latter decreed, the former would surely disobey.

But last June I found my spur; last summer I learned to get up with
eagerness, and stay up with delight. This was effected by means of an
alarm, set by the evening's wakefulness, that had no mercy on the
morning's sleepiness. The secret is--a present interest. What may be
going on somewhere out of sight and hearing in the world is a matter of
perfect indifference; what is heard and seen at the moment is an
argument that no one can resist.

I got my hint by the accident of some shelled corn being left on the
ground before my window, and so attracting a four o'clock party,
consisting of blackbirds, blue jays, and doves. I noticed the corn, but
did not think of the pleasure it would give me, until the next morning,
when I was awakened about four o'clock by loud and excited talk in
blackbird tones, and hurried to the window, to find that I had half the
birds of the neighborhood before me.

Most in number, and most noisy, were the common blackbirds, who just at
that time were feeding their young in a grove of evergreens back of the
house, where they had set up their nurseries in a crowd, as is their
custom. It is impossible to take this bird seriously, he is so
irresistibly ludicrous. His manners always suggest to me the peculiar
drollery of the negro; one of the old-fashioned sort, as we read of him,
and I promised myself some amusement from the study of him at short
range; I was not disappointed.

My greeting as I took my seat at the open window, unfortunately without
blinds to screen me, was most comical. A big pompous fellow turned his
wicked-looking white eye upon me, drew himself into a queer humped-up
position, with all his feathers on end, and apparently by a strong
effort _squeezed_ out a husky and squeaky, yet loud cry of two notes,
which sounded exactly like "Squee-gee!"

I was so astounded that I laughed in his face; at which he repeated it
with added emphasis, then turned his back on me, as unworthy of notice
away up in my window, and gave his undivided attention to a specially
large grain of corn which had been unearthed by a meek-looking neighbor,
and appropriated by him, in the most lordly manner. His bearing at the
moment was superb and stately in a degree of which only a bird who walks
is capable; one cannot be dignified who is obliged to hop.

I thought his greeting was a personal one to show contempt--which it did
emphatically--to the human race in g