Page images
PDF
EPUB

58

ANECDOTES OF A SKYLARK.

XX. - ANECDOTES OF A SKYLARK.

CEILING, n., the upper surface of a SEWING (so'ing), ppr., uniting with

room, opposite to the floor.

RIB'BON, n., a slip of silk or satin.
KNUCKLES, n., joints of the fingers.
DES-SERT' (děz-zert'), n., a service of
fruits, &c., after a meal.

CON-CEIVE', v. t., to imagine.

GE'NI-AL, a., enlivening.

needle and thread.
IN'TER-EST-ING, a., engaging.
DE-MOL'ISH, v. t., to pull down.
OP'PO-SITE, a., placed in front; ad-

verse.

DEXTER-OUS-LY, ad., expertly.
WHOOP (hoop), n., a shout of pursuit.

Avoid saying bust for burst. In which, while, when, &c., mind the aspirate.

1. THE skylark, which pours forth its animated song while floating high in the air, is an inhabitant of most parts of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but is not found in America. A lady, belonging to a family in the south-east of Ireland, has recorded some very interesting anecdotes of a pet skylark, to which the name of "Tommy" had been given.

2. This little bird was so tame that, when the family were assembled at breakfast, he would fly upon the table, and walk round, picking up crumbs; and sometimes he would hop up on a loaf, and actually allow a slice to be cut under his feet. It was curious to see him watching the operation of threading a needle. When the thread was put ever so little into the eye, he would seize the end of it, and dexterously pull it through.

3. Sometimes, when one of the three young ladies of the family had fastened her thread to her work, and continued sewing, he would make a sudden plunge at the thread, and pull it out of the needle, then fly out of reach, and chuckle over the mischief. Sometimes he would hop on an open work-box, and, seizing the end of a cotton thread, would fly with it to the other side of the apartment, unwinding yard upon yard from the revolving spool.

4. The second of the young ladies to whom we

ANECDOTES OF A SKYLARK.

59

allude was remarkable for the elegance and neatness with which her hair was always braided. This did not escape Tommy's observation, and he frequently made an attack upon it. He would take the end of a ringlet in his bill, and, fluttering before her face, would leave it in the most admired disorder. He would then again chuckle, as we have heard a magpie do after any act of mischief.

5. There was a gentleman, an intimate friend of the family, who, in his repeated visits, had made the acquaintance of Tommy. Whenever he made a morning call, he would say, "Ha! Tommy! good-morning to you. Are you ready for a game at shuttlecock?" The little creature would instantly fly to his extended hand, and suffer itself to be thrown into the air, like that toy, and fall again into his hand; and so the game would continue for several minutes, until at length Tommy would fly to the ceiling, singing that splendid melody which, in his natural state, the lark pours forth as he ascends above the clouds.

6. Another game, which Tommy perfectly understood, was "hide-and-go-seek ;" and for this he preferred, as his companion, the second of the three sisters. She would say, "Now, Tommy, I'm going to hide;" and then, drawing the room door open, she would place herself behind it, and cry, "Whoop!" Tommy would immediately commence strutting up and down the floor, and, stretching out his neck, would peer under this, and behind that, as if he were seeking for her. At length, coming opposite to where she stood, he would give a loud scream, and fly up to attack her hair.

7. When this was over, and he had again become quiet, she would say, "Now, Tommy, it is your turn to hide." Immediately the bird would stand still under a table, and she would commence a diligent

60

ANECDOTES OF A SKYLARK.

search, exclaiming, "Where is Tommy? Did any one see Tommy?" In the mean time he would never give, by sound or movement, the least indication that he was in the room; but the moment she thought proper to find him he would again scream, and fly up to her.

8. The mistress of the house, a little advanced in life, wore spectacles, which he would frequently pull off, in his flights, and immediately let fall, as they were too heavy for him to carry; and after every feat of this kind he would chuckle at his success. In the long days of summer, when the dinner things were removed, and the dessert was brought on, it was his practice to come upon the table, and, going round it, he would do something amusing to each person.

9. He would bite the fingers of the master of the house, and give an exulting chuckle when the latter affected to be hurt. At another gentleman's knuckles he would strike like a game-cock, and pretend to be in a wonderful passion. Then he would take a sudden flight at a lady's cap, and, cătching the end of a ribbon, would gracefully flutter before her face, caroling a snatch of a song; and again he would visit his fair friend with the beautiful hair, and, plucking out her combs, would speedily demolish her glossy curls.

10. There remains one trait of sagacity, which those who recollect the entertaining little creature would scarcely pardon us if we omitted. The youngest of the three ladies was accustomed each night, before she retired, to take her candle over to Tommy's cage, to bid him good-night. He would instantly bring out his head from under his wing, and, standing up, sing one of the most beautiful little songs you could conceive it possible for a little throat like his to warble,— a song, too, that he never gave forth on any other oc casion.

THE PATHS OF SUCCESS.

61

11. If she attempted to go out of the room without thus coming to bid him good-night, although his head was under his wing, and you thought him asleep, he would instantly scream out, to put her in mind. To this may be added the singular fact that he would not sing the same song for any one else who might take a candle to his cage, though he would respond by a chirp to his good-night.

12. What the usual duration of a lark's age is we can not say. Tommy himself lived a happy life for thirteen years. At length he grew ill; and care and skill were expended on him in vain. He was wrapped in cotton, and placed near the genial warmth of a moderate fire; yet still he languished. friend, for whom he used to sing his night, approached him with her candle. little head, and, as the dying swan is said to sing, he attempted to warble for her a last farewell. She burst into tears, and retired. In the morning Tommy was dead.

His young sweet goodHe lifted his

XXI. THE PATHS OF SUCCESS.

CON-TRIBUTE, v. t., to give; to con- | EF-FI'CIENT (-fish'ent), a., causing ef

[blocks in formation]

Pronounce Hugh, Hu. Do not say cuss for curse; feound for found. Give the y sound to long u in man-u-fact'ūr-er, fòrt'ūne, reg'ū-lar, &c.

1. THE path of success in business is invariably the path of common sense. Notwithstanding all that is said about "lucky hits," the best kind of success, in

every man's life, is not that which is broug accident. The only "good time coming ified in hoping for is that which we are making for ourselves.

2. It is not good for human nature to hav of life made too easy. An eminent judge, v what contributed most to success at the b "Some succeed by great talent, some by hi tions, some by miracle, but the majority by ing without a shilling."

3. It may, indeed, be questioned whether curse could be imposed on man than the gratification of all his wishes, without eff part, leaving nothing for his hopes, desires gles. A certain marquis asking Sir Ho what his brother died of, Sir Horace rep died, sir, of having nothing to do."-"Ah! marquis, "that is enough to kill any gen

all."

4. Those who fail in life are very apt to a tone of injured innocence, and conclude to that every body excepting themselves has h in their personal misfortunes; but it will ge found that men who are constantly lament ill luck are only reaping the consequences own neglect, mismanagement, and improvide

5. Attention, application, accuracy, method ality, and dispatch, are the principal qualities for the efficient conduct of business of any so the result of every-day experience, that stea tion to matters of detail lies at the root o progress; and that diligence, above all, is th of what is erroneously called "good luck."

6. A French statesman, being asked how

trived to accomplish 80 much work and of t

« PreviousContinue »