Page:Condor2(4).djvu/9

 July, t9ool THE CONDOR 83 began to call her, remained close about the house. We always knew her by that mournful note which she uttered as she flew, and which differed entirely from any note I ever heard by a mock- ingbird. She soon came to sleep at night in the Banksia rose over the east porch, always announcing her presence by that cry, which heard at dusk, had a wierd, uncanny sound. Many evenings this porch was unused as members of the family were prex, ented from passing in and out for fear the little widow's slumbers be disturbed. Her proceed- ings grew in interest to me, 'till it be- came a daily practice to record any in- cident of her lonely life that came with- in my observation. One day in September I heard a great chattering and chirping among some birds, and slipped to a window that t;x, erlcoked the trees xvhence the sound came. (Occasionally there was a note suspiciously like that of a m'ocking- bird. Had some one come to call on our little widow? At a distance a mockingbird hegan singing softly. In a moment I heard the little xvidow's cry as she flew to a tree near my window. This was immediately answered by the singer, then calls began from several directions, and I soon saw that a hum~ ber of mockingbirds were about among the trees. They all set up a great chat- tering like that of a flock of blackbirds, flying back and forth while they talked in most emphatic tones. Soon five col- lected in a tree near where the little widow sat watching them with the keenest interest, but silent. What was this meeting for? To discuss politics or was it a matrimonial agency? One of the birds went over to pay hi respects to the little widow, but she ig- nored him. Returning to the assembled company which had been watching him, another vigorous chirping began, as if arguing over and discussing the situation, until I was wild to under- stand "bird I, atin." One bird seenled to act as chairman, being perched on a limt) above, and when he spoke the others were respectfully silent, then all answered him at once. Not seeming to accomplish anything to their satisfac- tion by this discussion, after a closing address by the chairman, he gave the word and they rose and flew away-- one. returning to a tree a short distance from where the little widow still sat. My mind was now fully made up that these kind friends of hers had brought her a companion, and after an intro- duction, had left him to his fate. He was still ignored, for in a few minutes she gave her accustomed cry and flexv down in the yard to feed. For a week she calne at night to the Banksia rose, and fed about the lawn during the day, always alone, the stranger keeping his distance, though often visible in the or- chard. At the end of the xveek I heard a new bird song. It came from the tree where the assembly had been held. Thinking I had found a new warbler, I slipped out to a seat near this tree, and waited patiently for my bird to reveal itself. It was very careful to keep the body of the tree betveen me and it, when I tried to see it, but all the time the song rippled on; the sweetest, soft- est and richest notes it was ever my good fortune to hear. I sat entranced for a few moments, then I heard a fa- miliar "to-whit, to-whir" of the mocking- bird, betraying the identity of the shy songster. But still this wondrously sweet song went on, in the most coax- ing, enticing tones. I then heard the little widow's plaintive cry, and here she came, directly to the tree where the stranger was singing. Ah, then! how everything was changed. The singer came boldly out on a limb, and in an exceedingly animated manner, broke forth in the most rapturous, triumphant song. The same notes, but so much richer and louder. He sag as though pour- ing forth his very. heart at her feet, while she looked calmly down at him from a limt) above. After a few ents of this wonderful song, he darted