The Golden Bird

est humpbacked hill on Paradise Ridge, the Greek battle raged on the front

and crooned, with only an occasional irritated squawk, I, for the first time

n the home base, whatever is the correct term in the national game that Matthew has given up

or of his twin brother by several hours, he demanded that father sell him his half of Elmnest, and for it had paid his entire fortune outside of the bare acres. In poetic pride father had acceded to his demand, lent the money thrust upon him to the first speculator who got to him, and the two brothers had settled themselves down twenty miles apart in the depths of a feud, to eat their hearts out for each other. The rich man sought a path to the heart of the poor man, but was repulsed until the day after the spectacular failure of his phosphate company had penetrated into the wilds of little Riverfield, and immediately Uncle Cradd had hitched up the moth-eaten string in his old stables and come into town for us, and in father's sweet old heart there was never an idea of not, as he put it, "going home." I had never seen Elmnest, but I knew something of the situation, and that is where the Golden B

stopped because of the family pride involved in the feud now dead. "Mr. Bird," I repeated, "I am afraid I am up against it, and I hope you'll stand by me." He answered me by preening a breast feather and winking one of his bright eyes as Unc

some in overalls and some in rusty black broadcloth the color of Uncle Cradd's, poured out of the wide door of the business building before described, and they acted very much as I have seen the boys at Yale or Princeton act after a success or defeat on the foot-ball field. They hugged father and they slapped him on the back and they shook his ha

muffins." All of the older men laughed at this sweeping invitation, and all the younger greeted it with ears that became instantly crimson. I verily believe they would one and all have fled and left me sitting there yet if a diversion had not arrived in the person of Mrs. Silas, who came bustling out of the door of the grocery or post-office or bank; whichever it is called, is according to your errand there. Mrs. Si was tall, and almost as broad as the door itself,

at last, the rascal." As she hugged me she reached out a strong hand a

shoulder shake with a pat on the broad gray percale back,

nder

cuits like old Madam Craddock's black Sue for you two boys in less than

mean, Aunt Mary?" I asked as I clung to

itting in lonely state, but as good as gold, upon the rose-leather cushions. "I thought I feathered out the finest chickens in the Harpeth Valley, but this one isn't human, you mig

ul dancing habits," said Uncle Cradd, with a great and indulgent amusement as a

' horse, Lightheels, after he won all those cups up in the races at Cincinnati," said

th spirit, as she stroked the proud head of the Golden Bird. "It takes hens and wom

on to a mile over a mighty rough road to the house from the gate here. Everybody come and see us." As he spoke Uncle Cradd assisted me with ceremony into the chariot beside the Golden hero of the hour, and started the ancient steeds into a

t it stir and run in my blood as we rumbled and bumped up the long avenue of tall old elm-trees that led through deep fields which were even then greening with blue-grass and from which arose a rich loamy fragrance, and finally arrived at the most wonderful old brick house that I had ever seen in all of my life; it seemed to even my much traveled eyes in some ways the most wonderful abode for human beings I had ever beheld. It was not the traditional white-pillared mansion. It was more wonderful. The bricks had aged a rich, red purple, and were rimmed and s

ers I felt that I had slipped back into the colonial age of America, and I found myself almost in a state of terror. The wide old hall, the heavy-beamed ceiling of which was so low that you felt again hovered, was ligh

said after he had bestowed a grand bow first upon father and then upon me, wi

In it there was only the firelight and another dim candle placed on a small table beside a huge old book. With the surety of long habit father walked straight to a large chair that was drawn close to the hearth on the side opposite the table, behind whi

d walks and climbing bare rose vines upon which was beginning to be poured the silver enchantment of a young moon, Uncle Cradd, in his deep old voice, which was like the notes given out by an ancient violin, began to read a ch

s words of love and rejoicing over our return rolled forth in the twilight, I crouched against father's shoulder, and I think the spirit of my Grandmother Craddock, whom I had heard indulging in a Methodist form

ose chickens out of the way of skunks and weasels, Rufus, you old scoundrel," rolled ou

s that had come from that direction. In front of a rambling old barn, which was silvered by the crescent that

with friendly chuckles and clucks from the entire Bird family as they felt the caress of long hands among them. I was s

would have done if you

because with his litheness and the eerie locks of hair that even in the silvering radiance showed a note

d the Ladies Bird at the same time, and with a mixture of epitaphs and endearments that I didn't care to untangle. "There, there, love

ed the remark by exclaiming, while she m

nd turned towards the huge old tumble-down barn that was yawning a black midnight out into the g

make an affirmative answer to a domestic proposal that was at least uncertain of intent, but then I also never dreamed of being in t

asked, and I felt slightly aggrieved when I discovered that I was to know when I was being addressed by a lack of any t

tle Mis' will permit of me, I wanter git back to see to the browning of my muffins ginst the time Mas' Cradd rars at

e coach and took the Sultan in my arms. He gave not a single note of remonstrance, but I suppose

er old barn than this?" As he spoke to us he led the way with four of the admiring and obedient Ladi

while only one of the Leghorn ladies gave a slee

ten string of steeds munching noisily over at one end of the huge darkness, and the odor that arose from their repast was of corn and not of suffocating gasoline. Tall weeds and long frames with teeth in them, which gave them the appearance of huge alli

ers to put on the other side of him to roost, and in the morning he can begin scratching for a happy and united family." With which command Pan disappeared into the purple darkness and left me alone in the snapping monster shadows with only the sleepy Golden Bird for company. The Bird shook himself after being de

throw them about two double handfulls of mixed corn and wheat down in the hay litter on the floor at daybreak and keep them shut up and

reak?" I

the roost," answered Pan, as he spread a little more of the

ce, as Pan started padding out through the monster-haunted darkness towards the square of

e the coach, Adam paused and gave three low weird notes, which were so lovely that they seemed the sounds from which th

ted positively. "Won't y

reedy as the brisk wind in the trees. In a second he was padding away from me into

" I called into the moonlight, e

t-lambs," came fluting ba

nounced from the hack door, as I stood st

n had offered after seating me with ceremony behind a steaming silver coffee urn o