Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

animal. Finally Buster’s pitiable efforts to escape became irresistible and so I frightened his pursuers off with a few stones, and Buster came sheepishly crawling thru the fence to the road.  When we came to the bridge and were sitting there, the two hounds finally decided they had let Buster off too easy, or perhaps country life was slow for them and they wished to liven their spirits by barking and so they came baying towards the bridge.  Buster was down in the swamp nosing around, so I whistled for him and when he came up I said “Sic-em”.   He looked me in an odd manner and then stalked out bravely and barked to show that he wasn’t afraid!  The other dogs seemed disgusted, for they disdainfully turned their backs on him and with their noses up, went home.

     All at once a Red-winged Blackbird began to sing of “Phuol – Ivsdee  Phl – Ivsdee”  came his clear call from the marsh.  How like spring it sounded, and long I listened to him before I went on.  After looking some time, I saw him – a small black object on the top of a cat-tail.

     Finally I got up and went eastward, following the lane that led on thru red brambles and tall dead weeds stocks; on one side was a swampy stretch of underbrush and cat-