ortant subjects.
But it didn't go. I was complaining of my bad luck to a plain-spoken
woman in charge of a circulating library, and she gave me grand
advice. 'No one cares a snap for your opinions. You must tell
something that folks want to know.'"

"Did you then take up birds?"

"O no; I went into the library, read some of Harriet Martineau's talks
on pottery, and told children how a teacup was made and got one dollar
for that. But those pot-boilers were not inspiring, and about ten
years later a second woman adviser turned my course into another
channel."

"How did that come about?"

"I had a bird-loving friend from the West visiting me, and took her to
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, to see our birds. She pointed out several,
and so interested me in their lives that from that day I began to
study them, especially the wood-thrush and catbird. After I had
studied them for two years, I wrote what I had seen. From that time
my course has seemed marked out for me, and my whole time has been
given to this one theme. I think every woman over forty-five ought to
take up a fad; they would be much happier and better off."

"You told me once that three women had each in turn changed your
career. Do give me the third."

"Well, after my articles and books had met with favour (I have brought
out fifteen books), invitations to lecture or talk about birds kept
pouring in. I was talking this over with Marion Harland (Mrs.
Terhune), declaring I could never appear in public, that I should be
frightened out of my wits, and that I must decline. My voice would all
go, and my heart jump into my mouth. She exclaimed, 'For a sensible
woman, you are the biggest fool I ever met!' This set me thinking, and
with many misgivings I accepted an invitation."

"And did you nearly expire with stage fright?"

"Never was scared one bit, my dear. All bird-lovers are the nicest
kind of folks, either as an audience or in their own homes. I have
made most delightful acquaintances lecturing in fifteen different
States; am now booked for a tour in the West, lecturing every day and
taking classes into the fields and woods for actual observation.
Nesting-time is the best time to study the birds, to know them
thoroughly."

"Do you speak about dead birds on hats?"

"Yes, when I am asked to do so. Did you ever hear that Celia Thaxter,
finding herself in a car with women whose head-gear emulated a
bird-museum, was moved to rise and appeal to them in so kindl