CHORUS BY THE BIRDS
Swallows were perching on the same telegraph wires where they had met in
May. Now it was September. There were Swallows of all kinds, both old
and young, with whom a great many other birds stopped for a little chat.
"In a few weeks we must be off--how have you enjoyed the summer?" asked
the Bank Swallow of his sharp-tailed brother from the barn.
"Excellently well! Times have changed for the better; not a single cat
or rat has been seen in my hayloft all the season, and the window has
been always open."
"So you have changed your mind about House People?" said the Bank
Swallow slyly.
"Yes--that is, about _some_ House People."
"I wish so many of the Bird Brotherhood did not leave in the winter; it
makes me quite sad," murmured the Bluebird.
"Yes. Stay-at-homes, like yourself and Robins and Finches, must feel
very lonely without us," said Barney kindly; "but I think likely these
House People will scatter food about, so that at least you will not be
hungry--that is, unless they migrate too, as the Catbird says they
sometimes do." "Dear, dear! _Think_ of it, _think_ of it!" warbled the
Bluebird.
"Zeay! zeay!" screamed the Catbird, flying up. "N-e-w-s! N-e-w-s! The
House People are to stay at our farm all winter! The man who owns this
farm, the big girl, and the little girl and boy--and the mother and
father bird they belong to--they are all down in the orchard, talking
about it now--how they are going to something they call 'school,' over
in the village, and how that boy who hops along on one leg with a stick
under his wing is going with them."
"Did they say anything about the Bird Brotherhood?"
"No, but I heard them say that when the snow falls they are going up to
those horrid dark Owl woods to see the foxes and little fur
beasts--'Four-footed Americans' our House Man calls them."
"He gave me a better name than that," said the Barn Swallow, "one day
when he was telling the children about the Brotherhood, over in the old
barn. He looked straight at me and said a whole tree full of nice
things."
"What did he call you? What did he say about the Brotherhood?" asked all
the others, crowding around Barney.
"He said that I swept the sky free of evil insects, that I was patriotic
in coming back to my birthplace to nest, and that I worked to pay my
rent and taxes, and--"
"And what?" cried the others in excitement.
"He called me 'Citizen Bird'! He said _all_ well-behaved birds, who have
their own nests, and belong to the guilds of the Brotherhood, are
American Citizens and should be protected!"
"How badly the Cowbirds must feel!" said the chorus.
"Hip, hip, hurrah! for Citizen Bird and friendly House People!" drummed
the Downy Woodpecker, beating away for dear life on a telegraph pole.
Then all the Swallows and Flycatchers began to dash about the air,
whispering "Citizen Bird! Citizen Bird!" And the Bluebird flew down to
the garden bushes to tell his winter companion, the Song Sparrow, all
about it.