repeatedly urged her to go. She only ruffled her +feathers, and nestled the eggs she was brooding to turn them, but did +not offer to leave. The Cardinal reached over and gently nudged her +with his beak, to remind her that it was his time to brood; but she +looked at him almost savagely, and gave him a sharp peck; so he knew +she was not to be bothered. He carried her every dainty he could find +and hovered near her, tense with anxiety. + +It was late in the afternoon before she went after the drink for which +she was half famished. She scarcely had reached a willow and bent over +the water before the Cardinal was on the edge of the nest. He examined +it closely, but he could see no change. He leaned to give the eggs +careful scrutiny, and from somewhere there came to him the faintest +little "Chip!" he ever had heard. Up went the Cardinal's crest, and he +dashed to the willow. There was no danger in sight; and his mate was +greedily dipping her rosy beak in the water. He went back to the +cradle and listened intently, and again that feeble cry came to him. +Under the nest, around it, and all through the sumac he searched, until +at last, completely baffled, he came back to the edge. The sound was +so much plainer there, that he suddenly leaned, caressing the eggs with +his beak; then the Cardinal knew! He had heard the first faint cries +of his shell-incased babies! + +With a wild scream he made a flying leap through the air. His heart +was beating to suffocation. He started in a race down the river. If +he alighted on a bush he took only one swing, and springing from it +flamed on in headlong flight. He flashed to the top of the tallest +tulip tree, and cried cloudward to the lark: "See here! See here!" He +dashed to the river bank and told the killdeers, and then visited the +underbrush and informed the thrushes and wood robins. Father-tender, +he grew so delirious with joy that he forgot his habitual aloofness, +and fraternized with every bird beside the shining river. He even laid +aside his customary caution, went chipping into the sumac, and caressed +his mate so boisterously she gazed at him severely and gave his wing a +savage pull to recall him to his sober senses. + +That night the Cardinal slept in the sumac, very close to his mate, and +he shut only one eye at a time. Early in the morning, when he carried +her the first food, he found that she was on the edge of the nest, +dropping bits of shell outside; and creeping to peep, he saw the +tiniest coral baby, with closed eyes, and little patches of soft silky +down. Its beak was wide open, and though his heart was even fuller +than on the previous day, the Cardinal knew what that meant; and +instead of indulging in another celebration, he assumed the duties of +paternity, and began searching for food, for now there were two empty +crops in his family. On the following day there were four. Then he +really worked. How eagerly he searched, and how gladly he flew to the +sumac with every rare morsel! The babies were too small for the mother +to leave; and for the first few days the Cardinal was constantly on +wing. + +If he could not find sufficiently dainty food for them in the trees and +bushes, or among the offerings of the farmer, he descended to earth and +searched like a wood robin. He forgot he needed a bath or owned a sun +parlour; but everywhere he went, from his full heart there constantly +burst the cry: + +"See here! See here!" + +His mate made never a sound. Her eyes were bigger and softer than +ever, and in them glowed a steady lovelight. She hovered over those +three red mites of nestlings so tenderly! She was so absorbed in +feeding, stroking, and coddling them she neglected herself until she +became quite lean. + +When the Cardinal came every few minutes with food, she was a picture +of love and gratitude for his devoted attention, and once she reached +over and softly kissed his wing. "See here! See here!" shrilled the +Cardinal; and in his ecstasy he again forgot himself and sang in the +sumac. Then he carried food with greater activity than ever to cover +his lapse. + +The farmer knew that it lacked an hour of noon, but he was so anxious +to tell Maria the news that he could not endure the suspense another +minute. There was a new song from the sumac. He had heard it as he +turned the first corner with the shovel plow. He had listened eagerly, +and had caught the meaning almost at once--"See here! See here!" He +tied the old gray mare to the fence to prevent her eating the young +corn, and went immediately. By leaning a rail against the thorn tree +he was able to peer into the sumac, and take a good look at the nest of +handsome birdlings, now well screened with the umbrella-like foliage. +It seemed to Abram that he never could wait until noon. He critically +examined