Birds and Nature Vol. 09 No. 4 [April 1901]Various
History
Birds and Nature Vol. 09 No. 4 [April 1901]
Various
Birds -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals
She returned three successive seasons, to be noticed and fed at the same
spot where her acquaintance and familiarity with man first commenced.
We will add another similar incident, which is also absolutely true.
The correctness is vouched for by Mr. George Babbitt, late captain on
Gen. Gresham’s staff, of which he himself was a witness.
During the fierce cannonading in one of the battles of the Civil War, a
small bird came and perched upon the shoulder of an artilleryman—the man
designated, we believe, as “No. 1,” whose duty it is to force down the
charge after the ammunition is put in the gun. The piece was a
“Napoleon,” which makes a very loud report, and the exact scene of this
occurrence was at a place called “Nickajack.” The bird perched itself
upon this man’s shoulder and could not be driven from its position by
the violent motions of the gunner. When the piece was discharged, the
poor little thing would run its beak and head up under the man’s hair at
the back of the neck, and when the report died away would resume its
place upon his shoulder. Captain Babbitt took the bird in his hand, but
when released it immediately resumed its place on the shoulder of the
smoke-begrimed gunner. The singular and touching scene was witnessed by
a large number of officers and men. It may be a subject of curious
inquiry, what instinct led this bird to thus place itself. Possibly,
frightened at the violent commotion caused by the battle, and not
knowing how to escape or where to go, some instinct led it to throw
itself upon the gunner as a protector. But, whatever the cause, the
incident was a most beautiful and pleasing one to all who witnessed it.
George Bancroft Griffith.
THE WITCH IN THE CREAM.
A TRUE STORY.
The old stone farm-house in which my grandmother lived had beneath it
what I thought a very interesting cellar. The floor was plastered and
whitewashed like the walls, to ensure the place from rats and other
intruders, as well as to keep it cool. From the walls, flat stones
projected, serving as shelves on which the butter and milk were kept.
For years the milk had had a shelf to itself near the window.
One summer morning, while Grandma and I were sitting on the porch
waiting for breakfast, the little colored servant came to us with
wide-open eyes, saying: “La, Missy, jes look at dis milk-pan!” We
looked, and saw, to our disgust, that the inside of the pan was covered
with sand and grime, while the milk, which usually was coated with rich,
thick cream, was thin and poor. “Why, Janey,” said Grandma, “you didn’t
put milk away in a pan like that, did you?” “La, no, Missy,” said Janey,
“nobody wouldn’t nebber put milk away in a dirty pan.” “This is very
strange,” said Grandma. “You will have to throw the milk away, Janey,
and be especially careful to have the pan clean this evening.” “Yes’m,”
said Janey, “I will.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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