ThefarmertrampingoverhisgroundsinMedfield, MassachusettshadakeenearfornaturethatservedhimwellinhisotherjobasoneofAmerica’sleadingcomposers.[1]
CharlesMartinLoefflerhadcometoAmericafromAlsacein 1881 attheageoftwenty.[2] FortwentyyearsheplayedinthefirstviolinsectionoftheBostonSymphony, thendevotedhimselfto[3] composingandfarming. Onefriendrecounts[4] thatLoeffler’ssenseofnaturewasaskeenashisearformusic. Walkingthroughhiswoodsimmersedinconversation, thecomposerwouldbreakoffinmid-sentenceandwhisper, “seethatfox!”[5] Or, passingapond, takehiscompanionbythearmandsay, “watchthatturtleraisehishead.”
Loeffler’sfriendrecallsthatonahotsummerdayin 1914 thecomposerandhiswifeandfriendsweregatheredaroundthedinnertablewhenLoefflerjumpedupandsaid, “Listentothatbird! She’sindistress[6] —itmustbeasnake!” Ahastyinvestigationfoundthebirdflutteringfranticallyatthefrontdoor, whichwasadornedwithleafyvinesthathidanestfullofyoungbirds.[7] OneofLoeffler’shelpersreachedintothevineandpulledoutalongblacksnake. Oncethesnakehadbeenkilled, themotherbirdflewbacktocomfortheragitatedbrood.[8]
Ononeoccasion, however, Leffler’shearingwasnotsoacute[9]. Wordhaditthatabandofgypsieshadbeenstealingthingsintheneighborhood. Loefflersworethathewouldshootthefirsttrespasserheencounteredonhisproperty.[10] Onastillandmoonlessnighthewasawakenedbythesoundofhooves[11] ontheroadthatapproachedhishouse. Loefflerjumpedfromhisbed, guninhand, leanedoutoftheopenwindow, andshoutedattheunseenintruders, commandingthemtorespondatonceandturnback[12] orbeshot. Oncue, outofthedarkness, camethereply—along, familiarmoo.[13]
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