the harness, in the hope that he would find a buckle missing, +and tried to discover a flaw in the plow that would send him to the +barn for a file; but he could not invent an excuse for going. So, when +he had waited until an hour of noon, he could endure it no longer. + +"Got news for you, Maria," he called from the well, where he was making +a pretense of thirst. + +"Oh I don't know," answered Maria, with a superior smile. "If it's +about the redbirds, he's been up to the garden three times this morning +yellin', 'See here!' fit to split; an' I jest figured that their little +ones had hatched. Is that your news?" + +"Well I be durned!" gasped the astonished Abram. + +Mid-afternoon Abram turned Nancy and started the plow down a row that +led straight to the sumac. He intended to stop there, tie to the +fence, and go to the river bank, in the shade, for a visit with the +Cardinal. It was very warm, and he was feeling the heat so much, that +in his heart he knew he would be glad to reach the end of the row and +the rest he had promised himself. + +The quick nervous strokes of the dinner bell, "Clang! Clang!" came +cutting the air clearly and sharply. Abram stopped Nancy with a jerk. +It was the warning Maria had promised to send him if she saw prowlers +with guns. He shaded his eyes with his hand and scanned the points of +the compass through narrowed lids with concentrated vision. He first +caught a gleam of light playing on a gun-barrel, and then he could +discern the figure of a man clad in hunter's outfit leisurely walking +down the lane, toward the river. + +Abram hastily hitched Nancy to the fence. By making the best time he +could, he reached the opposite corner, and was nibbling the midrib of a +young corn blade and placidly viewing the landscape when the hunter +passed. + +"Howdy!" he said in an even cordial voice. + +The hunter walked on without lifting his eyes or making audible reply. +To Abram's friendly oldfashioned heart this seemed the rankest +discourtesy; and there was a flash in his eye and a certain quality in +his voice he lifted a hand for parley. + +"Hold a minute, my friend," he said. "Since you are on my premises, +might I be privileged to ask if you have seen a few signs 'at I have +posted pertainin' to the use of a gun?" + +"I am not blind," replied the hunter; "and my education has been looked +after to the extent that I can make out your notices. From the number +and size of them, I think I could do it, old man, if I had no eyes." + +The scarcely suppressed sneer, and the "old man" grated on Abram's +nerves amazingly, for a man of sixty years of peace. The gleam in his +eyes grew stronger, and there was a perceptible lift of his shoulders +as he answered: + +"I meant 'em to be read an' understood! From the main road passin' +that cabin up there on the bank, straight to the river, an' from the +furthermost line o' this field to the same, is my premises, an' on +every foot of 'em the signs are in full force. They're in a little +fuller force in June, when half the bushes an' tufts o' grass are +housin' a young bird family, 'an at any other time. They're sort o' +upholdin' the legislature's act, providing for the protection o' game +an' singin' birds; an' maybe it 'ud be well for you to notice 'at I'm +not so old but I'm able to stand up for my right to any livin' man." + +There certainly was an added tinge of respect in the hunter's tones as +he asked: "Would you consider it trespass if a man simply crossed your +land, following the line of the fences to reach the farm of a friend?" + +"Certainly not!" cried Abram, cordial in his relief. "To be sure not! +Glad to have you convenience yourself. I only wanted to jest call to +your notice 'at the BIRDS are protected on this farm." + +"I have no intention of interfering with your precious birds, I assure +you," replied the hunter. "And if you require an explanation of the +gun in June, I confess I did hope to be able to pick off a squirrel for +a very sick friend. But I suppose for even such cause it would not be +allowed on your premises." + +"Oh pshaw now!" said Abram. "Man alive! I'm not onreasonable. O' +course in case o' sickness I'd be glad if you could run across a +squirrel. All I wanted was to have a clear understandin' about the +birds. Good luck, an' good day to you!" + +Abram started across the field to Nancy, but he repeatedly turned to +watch the gleam of the gun-barrel, as the hunter rounded the corner and +started down the river bank. He saw him leave the line of the fence +and disappear in the thicket. + +"Goin' straight for the sumac," muttered Abram. "It's likely I'm a +fool for not stayin' right beside him past that point. An' yet--I made +it fair an' plain, an' he passed his word 'at he wouldn't touch the +birds." + +He untied Nancy, and for the