Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-09-13
hem. Wont Il be nica ~

hem. Wont il BE- nice 2"
spoke corG ,eutly; for had really $,
workel up my fancy that felt quite con
tcnp'uqus pity for an the wretched hi,!e
birds who were hatched every year, without
me 10 rear them. A. the same time, | had
general idea that grown-up people always
dtl throw cold water on spleadid plans like
miae; 50 ! was more indignant than sur
prised when my friend the curale tried to
show me that i was quite impossible to do
as wished. The end Of all his arguments
" 6, that | must leave tho nest in its place.
But had great turn for disputing. ard was
not at all inclined to give up my point.
You told me on Sunday" | said, pertly,
"ihat we were never TOO little to do kind
things let me do bis.'1
IF | could be sure" he said, looking at
me. "that you oaly wish to do a kind thing. y
1 got more angry aud rude.
Perhaps you think | want to kill them,y z
I said
He did not answer, but, taking both my
hanis in his, said graveIy, Tell me. nv
child which do you wish most to be kind
to these poor little birds /? or to have the
honor and glory Of having them, and bring
ing them up r.
"Fo be kind to them, )" said |, getting very
red. II don't want any honor and glory y
and ! felt ready to cry.
"Well, wello he said, smiling "then /
know you will believe me when tell YOU
that the kindest thing you can do for these
little birds, is to leave them where they are.
And il you like, you can come and sit here
every day till they are able to fly, and keen
watch of the nest, that no naughty boy may
come near 1.-THE curate, for instance!'' and
be pulled funny face. THAT will be very
kind
"}at they will never know said.
Il thought you only wanted to be kind,n
he answered. And then he began to talk,
very gently, about different sorts of kind
ness, and that II ! wished to be kind ike
Christian, must be kind without hoping for
any reward, whether gratitude or anything
else. He told me that the best followers Of
Jesus in all times had tried hard to do every-
thing, however smell, simply for Gods sake.
and to put themselves away. That they Of
ten began even their letters, &C., with such
words as GLORY to God" to remind them
selves that everything they did, to be per-
feet, must be done to God, and God alone.
And that in doing good, kind things even,
they were afraid lest, though the thing was
right, the wi h to do it might have come
from conceit or presumption.
This selEdeyoton," he added, ois the
very highest Christian life, and seems, / dare
say, very hard for you even TO understand, |
and much more so to put in practice But
we must all try for il ip the best way we can,
little woman and to those who by Gods /
grace really practised it, it was almost as
impossible to be downcast or disappointed,
as if they were already in heaven. They
wished for nothing to happen to themselves
but Gods will they did nothing bat for
Gods glory. And so very good bishop
says, i have my end whether / succeed, or
am Disappointed So you win have your
end, my child, in being kind to these little
birds in the right way, and denying yourself,
whether they know you or notn
could not have understood all he said
but am afraid did not try to understand
what / might have done however, I said
no more, and stood silent while he comfort
ID me with the promise of new flower for
ny garden, called hen ana chickens" which
ne said was to take care of instead Of the
title baekbirds.
VIII n he was gone, | went back to the
Jolly bush, and stood gazing at the nest and
lursing angry thoughts in my heart. .What
/ preach" | thought, "about nothing as if {
here could be any conceit or presumption '
n taking care of three poor lit birds the :
urate must forget that was growing into /.
big girl : and as to not knowing how to '
eea them, knew as well as he did that I
'irds lived upon worms, and liked bread 9
umbs." Aud SO, thinhing wrong ended Q
as it almost always does) in doing acroug G
nd | took the three little blackbirds out of L
he nest, popped them into my pocket-hand- ?
erchief, and ran home. And some trouble I:
took to keep them out Of every ones sight S
-eyen out Of my mothers; for did not 0
amt to hear any more "grown up" opinions e
n the matter. v
filed a basket with cotton wool, and put
ne birds inside, aud took them into little q
Jom down stairs, whore they would be Il
arm. Before | went to bed, put two or "
Tree worms, and large supply of soak ID c.
read crumbs, 10 the nest, close to their little W
saks. What can they want more n p
logght in my folly; bat conscience is apt II
be restless when one is young, and could d
't feel quite comfortable in bed, though
II to sleep at last, trying to fancy my. m
Il g lody Twoshoes with three sleek, full ia
dyed blackbirds on my shoulders p,
10 the morning, as soon as could slip Ii
way, went to my pets. Any one may OF
less what found, but believe no one can CO
iderstand the shock Of agony anl remorse 10
at | felt. Taere lay the worms that had ca
Y with reckless cruelty; there was the 10
astel bread ; and there above al, lay the as
rec little blackbirds, cold and dead. Sc
/ 20 not knox how long I stood looking at |
G victims Of my presumptaous wilfulness u
It at iast heard footstop 10 the passage, Its
ID, fearing to be caught. tore out of the on
use, and down to MY d | seat near the Sd
lly-bush, where hang myself on the Bl
ouaJ aud wept bitterly. A. last heard til
Z well-known sound Of some one climbing VIC
eF the wall aud then the cprate stood ba
fore me With the plant of '.hsn and chick We
5" in his hands. | jumped up aud shrank to'
y from him. an
'Don't come near me-" / cried "the he
ickbiris are eaI = and ;hrew myself kn
wn sgain. SIN
kneE from experience that few thiags alb
lsed the anger OF my friend 50 strongly as ow
see or hear ~ animals being iil-freafe3 tha