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space until the force o' gravity caught an' held it； it doesn't
prove what the sun broke from； or why it balled an' didn't cool。
Sky over your head； earth under foot； trees around you； an' river
thereall full o' life 'at you ain't no mortal right to touch；
'cos God made it； an' it's His！ Course； I know 'at He said
distinct 'at man was to have ‘dominion over the beasts o' the
field； an' the fowls o' the air' An' that means 'at you're free
to smash a copperhead instead of letting it sting you。 Means 'at
you better shoot a wolf than to let it carry off your lambs。
Means； at it's right to kill a hawk an' save your chickens； but
God knows 'at shootin' a redbird just to see the feathers fly
isn't having dominion over anything； it's jest makin' a plumb
beast o' YERSELF。 Passes me； how you can face up to the
Almighty； an' draw a bead on a thing like that！ Takes more gall'n
I got！
〃God never made anything prettier 'an that bird； an' He must
a…been mighty proud o' the job。 Jest cast your eyes on it there！
Ever see anything so runnin' over with dainty； pretty； coaxin'
ways？ Little red creatures； full o' hist'ry； too！ Ever think o'
that？ Last year's bird； hatched hereabout； like as not。 Went
South for winter； an' made friends 'at's been feedin'； an'
teachin' it to TRUST mankind。 Back this spring in a night； an'
struck that sumac over a month ago。 Broke me all up first time I
ever set eyes on it。
〃Biggest reddest redbird I ever saw； an' jest a master hand at
king's English！ Talk plain as you can！ Don't know what he said
down South； but you can bank on it； it was sumpin' pretty fine。
When he settled here； he was discoursin' on the weather； an' he
talked it out about proper。 He'd say； ‘Wet year！ Wet year！' jest
like that！ He got the ‘wet' jest as good as I can； an'； if he
drawed the ‘ye…ar' out a little； still any blockhead could a…told
what he was sayin'； an' in a voice pretty an' clear as a bell。
Then he got love…sick； an' begged for comp'ny until he broke me
all up。 An' if I'd a…been a hen redbird I wouldn't a…been so
long comin'。 Had me pulverized in less'n no time！ Then a little
hen comes 'long； an' stops with him； an' 'twas like an organ
playin' prayers to hear him tell her how he loved her。 Now
they've got a nest full o' the cunningest little topknot babies；
an' he's splittin' the echoes； calling for the whole
neighbourhood to come see 'em； he's so mortal proud。
〃Stake my life he's never been fired on afore！ He's pretty near
wild with narvousness； but he's got too much spunk to leave his
fam'ly； an' go off an' hide from creatures like you。 They's no
caution in him。 Look at him tearin' 'round to give you another
chance！
〃I felt most too rheumaticky to tackle field work this spring
until he come 'long； an' the fire o' his coat an' song got me
warmed up as I ain't been in years。 Work's gone like it was
greased； an' my soul's been singin' for joy o' life an' happiness
ev'ry minute o' the time since he come。 Been carryin' him grub
to that top rail once an' twice a day for the last month； an' I
can go in three feet o' him。 My wife comes to see him； an'
brings him stuff； an' we about worship him。 Who are you； to come
'long an' wipe out his joy in life； an' our joy in him； for jest
nothin'？ You'd a left him to rot on the ground； if you'd a hit
him； an' me an' Maria's loved him so！
〃D'you ever stop to think how full this world is o' things to
love； if your heart's jest big enough to let 'em in？ We love to
live for the beauty o' the things surroundin' us； an' the joy we
take in bein' among 'em。 An' it's my belief 'at the way to make
folks love us； is for us to be able to 'preciate what they can
do。 If a man's puttin' his heart an' soul； an' blood； an'
beef…steak； an' bones into paintin' picters； you can talk farmin'
to him all day； an' he's dumb； but jest show him 'at you see what
he's a…drivin' at in his work； an' he'll love you like a brother。
Whatever anybody succeeds in； it's success 'cos they so love it
'at they put the best o' theirselves into it； an' so； lovin' what
they do； is lovin' them。
〃It 'ud 'bout kill a painter…man to put the best o' himself into
his picture； an' then have some fellow like you come 'long an'
pour turpentine on it jest to see the paint run； an' I think it
must pretty well use God up； to figure out how to make an' colour