second time started toward the sumac. He +had been plowing carefully, his attention divided between the mare and +the corn; but he uprooted half that row, for his eyes wandered to the +Cardinal's home as if he were fascinated, and his hands were shaking +with undue excitement as he gripped the plow handles. At last he +stopped Nancy, and stood gazing eagerly toward the river. + +"Must be jest about the sumac," he whispered. "Lord! but I'll be glad +to see the old gun-barrel gleamin' safe t'other side o' it." + +There was a thin puff of smoke, and a screaming echo went rolling and +reverberating down the Wabash. Abram's eyes widened, and a curious +whiteness settled on his lips. He stood as if incapable of moving. +"Clang! Clang!" came Maria's second warning. + +The trembling slid from him, and his muscles hardened. There was no +trace of rheumatic stiffness in his movements. With a bound he struck +the chain-traces from the singletree at Nancy's heels. He caught the +hames, leaped on her back, and digging his heels into her sides, he +stretched along her neck like an Indian and raced across the corn +field. Nancy's twenty years slipped from her as her master's sixty had +from him. Without understanding the emergency, she knew that he +required all the speed there was in her; and with trace-chains rattling +and beating on her heels, she stretched out until she fairly swept the +young corn, as she raced for the sumac. Once Abram straightened, and +slipping a hand into his pocket, drew out a formidable jack-knife, +opening it as he rode. When he reached the fence, he almost flew over +Nancy's head. He went into a fence corner, and with a few slashes +severed a stout hickory withe, stripping the leaves and topping it as +he leaped the fence. + +He grasped this ugly weapon, his eyes dark with anger as he appeared +before the hunter, who supposed him at the other side of the field. + +"Did you shoot at that redbird?" he roared. + +As his gun was at the sportman's shoulder, and he was still peering +among the bushes, denial seemed useless. "Yes, I did," he replied, and +made a pretense of turning to the sumac again. + +There was a forward impulse of Abram's body. "Hit 'im?" he demanded +with awful calm. + +"Thought I had, but I guess I only winged him." + +Abram's fingers closed around his club. At the sound of his friend's +voice, the Cardinal came darting through the bushes a wavering flame, +and swept so closely to him for protection that a wing almost brushed +his cheek. + +"See here! See here!" shrilled the bird in deadly panic. There was not +a cut feather on him. + +Abram's relief was so great he seemed to shrink an inch in height. + +"Young man, you better thank your God you missed that bird," he said +solemnly, "for if you'd killed him, I'd a-mauled this stick to ribbons +on you, an' I'm most afraid I wouldn't a-knowed when to quit." + +He advanced a step in his eagerness, and the hunter, mistaking his +motive, levelled his gun. + +"Drop that!" shouted Abram, as he broke through the bushes that clung +to him, tore the clothing from his shoulders, and held him back. "Drop +that! Don't you dare point a weapon at me; on my own premises, an' +after you passed your word. + +"Your word!" repeated Abram, with withering scorn, his white, quivering +old face terrible to see. "Young man, I got a couple o' things to say +to you. You'r' shaped like a man, an' you'r' dressed like a man, an' +yet the smartest person livin' would never take you for anything but an +egg-suckin' dog, this minute. All the time God ever spent on you was +wasted, an' your mother's had the same luck. I s'pose God's used to +having creatures 'at He's made go wrong, but I pity your mother. +Goodness knows a woman suffers an' works enough over her children, an' +then to fetch a boy to man's estate an' have him, of his own free will +an' accord, be a liar! Young man, truth is the cornerstone o' the +temple o' character. Nobody can put up a good buildin' without a solid +foundation; an' you can't do solid character buildin' with a lie at the +base. Man 'at's a liar ain't fit for anything! Can't trust him in no +sphere or relation o' life; or in any way, shape, or manner. You +passed out your word like a man, an' like a man I took it an' went off +trustin' you, an' you failed me. Like as not that squirrel story was a +lie, too! Have you got a sick friend who is needin' squirrel broth?" + +The hunter shook his head. + +"No? That wasn't true either? I'll own you make me curious. 