The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-07-06
o spARE THOSE LITTLE BIRDS

When q lad small and light gun was Civ.
en- me- y For several days gloated over It
with delight One evening went alone with
1t into the fields; a very small and pretty bird,
q blue'cap, was hopping and twittering on =
bush in oil the innocence aud sportiveiess OF
paradisiacal life. drew near. believe with
in five or'six feet. admiring the beauty Of its
form and dress its sprightiness, and the APP
parent confidence with which it turned its
little eyes upon me. Twas conscious it would
be wrong wantonly, or for the purpose OF
testing my skill, to shay it; yet fired. Pick.
ing up the liberated and expiring victim, | felt
very much like u murderer. had taken
away life without murderer's motive. Its
bleeding image haunted me for several days,
and also that Of its mate, Which flew, alarm
ed, FROM an adjoining bramble. /.
Simply as a piece of mechanism, of which
the combined efforts of the most ingenious OF
men through all time can never produce the
like-so wonderful in contrivance. construc
tion and movements--Lhus, ruthlessly and
without cause, to destroy it wac an offence
against heaven, an insult to the Divine Artiii-
GER But ms an organism sensible to pleasure
and pain possessing affections, and moreover
not only harmless but belonging to tribes
whose habits and instincts lead them to pro-
teat the crops Of husbandmen from the rava-
ges OF insects--en active benciactOr to our
species, and one of the most charming orna-
ments of our plane,--to draw near. assassin
like, and barbaronsly terminate its useful la.
bors and its happiness, was purely wicked
What good did its death bring met Its
disfguered body was of no use, and would
soon become pntrid and loathsome. While
deighting itself as in the effulgence of Eden
| had done what it is doubtful if any demon
would deliberately do--destroyed it by n
blast of what has BEEN likened to "the fire OF
hell" l never shot another bird. ~
| wish those lads who are daily rowing
through fields and highways bringing down
every thing their guns can reach would pause
and reflect, and cease to kill little birds foi
the mere pleasure ofkiling them, often throw
ing them away as soon as shot, and sometimes
not even picking them up. Let young sports
men learn to sutdue their animal by their ra
tional instincts and not coniuiit, fromimpuls,
or for fugitive qualification, acts which can
not be dwelt on in after life with satisfaction
if without pain.
would respectfully suggest to ministers o
our churches an occasional Sabbath or weel
day lecture on our relationship to the lower
tribes. They who loye God love his works.
Many wise and good men have taught tina,
animals will live again and he rewarded fol
their suferings here. Whether this be SO OF
not, there is no doubt that we shall have &c
account for our ill-treatment of them. Woud
that we had ian appeal in behalf Of little
birds in dozen tracts by as many reverend
authors! A more appropriate and sweetly
influential subject could no. well be taker
up. The pretty visitors would return to gu,
yards and gardens and clear buds and bios
sons of weevils--Nationat Lnteliige,cer.
" According TO the New York Herald tn,