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plowin' 'at you know in all conscience won't be ready for a week
yet 'thout pretendin' to look。〃
Abram grinned sheepishly。 〃I'm willin' to call it the bird if
you are； Maria。 I've been hearin' him from the barn all day； an'
there's somethin' kind o' human in his notes 'at takes me jest a
little diffrunt from any other bird I ever noticed。 I'm really
curious to set eyes on him。 Seemed to me from his singin' out to
the barn； it 'ud be mighty near like meetin' folks。〃
〃Bosh！〃 exclaimed Maria。 〃I don't s'pose he sings a mite better
'an any other bird。 It's jest the old Wabash rollin' up the
echoes。 A bird singin' beside the river always sounds twicet as
fine as one on the hills。 I've knowed that for forty year。
Chances are 'at he'll be gone 'fore you get there。〃
As Abram opened the door； 〃Wet year！ Wet year！〃 pealed the
flaming prophet。
He went out； closing the door softly； and with an utter disregard
for the corn field； made a bee line for the musician。
〃I don't know as this is the best for twinges o' rheumatiz；〃 he
muttered； as he turned up his collar and drew his old hat lower
to keep the splashing drops from his face。 〃I don't jest rightly
s'pose I should go； but I'm free to admit I'd as lief be dead as
not to answer when I get a call； an' the fact is； I'm CALLED down
beside the river。〃
〃Wet year！ Wet year！〃 rolled the Cardinal's prediction。
〃Thanky； old fellow！ Glad to hear you！ Didn't jest need the
information； but I got my bearin's rightly from it！ I can about
pick out your bush； an' it's well along towards evenin'； too； an'
must be mighty near your bedtime。 Looks as if you might be
stayin' round these parts！ I'd like it powerful well if you'd
settle right here； say 'bout where you are。 An' where are you；
anyway？〃
Abram went peering and dodging beside the fence； peeping into the
bushes； searching for the bird。 Suddenly there was a whir of
wings and a streak of crimson。
〃Scared you into the next county； I s'pose；〃 he muttered。
But it came nearer being a scared man than a frightened bird； for
the Cardinal flashed straight toward him until only a few yards
away； and then； swaying on a bush； it chipped； cheered； peeked；
whistled broken notes； and manifested perfect delight at the
sight of the white…haired old man。 Abram stared in astonishment。
〃Lord A'mighty！〃 he gasped。 〃Big as a blackbird； red as a live
coal； an' a…comin' right at me。 You are somebody's pet； that's
what you are！ An' no； you ain't either。 Settin' on a sawed
stick in a little wire house takes all the ginger out of any
bird； an' their feathers are always mussy。 Inside o' a cage
never saw you； for they ain't a feather out o' place on you。 You
are finer'n a piece o' red satin。 An' you got that way o'
swingin' an' dancin' an' high…steppin' right out in God
A'mighty's big woods； a teeterin' in the wind； an' a dartin'
'crost the water。 Cage never touched you！ But you are somebody's
pet jest the same。 An' I look like the man； an' you are tryin'
to tell me so； by gum！〃
Leaning toward Abram； the Cardinal turned his head from side to
side； and peered； 〃chipped；〃 and waited for an answering 〃Chip〃
from a little golden…haired child； but there was no way for the
man to know that。
〃It's jest as sure as fate；〃 he said。 〃You think you know me；
an' you are tryin' to tell me somethin'。 Wish to land I knowed
what you want！ Are you tryin' to tell me ‘Howdy'？ Well； I don't
'low nobody to be politer 'an I am； so far as I know。〃
Abram lifted his old hat； and the raindrops glistened on his
white hair。 He squared his shoulders and stood very erect。
〃Howdy； Mr。 Redbird！ How d'ye find yerself this evenin'？ I
don't jest riccolict ever seein' you before； but I'll never meet
you agin 'thout knowin' you。 When d'you arrive？ Come through by
the special midnight flyer； did you？ Well； you never was more
welcome any place in your life。 I'd give a right smart sum this
minnit if you'd say you came to settle on this river bank。 How
do you like it？ To my mind it's jest as near Paradise as you'll
strike on earth。
〃Old Wabash is a twister for curvin' and windin' round； an' it's
limestone bed half the way； an' the water's as pretty an' clear
as in Maria's springhouse。 An' as for trimmin'； why say； Mr。
Redbird； I'll jest leave it to you if she ain't all trimmed up
like a woman's spring bunnit。 Look at the grass a…creepin' right
down till it's a trailin' in the water！ Did you ever see jest
quite such fine fringy willers？ An' you wait a little； an' the
flowerin' mallows 'at grows long the shinin' old river are fine
as garden hollyhocks。 Maria says 'at thy'd be purtier 'an hers
if they were only double； but； Lord； Mr。 Redbird； they are！ See
'em once on the bank； an' agin in the water！ An' back a little
an' there's jest thickets of papaw； an' thorns； an' wild
grape…vines； an' crab； an' red an' black haw； an' dogwood； an'
sumac； an' spicebush； an' trees！ Lord！ Mr。 Redbird； the
sycamores； an' maples； an' tulip； an' ash； an' elm trees are so
bustin' fine 'long the old Wabash they put 'em into poetry books
an' sing songs about 'em。 What do you think o' that？ Jest back
o' you a little there's a sycamore split into five trunks； any
one o' them a famous big tree； tops up 'mong the clouds； an'
roots diggin' under the old river； an' over a little farther's a
maple 'at's eight big trees in one。 Most anything you can name；
you can find it 'long this ole Wabash； if you only know where to
hunt for it。
〃They's mighty few white men takes the trouble to look； but the
Indians used to know。 They'd come canoein' an' fishin' down the
river an' camp under these very trees； an' Ma 'ud git so mad at
the old squaws。 Settlers wasn't so thick then； an' you had to be
mighty careful not to rile 'em； an' they'd come a…trapesin' with
their wild berries。 Woods full o' berries！ Anybody could get
'em by the bushel for the pickin'； an' we hadn't got on to
raisin' much wheat； an' had to carry it on horses over into Ohio
to get it milled。 Took Pa five days to make the trip； an' then
the blame old squaws 'ud come； an' Ma 'ud be compelled to hand
over to 'em her big white loaves。 Jest about set her plumb
crazy。 Used to get up in the night； an' fix her yeast； an' bake；
an' let the oven cool； an' hide the bread out in the wheat bin；
an' get the smell of it all out o' the house by good daylight；
so's 'at she could say there wasn't a loaf in the cabin。 Oh！ if
it's good pickin' you're after； they's berries for all creation
'long the river yet； an' jest wait a few days till old April gets
done showerin' an' I plow this corn field！〃
Abram set a foot on the third rail and leaned his elbows on the
top。 The Cardinal chipped delightedly and hopped and tilted
closer。
〃I hadn't jest 'lowed all winter I'd tackle this field again。
I've turned it every spring for forty year。 Bought it when I