'Ud you +mind tellin' me what was your idy in cookin' up that squirrel story?" + +The hunter spoke with an effort. "I suppose I wanted to do something +to make you feel small," he admitted, in a husky voice. + +"You wanted to make me feel small," repeated Abram, wonderingly. +"Lord! Lord! Young man, did you ever hear o' a boomerang? It's a +kind o' weapon used in Borneo, er Australy, er some o' them furrin +parts, an' it's so made 'at the heathens can pitch it, an' it cuts a +circle an' comes back to the fellow, at throwed. I can't see myself, +an' I don't know how small I'm lookin'; but I'd rather lose ten year o' +my life 'an to have anybody catch me lookin' as little as you do right +now. I guess we look about the way we feel in this world. I'm feelin' +near the size o' Goliath at present; but your size is such 'at it +hustles me to see any MAN in you at all. An' you wanted to make me +feel small! My, oh, my! An' you so young yet, too! + +"An' if it hadn't a-compassed a matter o' breakin' your word, what 'ud +you want to kill the redbird for, anyhow? Who give you rights to go +'round takin' such beauty an' joy out of the world? Who do you think +made this world an' the things 'at's in it? Maybe it's your notion 'at +somebody about your size whittled it from a block o' wood, scattered a +little sand for earth, stuck a few seeds for trees, an' started the +oceans with a waterin' pot! I don't know what paved streets an' stall +feedin' do for a man, but any one 'at's lived sixty year on the ground +knows 'at this whole old earth is jest teemin' with work 'at's too big +for anything but a God, an' a mighty BIG God at that! + +"You don't never need bother none 'bout the diskivries o' science, for +if science could prove 'at the earth was a red hot slag broken from the +sun, 'at balled an' cooled flyin' through space until the force o' +gravity caught an' held it, it doesn't prove what the sun broke from, +or why it balled an' didn't cool. Sky over your head, earth under +foot, trees around you, an' river there--all full o' life 'at you ain't +no mortal right to touch, 'cos God made it, an' it's His! Course, I +know 'at He said distinct 'at man was to have `dominion over the beasts +o' the field, an' the fowls o' the air' An' that means 'at you're free +to smash a copperhead instead of letting it sting you. Means 'at you +better shoot a wolf than to let it carry off your lambs. Means, at +it's right to kill a hawk an' save your chickens; but God knows 'at +shootin' a redbird just to see the feathers fly isn't having dominion +over anything; it's jest makin' a plumb beast o' YERSELF. Passes me, +how you can face up to the Almighty, an' draw a bead on a thing like +that! Takes more gall'n I got! + +"God never made anything prettier 'an that bird, an' He must a-been +mighty proud o' the job. Jest cast your eyes on it there! Ever see +anything so runnin' over with dainty, pretty, coaxin' ways? Little red +creatures, full o' hist'ry, too! Ever think o' that? Last year's bird, +hatched hereabout, like as not. Went South for winter, an' made +friends 'at's been feedin', an' teachin' it to TRUST mankind. Back +this spring in a night, an' struck that sumac over a month ago. Broke +me all up first time I ever set eyes on it. + +"Biggest reddest redbird I ever saw; an' jest a master hand at king's +English! Talk plain as you can! Don't know what he said down South, +but you can bank on it, it was sumpin' pretty fine. When he settled +here, he was discoursin' on the weather, an' he talked it out about +proper. He'd say, `Wet year! Wet year!' jest like that! He got the +`wet' jest as good as I can, an', if he drawed the `ye-ar' out a +little, still any blockhead could a-told what he was sayin', an' in a +voice pretty an' clear as a bell. Then he got love-sick, an' begged +for comp'ny until he broke me all up. An' if I'd a-been a hen redbird +I wouldn't a-been so long comin'. Had me pulverized in less'n no time! +Then a little hen comes 'long, an' stops with him; an' 'twas like an +organ playin' prayers to hear him tell her how he loved her. Now +they've got a nest full o' the cunningest little topknot babies, an' +he's splittin' the echoes, calling for the whole neighbourhood to come +see 'em, he's so mortal proud. + +"Stake my life he's never been fired on afore! He's pretty near wild +with narvousness, but he's got too much spunk to leave his fam'ly, an' +go off an' hide from creatures like you. They's no caution in him. +Look at him tearin' 'round to give you another chance! + +"I felt most too rheumaticky to tackle field work this spring until he +come 'long, an' the fire o' his coat an' song got me warmed up as I +ain't been in years. Work's gone like it was greased, an' my soul's +been singin' for joy o' life an' happiness ev'ry minute o' the time +since he come. Been carryin' him grub to that top rail once an' twice +a day for the last month, an' I can go in three feet o' him. My wife +comes to see him, an' brings him stuff; an' we about worship him. Who +are you, to come 'long an' wipe out his joy in life, an' our joy in +him, for jest nothin'? You'd a left