The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-10-18
The Pum-Puddler's Song.
By THE REy. JoHS TODD. D. D.

Among the many strange and queer
things to be found in the lakes and riy-
ers IN the wilderness, there is one bird
that always attracts my particular atten-
tlon. He is seldom seen on the wing,
and when he stands in the grass, he
sticks up his head SO straight in the air
that you mistake it for brown stick.
There he holds it, imnovable, so long
as you are in his neighborhood. But
the strangest thing about him is his
song. In the widest, most dreary spot
i'll the swamp, where the frogs peep and
mutter and below, where the flies and
mosquitoes drive everything off that
they can eat, he selects as his place of
song, and every evening little after
sunset he begins, "pum-puddle, pun
puddle." loud enough to be heard half
a mile of. ltsounds like pump draw
ing in aud pouring out a stream Of thick
inud-a most unearthly, unmusical
sound, and one that has nothing like
song in it. But there the fellow stands,
every few minutes utterlng his disagree
able notes till midnight. | am told that
he does this while his mate is sitting on
her nest, probably to cheer her, and let
her know that he is wide awake, and is
ever thinking of her! Probably, too,
Mrs Pum-puddler, as she sits on her
eggs or over the Young puddlers, hears
his evening song, and thinks it tie
sweetest music in the world. Aud as
they raise their little heads in the nest,
do they not hear their fathers voice,
and feel proud that they have father
that can sing like that!
When | have been in the forest in
dark summers evening, and heard all
the noises Of the various creatures that
then "creep forth" | have otteu thought
Of the goodness Of God in fitting each
creature to enjoy its own way Of life,
its own food, and its own music. Not
only are their throats different, but their
ears, and what is discord and disagreea-
bic to US, is delightful to them. And
what is also curious, the most disagree
able places are the home Of the most
diSagreeable creatures. The low, mud
dy, impossible swanpS Of the South are
occupied by alligat0rs and serpents
The pools Of stagnant, filthy water are
the very palaces Of the frogs and their
croakingS. The cold clehs of the rocks
are the home Of the snake and the viper
And if you fnd any disagreeable spot in
the world, you are sure to find it oCcu-
pied by diSagreeable creatures This is
the plan of God, SO that no spot shall be
without life, and life that is enjoyed
The sucking, choking song Of poor
pum-puddler is not more delightful to
him and his mate than is every one of
the horrid noises that come from such
places in the dark night
InsJme parts Of the world are Cretans
and women with great |
swollen throatS; i'll other parts, idiots |
abound; but iu all such places there is
in the air they breathe that
gives them their detornties and prob !
ably there is no spot on earth where
there are not diseases and sickness, and |.
joys and consultations, peculiar to that |
spot. lie hath meted out the habitation
Of ALL
Now just suppose that God had never
made a spot more beautiful than the
dismal swamp where the pum-puddler
lives, and had given no bird and no
creature voice sweeter than his, what
a world OF disagreeable things would
our world be. What a contrast be-
tween such home and such a creature,
and the beautiful home of the refined,
Christian family, where are books and
music, and everything beautiful and
pleasautl Aud yet there is a place,
which God is preparing for those who
owe him, as much moro beautiful, nay,
.en thousand times more beautiful than
such home, as that is more beautiful
han the home Of our swamp bird. 1t
seems most wonderful to us that the
same hand that made the disagreeable
hings of earth, should also make the
glorious angels of heaven. But these
Door things have some enjoyments in
heir way, and are probably as happy
IS their natures are capable of being
,ut oh! how much happier is creature
ike ourselves, who can read, and write,
md think, and hope for what is to come.
1T doth not yet appear what ,ce shall
,e," but these creatures are all they can
,ver be. ..-. ....,
Sing away, poor pum-puddler, if that
20 singing You enjoy it without
loubt, and enjoy it too, because it
makes me thankful that | am not like
you, and because it leads me to think
# the other end of creation, where an
,els and glorified spirits live and sing,
n the very presence of God, and where
may nope, through the mercy of Christ,
o be with them, and hear only the
weet songs of heaven! ao @
"A pert little girl boasted to one of