Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-13
THE BISHOP AND HIS BIRDS

~ "OltIiy DlSHOp, WHO ulcu ldtCly at
Ratisbon, had for MS coat of arms two
fieldfares, with the motto-"Are not two
sparrows sold for farthing?' This
strange coat of arms bad often excited
attention, and many persons had wished
to know its origin, as it was generally re-
ported that the bishop had chosen it for
himself, and that it bore reference to
some event in his early life. One day
an intimate friend asked him its meaning,
and the bishop replied by relating the
following story:
FIFTY or sixty years ago, little boy
resided at a village near Dilcngen, on
the banks of the Danube. His parents
were very poor, and almost as soon as
the boy could walk, lie was sent into the
woods to pick up sticks for fuel. When
he grew older, his father taught him to
pick the juniper berries, and carry them
to a neighboring distiler, who wanted
them for making hollands. Day by day
the poor boy went to his task, and on his
road he passed by the open windows of
the village school, where he saw the
schoolmaster teaching number of BOYS
OF about the same age Of himself. He
looked at these boys with feelings almost
OF envy, so earnestly did he long to be
among them. He knew it was in vain to
ask his father to send him to school, for
he knew that his parents had no money
to pay the schoolmaster-and he often
wished that he could do something by
which he would be enabled to 90 to school
One day he saw one of the school bows
setting bird-trap. and he asked what it
for! The boy tod him that the school,
master was very fond of feld-fares, and
that they were setting the trap to catch
some. This delighted the poor boy, for
he recollccted that he had often seen a
great number of these birds in the juniper
woods, where they came to eat the ber-
ries, and he had no doubt but he could
catch some.
The next day the little boy borrowed
an old basket of his mother; and when
he went to the wood had the great delight
to catch two field-iarcs. He put them in
the basket, and tying an old handker-
chief over it, he took them to the school,
masters house. Just as he arrived at the
door, he saw the two little boys who had
been setting the trap, and with some
alarm he asked them If they had caught
any birds. They answered in the neg
ative, and the boy, his heart beating with
JOY, gained admittancc into the school
masters presence. Ina few words he
told how he had seen the boys setting the
trap, and how he had caug chit the birds,
to bring them as present to his master.
"a present, my good boy 2" cried the
'schoolmaster; ''you do not look as if you
could afford to make presents. Tell me
your, price, and | will pay it to you, and
thank you besides"
81 would rather give them to you, sir,
ifyou please" said the boy.
The schoOlmaster looked at the bow as
he stood before him, with bare head and
feet, and ragged trousers that reached on
~ halfway down his naked legs. "You
arc very singular boy" said he; "but
II you will not ia Ike money, you must tell
me what | can do for you; as | can not
accept your present without doing somc-
thing for it in return. Is there anything
| can do for you %
"Oh, yes!" said the boy, trembling
with delight; "you can do for me wha
should like better than anything else. >
"What is that 2" asked the schoolmas.
ter, smiling.
"Teach me to read" cried the bov
falling on his knees : ''ho, dear kind sir
teach me to read"
The schoolmaster complied. The boy
came to him at all his leisure hours, anc
learnt so rapidly, that the schoomastel
recommended him to a nobleman who
resided IN the neighborhood. This gen
tlcman, who was as noble in his mind az
IN his birth, patronizcd the poor boy, ant
sent him to school at Ratsbond. The
boy proftted by his opportunities, ano
when he rose, as he soon did, to wealtl
and honors, he adopted two field-fares a.
his arms.
"What do you meant" cried the Dish.
ops friend.
" / mean," returned the bishop, witt
smile, ''that the poor boy was MYSELF
A servant girl a few days since, on lcav.
ing her place was accostcd by her maste
as to her reason for leaving. "Misrres
is so quick tempered that | cannot Inv,
with her." SAID the girl. SWELL" said he
"you know it is no sooner begun than it i
over" "Yes, sir; and no sooner owe
than begun again."