The fair ladies who have, in the luxurious library, admired the
feathered songsters of our continent, that so gracefully sped their way
over the nature-illuminated page--who have seen so cunningly illustrated
the domestic life of the house wren and the wild home of the eagle--will
not be less interested if they know that to the enlightened assistance
of one of their own sex is the world greatly indebted for Audubon's
ornithology.

The early history of Audubon seems to be this: He grew up unconscious of
his powers, save as they were displayed in a genuine love of nature;
arriving at manhood's estate, he married a lady of rare accomplishments
and liberal fortune. With a growing family, he desired, through active
business, to increase his estate, and in a few years found himself the
victim of profitless mercantile speculations, and, pecuniarily, a ruined
man. At an age when others think of retiring from the active scenes of
life, Audubon started, not only anew, but upon an enterprise of doubtful
success, and one that demanded wealth and years of industry to
accomplish. Misfortune seemed to awaken the latent fire within him, and
his mind suddenly overflowed with spirit-images of the feathered race,
and his then comparatively unskilled fingers grasped the pencil to give
form and shape to the struggling thought--but alas! the possibility.
Where was the patron to cheer the seer upon this dreary pilgrimage? Who
would care for his beloved family through the long years of his
unfinished venture? Let the answer be found in our imperfect story.

Many years since, we were standing at the door of a country post office,
listening, with others, to the reader of the only "latest paper" that
had come to hand. He delivered the news, social and political, with a
loud voice, and finally, under the head of "items," struck upon
something as follows: "The Emperor of Russia, on his recent trip from
England homewards, took extreme pleasure in looking over Audubon's great
work upon the birds of America, and, as a token of his admiration, sent
the author a gold snuff-box studded with diamonds."

"What's that?" inquired an old but plain citizen. "The Emperior Roosia
give Audubon a diamond snuff-box studded with gold! Well, that is a good
one, and comes up to my understanding of these aristocrats. Why, I knew
Audubon for years, and a lazier, good-for-nothing, little bird,
double-bar'l shot-gun shooting fellow I never knew;" and, with another
broad