him to rot on the ground, if you'd +a hit him; an' me an' Maria's loved him so! + +"D'you ever stop to think how full this world is o' things to love, if +your heart's jest big enough to let 'em in? We love to live for the +beauty o' the things surroundin' us, an' the joy we take in bein' among +'em. An' it's my belief 'at the way to make folks love us, is for us +to be able to 'preciate what they can do. If a man's puttin' his heart +an' soul, an' blood, an' beef-steak, an' bones into paintin' picters, +you can talk farmin' to him all day, an' he's dumb; but jest show him +'at you see what he's a-drivin' at in his work, an' he'll love you like +a brother. Whatever anybody succeeds in, it's success 'cos they so +love it 'at they put the best o' theirselves into it; an' so, lovin' +what they do, is lovin' them. + +"It 'ud 'bout kill a painter-man to put the best o' himself into his +picture, an' then have some fellow like you come 'long an' pour +turpentine on it jest to see the paint run; an' I think it must pretty +well use God up, to figure out how to make an' colour a thing like that +bird, an' then have you walk up an' shoot the little red heart out of +it, jest to prove 'at you can! He's the very life o' this river bank. +I'd as soon see you dig up the underbrush, an' dry up the river, an' +spoil the picture they make against the sky, as to hev' you drop the +redbird. He's the red life o' the whole thing! God must a-made him +when his heart was pulsin' hot with love an' the lust o' creatin' +in-com-PAR-able things; an' He jest saw how pretty it 'ud be to dip his +featherin' into the blood He was puttin' in his veins. + +"To my mind, ain't no better way to love an' worship God, 'an to +protect an' 'preciate these fine gifts He's given for our joy an' use. +Worshipin' that bird's a kind o' religion with me. Getting the beauty +from the sky, an' the trees, an' the grass, an' the water 'at God made, +is nothin' but doin' Him homage. Whole earth's a sanctuary. You can +worship from sky above to grass under foot. + +"Course, each man has his particular altar. Mine's in that cabin up at +the bend o' the river. Maria lives there. God never did cleaner work, +'an when He made Maria. Lovin, her's sacrament. She's so clean, an' +pure, an' honest, an' big-hearted! In forty year I've never jest durst +brace right up to Maria an' try to put in words what she means to me. +Never saw nothin' else as beautiful, or as good. No flower's as +fragrant an' smelly as her hair on her pillow. Never tapped a bee tree +with honey sweet as her lips a-twitchin' with a love quiver. Ain't a +bird 'long the ol' Wabash with a voice up to hers. Love o' God ain't +broader'n her kindness. When she's been home to see her folks, I've +been so hungry for her 'at I've gone to her closet an' kissed the hem +o' her skirts more'n once. I've never yet dared kiss her feet, but +I've always wanted to. I've laid out 'at if she dies first, I'll do it +then. An' Maria 'ud cry her eyes out if you'd a-hit the redbird. Your +trappin's look like you could shoot. I guess 'twas God made that shot +fly the mark. I guess--" + +"If you can stop, for the love of mercy do it!" cried the hunter. + +His face was a sickly white, his temples wet with sweat, and his body +trembling. "I can't endure any more. I don't suppose you think I've +any human instincts at all; but I have a few, and I see the way to +arouse more. You probably won't believe me, but I'll never kill +another innocent harmless thing; and I will never lie again so long as +I live." + +He leaned his gun against the thorn tree, and dropped the remainder of +his hunter's outfit beside it on the ground. + +"I don't seem a fit subject to `have dominion,'" he said. "I'll leave +those thing for you; and thank you for what you have done for me." + +There was a crash through the bushes, a leap over the fence, and Abram +and the Cardinal were alone. + +The old man sat down suddenly on a fallen limb of the sycamore. He was +almost dazed with astonishment. He held up his shaking hands, and +watched them wonderingly, and then cupped one over each trembling knee +to steady himself. He outlined his dry lips with the tip of his +tongue, and breathed in heavy gusts. He glanced toward the thorn tree. + +"Left his gun," he hoarsely whispered, "an' it's fine as a fiddle. +Lock, stock, an' barrel just a-shinin'. An' all that heap o' leather +fixin's. Must a-cost a lot o' money. Said he wasn't fit to use 'em! +Lept the fence like a panther, an' cut dirt across the corn field. An' +left me the gun! Well! Well! Well! Wonder what I said? I must a-been +almost FIERCE." + +"See here! See here!" shrilled the Cardinal. + +Abram looked him over carefully. He was quivering with fear, but in no +way injured. + +"My! but that was a close call, ol' fellow" said, Abram. "Minute +later, an' our fun 'ud a-been over, an' the summer jest spoiled. +Wonder if you knew what it meant, an' if you'll be gun-shy after this. +Land knows, I hope so; for a few more such doses 'ull jest lay me up." + +He gathered himself together at last, set the gun over the fence, and +climbing after it, caught Nancy, who had feasted to plethora on young +corn. He fastened up the trace-chains, and climbing to her back, laid +the gun across his lap and rode to the barn. He attended the mare with +particular solicitude, and bathed his face and hands in the water +trough to make himself a little more presentable to Maria. He started +to the house, but had only gone a short way when he stopped, and after +standing in thought for a time, turned back to the barn and gave Nancy +another ear of corn. + +"After all, it was all you, ol' girl," he said, patting her shoulder, +"I never on earth could a-made it on time afoot." + +He was so tired he leaned for support against her, for the unusual +exertion and intense excitement were telling on him sorely, and as he +rested he confided to her: "I don't know as I ever in my life was so +riled, Nancy. I'm afraid I was a little mite fierce." + +He exhibited the gun, and told the story very soberly at supper time; +and Maria was so filled with solicitude for him and the bird, and so +indignant at the act of the hunter, that she never said a word about +Abram's torn clothing and the hours of patching that would ensue. She +sat looking at the gun and thinking intently for a long time; and then +she said pityingly: + +"I don't know jest what you could a-said 'at 'ud make a man go off an' +leave a gun like that. Poor fellow! I do hope, Abram, you didn't come +down on him too awful strong. Maybe he lost his mother when he was +jest a little tyke, an' he hasn't had much teachin'." + +Abram was completely worn out, and went early to bed. Far in the night +Maria felt him fumbling around her face in an effort to learn if she +were covered; and as he drew the sheet over her shoulder he muttered in +worn and sleepy tones: "I'm afraid they's no use denyin' it, Maria, I +WAS JEST MORTAL FIERCE." + +In the sumac the frightened little mother cardinal was pressing her +precious babies close against her breast; and all through the night she +kept calling to her mate, "Chook! Chook!" and was satisfied only when +an answering "Chip!" came. As for the Cardinal, he had learned a new +lesson. He had not been under fire before. Never again would he trust +any one carrying a shining thing that belched fire and smoke. He had +seen the hunter coming, and had raced home to defend his mate and +babies, thus making a brilliant mark of himself; and as he would not +have deserted them, only the arrival of the farmer had averted a +tragedy in the sumac. He did not learn to use caution for himself; but +after that, if a gun came down the shining river, he sent a warning +"Chip!" to his mate, telling her to crouch low in her nest and keep +very quiet, and then, in broken waves of flight, and with chirp and +flutter, he exposed himself until he had lured danger from his beloved +ones. + +When the babies grew large enough for their mother to leave them a +short time, she assisted in food hunting, and the Cardinal was not so +busy. He then could find time frequently to mount to the top of the +dogwood, and cry to the world, "See here! See here!" for the cardinal +babies were splendid. But his music was broken intermittent vocalizing +now, often uttered past a beakful of food, and interspersed with +spasmodic "chips" if danger threatened his mate and nestlings. + +Despite all their care, it was not so very long until trouble came to +the sumac; and it was all because the first-born was plainly greedy; +much more so than either his little brother or his sister, and he was +one day ahead of them in strength. He always pushed himself forward, +cried the loudest and longest, and so took the greater part of the food +carried to the nest; and one day, while he was still quite awkward and +uncertain, he climbed to the edge and reached so far that he fell. He +rolled down the river bank, splash! into the water; and a hungry old +pickerel, sunning in the weeds, finished him at a snap. He made a +morsel so fat, sweet, and juicy that the pickerel lingered close for a +week, waiting to see if there would be any more accidents. + +The Cardinal, hunting grubs in the corn field, heard the frightened +cries of his mate, and dashed to the sumac in time to see the poor +little ball of brightly tinted feathers disappear in the water and to +hear the splash of the fish. He called in helpless panic and fluttered +over the spot. He watched and waited until there was no hope of the +nestling coming up, then he went to the sumac to try to comfort his +mate. She could