Suddenlyceasingtheircriesandthreats。theyperchedquietlywithinreachofmyhand，andwatchedmeinmyworkofmanumission。
This，owingtotheflutteringterroroftheprisoners，wasanaffairofsomedelicacy；buterelongIwasrewardedbyseeingoneofthemflyawaytoaneighboringtree，whilethecripple，makingaparachuteofhiswings，camelightlytotheground，andhoppedoffaswellashecouldwithoneleg，obsequiouslywaitedonbyhiselders。AweeklaterIhadthesatisfactionofmeetinghiminthepine—walk，ingoodspirits，andalreadysofarrecoveredastobeabletobalancehimselfwiththelamefoot。IhavenodoubtthatinhisoldageheaccountedforhislamenessbysomehandsomestoryofawoundreceivedatthefamousBattleofthePines，whenourtribe，overcomebynumbers，wasdrivenfromitsancientcamping—
ground。Oflateyearsthejayshavevisitedusonlyatintervals；andinwintertheirbrightplumage，setoffbythesnow，andtheircheerfulcry，areespeciallywelcome。TheywouldhavefurnishedAesopwithafable，forthefeatheredcrestinwhichtheyseemtotakesomuchsatisfactionisoftentheirfatalsnare。Countryboysmakeaholewiththeirfingerinthesnow—crustjustlargeenoughtoadmitthejay’shead，and，hollowingitoutsomewhatbeneath，baititwithafewkernelsofcorn。Thecrestslipseasilyintothetrap，butrefusestobepulledoutagain，andhewhocametofeastremainsaprey。
Twicehavethecrow—blackbirdsattemptedasettlementinmypines，andtwicehavetherobins，whoclaimarightofpreemption，sosuccessfullyplayedthepartofborder—ruffiansastodrivethemaway，——tomygreatregret，fortheyarethebestsubstitutewehaveforrooks。AtShadyHill（1）（now，alas！emptyofitssolong—lovedhousehold）theybuildbyhundreds，andnothingcanbemorecheerythantheircreakingclatter（likeaconventionofold—fashionedtavern—signs）astheygatherateveningtodebateinmassmeetingtheirwindypolitics，ortogossipattheirtent—doorsovertheeventsoftheday。Theirportisgrave，andtheirstalkacrosstheturfasmartialasthatofasecond—rateghostinHamlet。Theynevermeddledwithmycorn，sofarasIcoulddiscover。
（1）ThehomeoftheNortons，inCambridge，whowereatthetimeofthispaperinEurope。