a thing like that bird； an' then have you walk up an' shoot the
little red heart out of it； jest to prove 'at you can！ He's the
very life o' this river bank。 I'd as soon see you dig up the
underbrush； an' dry up the river； an' spoil the picture they make
against the sky； as to hev' you drop the redbird。 He's the red
life o' the whole thing！ God must a…made him when his heart was
pulsin' hot with love an' the lust o' creatin' in…com…PAR…able
things； an' He jest saw how pretty it 'ud be to dip his
featherin' into the blood He was puttin' in his veins。
〃To my mind； ain't no better way to love an' worship God； 'an to
protect an' 'preciate these fine gifts He's given for our joy an'
use。 Worshipin' that bird's a kind o' religion with me。 Getting
the beauty from the sky； an' the trees； an' the grass； an' the
water 'at God made； is nothin' but doin' Him homage。 Whole
earth's a sanctuary。 You can worship from sky above to grass
under foot。
〃Course； each man has his particular altar。 Mine's in that cabin
up at the bend o' the river。 Maria lives there。 God never did
cleaner work； 'an when He made Maria。 Lovin； her's sacrament。
She's so clean； an' pure； an' honest； an' big…hearted！ In forty
year I've never jest durst brace right up to Maria an' try to put
in words what she means to me。 Never saw nothin' else as
beautiful； or as good。 No flower's as fragrant an' smelly as her
hair on her pillow。 Never tapped a bee tree with honey sweet as
her lips a…twitchin' with a love quiver。 Ain't a bird 'long the
ol' Wabash with a voice up to hers。 Love o' God ain't broader'n
her kindness。 When she's been home to see her folks； I've been
so hungry for her 'at I've gone to her closet an' kissed the hem
o' her skirts more'n once。 I've never yet dared kiss her feet；
but I've always wanted to。 I've laid out 'at if she dies first；
I'll do it then。 An' Maria 'ud cry her eyes out if you'd a…hit
the redbird。 Your trappin's look like you could shoot。 I guess
'twas God made that shot fly the mark。 I guess〃
〃If you can stop； for the love of mercy do it！〃 cried the hunter。
His face was a sickly white； his temples wet with sweat； and his
body trembling。 〃I can't endure any more。 I don't suppose you
think I've any human instincts at all； but I have a few； and I
see the way to arouse more。 You probably won't believe me； but
I'll never kill another innocent harmless thing； and I will never
lie again so long as I live。〃
He leaned his gun against the thorn tree； and dropped the
remainder of his hunter's outfit beside it on the ground。
〃I don't seem a fit subject to ‘have dominion；'〃 he said。 〃I'll
leave those thing for you； and thank you for what you have done
for me。〃
There was a crash through the bushes； a leap over the fence； and
Abram and the Cardinal were alone。
The old man sat down suddenly on a fallen limb of the sycamore。
He was almost dazed with astonishment。 He held up his shaking
hands； and watched them wonderingly； and then cupped one over
each trembling knee to steady himself。 He outlined his dry lips
with the tip of his tongue； and breathed in heavy gusts。 He
glanced toward the thorn tree。
〃Left his gun；〃 he hoarsely whispered； 〃an' it's fine as a
fiddle。 Lock； stock； an' barrel just a…shinin'。 An' all that
heap o' leather fixin's。 Must a…cost a lot o' money。 Said he
wasn't fit to use 'em！ Lept the fence like a panther； an' cut
dirt across the corn field。 An' left me the gun！ Well！ Well！
Well！ Wonder what I said？ I must a…been almost FIERCE。〃
〃See here！ See here！〃 shrilled the Cardinal。
Abram looked him over carefully。 He was quivering with fear； but
in no way injured。
〃My！ but that was a close call； ol' fellow〃 said； Abram。 〃Minute
later； an' our fun 'ud a…been over； an' the summer jest spoiled。
Wonder if you knew what it meant； an' if you'll be gun…shy after
this。 Land knows； I hope so； for a few more such doses 'ull jest
lay me up。〃
He gathered himself together at last； set the gun over the fence；
and climbing after it； caught Nancy； who had feasted to plethora
on young corn。 He fastened up the trace…chains； and climbing to
her back； laid the gun across his lap and rode to the barn。 He
attended the mare with particular solicitude； and bathed his face
and hands in the water trough to make himself a little more
presentable to Maria。 He started to the house； but had only gone
a short way when he stopped； and after standing in thought for a
time； turned b