not be convinced that her young one was gone, and for +the remainder of the day filled the air with alarm cries and notes of +wailing. + +The two that remained were surely the envy of Birdland. The male baby +was a perfect copy of his big crimson father, only his little coat was +gray; but it was so highly tinged with red that it was brilliant, and +his beak and feet were really red; and how his crest did flare, and how +proud and important he felt, when he found he could raise and lower it +at will. His sister was not nearly so bright as he, and she was almost +as greedy as the lost brother. With his father's chivalry he allowed +her to crowd in and take the most of the seeds and berries, so that she +continually appeared as if she could swallow no more, yet she was +constantly calling for food. + +She took the first flight, being so greedy she forgot to be afraid, and +actually flew to a neighbouring thorn tree to meet the Cardinal, coming +with food, before she realized what she had done. For once gluttony +had its proper reward. She not only missed the bite, but she got her +little self mightily well scared. With popping eyes and fear-flattened +crest, she clung to the thorn limb, shivering at the depths below; and +it was the greatest comfort when her brother plucked up courage and +came sailing across to her. But, of course, she could not be expected +to admit that. When she saw how easily he did it, she flared her +crest, turned her head indifferently, and inquired if he did not find +flying a very easy matter, once he mustered courage to try it; and she +made him very much ashamed indeed because he had allowed her to be the +first to leave the nest. From the thorn tree they worked their way to +the dead sycamore; but there the lack of foliage made them so +conspicuous that their mother almost went into spasms from fright, and +she literally drove them back to the sumac. + +The Cardinal was so inordinately proud, and made such a brave showing +of teaching them to fly, bathe, and all the other things necessary for +young birds to know, that it was a great mercy they escaped with their +lives. He had mastered many lessons, but he never could be taught how +to be quiet and conceal himself. With explosive "chips" flaming and +flashing, he met dangers that sent all the other birds beside the +shining river racing to cover. Concealment he scorned; and repose he +never knew. + +It was a summer full of rich experience for the Cardinal. After these +first babies were raised and had flown, two more nests were built, and +two other broods flew around the sumac. By fall the Cardinal was the +father of a small flock, and they were each one neat, trim, beautiful +river birds. + +He had lived through spring with its perfumed air, pale flowers, and +burning heart hunger. He had known summer in its golden mood, with +forests pungent with spicebush and sassafras; festooned with wild +grape, woodbine, and bittersweet; carpeted with velvet moss and starry +mandrake peeping from beneath green shades; the never-ending murmur of +the shining river; and the rich fulfilment of love's fruition. + +Now it was fall, and all the promises of spring were accomplished. The +woods were glorious in autumnal tints. There were ripened red haws, +black haws, and wild grapes only waiting for severe frosts, nuts +rattling down, scurrying squirrels, and the rabbits' flash of gray and +brown. The waysides were bright with the glory of goldenrod, and royal +with the purple of asters and ironwort. There was the rustle of +falling leaves, the flitting of velvety butterflies, the whir of wings +trained southward, and the call of the king crow gathering his +followers. + +Then to the Cardinal came the intuition that it was time to lead his +family to the orange orchard. One day they flamed and rioted up and +down the shining river, raced over the corn field, and tilted on the +sumac. The next, a black frost had stripped its antlered limbs. Stark +and deserted it stood, a picture of loneliness. + +O bird of wonderful plumage and human-like song! What a precious +thought of Divinity to create such beauty and music for our pleasure! +Brave songster of the flaming coat, too proud to hide your flashing +beauty, too fearless to be cautious of the many dangers that beset you, +from the top of the morning we greet you, and hail you King of +Birdland, at your imperious command: "See here! See here!" + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Song of the Cardinal, by Gene Stratton-Porter + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SONG OF THE CARDINAL *** + +***** This file should be named 533.txt or 533.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/533/ + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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