Веснянки

           Shewaslearninghernaturalhistoryfromnature,andhavingmuchhealthfulexercise.Toher,theywerethemostinterestingofall,buttheBirdWomanpreferredthebirds,withaclosesecondinthemothsandbutterflies.

           Brownbutterflytimehadcome.Theedgeoftheswalewasfilledwithmilkweed,andotherplantsbelovedofthem,andtheairwasgoldenwiththeflashingsatinwingsofthemonarch,viceroy,andargynnis.Theyoutnumberedthoseofanyothercolorthreetoone.

           Amongthebirdsitreallyseemedasifthelittleyellowfellowswereinthepreponderance.Atleast,theywereuntiltheredwingedblackbirdsandbobolinks,thathadnestedontheupland,suddenlysawintheswampthegardenoftheLordandcameswarmingbyhundredstofeastandadventureuponittheselastfewweeksbeforemigration.Neverwasthereafinerfeastspreadforthebirds.Thegrasseswerefilledwithseeds:so,too,wereweedsofeveryvariety.Fallberrieswereripe.Wildgrapesandblackhawswereready.Bugswerecreepingeverywhere.Themuckwasyeastywithworms.Insectsfilledtheair.Naturemadegloriouspauseforholidaybeforehernextchange,andbynoneofthefrequentersoftheswampwasthismoreappreciatedthanbythebigblackchickens.

           Theyseemedtofeelthenewreignofpeaceandfullnessmostofall.Asforfood,theydidnotevenhavetohuntforthemselvesthesedays,forthefeastsnowbeingspreadbeforeLittleChickenweremorethanhecoulduse,andhewasgladtohavehisparentscomedownandhelphim.