The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-05-27
BIRDIE IN THE HOME NEST.
BY T. 8. ARTHUR.

aud lifted her soft brown eyes to her
mothers face. saai,a IN -3aoi
"Haye you not forgotten some one2"
A shade of thought fell over the
ehild's countenance, as her mother,
almost child herself, grayely repeated
the question.
"Wbo mamma % sho asked then,
before her mother could reply she said
"Oh, yes, l did forget and dropping
on her knees, she -clasped her dimpled
hands, and with shut eyes and face up
turned, spoke these words to our Faith.
er in heaven
"Bless dear papa, and make him
good and happy ss..l,
As the mother gently kissed her
darling, she shut her 4eyelids tightly to
keep the tears from falling over her
checks sss...
"You must not forget dear papa
said the mother. 1t was only by an
effort that she was able to speak with o
steady voice, for her heart was moved
by some strong feelings that she wish
! ed to hide. szF'..-
81 won't again." answered the child,
and then. added, rdon't know what
made me forget. always do pray fer
him. Oh, 1 wish he were hare to kiss
me before I go to sleep. Tell him to
kiss me when he comes home-wen't
you, mamma May be III know it in
my dreams"
The mothers shut lids would hold
the tears no longer. Large round
drops fell on the childs forehead.
"Oh, mother dear y the little one ex-
claimed, throwing her arms about her
mothers neck, fwhat makes you cry?
Is it because [ forgot papa in my pray
ers? Oh, I'll never forget him again.
I can't tell what made me-" -
For little while arms were clasped
tightly around the child, and her head
held closely against her mothers
breast. Then good nights were said,
| and good night kisses exchanged. -
Soon after, the only sound heard in
| the room was the soft breathing of a
child asleep.
| For over an hour the young mother
sat In the still chambe rasone with her
little one. Then she went to an ad-.
joining room, and sat by an open wind
ow, listening to tho foot steps that
came and went along the pavement,
never catching e-seund- -fer-Whiah
her quick ear hearkened. Often she
sighed but she spoke no words of
[ weuriness or complaint.
Another hour passed on, when, re.
turning to the room where her child
slept, she undressed herself, and laying
down with an arm under the, head and
her cheek against the face of her little
one, was soon lost in slumber.
Allwas not right with the young
mother. Such tears as she held close
ly beneath her shut lids, that they
might not fall, are not tears of joy.
One loved by her, oh, 50 tenderlY /!
the father of her sweet child-was
absent; and always when he was away
her'heart felt lonely. 7
Where was he /? What held bim
away from his wife and little one, now
that the day was over? Why did the
darling Of bis heart pray for him at
bed time, instead of giving him her
good night-kiss Had business taken
him to another city? Was he absent
at the call of duty An, if we could
only answer, yes4 But we cannot.
Across the great city, in room
miles away from that in which angels
watched lovingly over the sleeping
mother and child, half dozen young
men were gathered around table on
which supper had been served. They
had eaten and drank, and now satsmok
ing. MATTERS cleared off the table and
brought in bottles of wine, and glasses,
More wine! Had they not been
drinking freely at supper? Yes, too
freely. But they who "tarry long at
the wine" grow thirstier the longer
they drink, until sense and reason are
too often drowned.
'tLet me fill your glass;" said one of
the company to young man, whose
clear eyes, calm mouth and smoo;h fore
head gave no signs of an evil or de.
praved life. Looking at him, and then
at his companions, any oce would have
seen that he was out Of place and In
danger. ia
"Nothing more at present" answer
ed the young man, who had already
taken, with his supper, as much wine
as he fe.t it prudent to drink. =,
Without needing this reply, the one
who had addressed him filed the young
man s glass and also his own:
ITO birdie in the home nest !" he
said, lifting his glass. @1
The young man thus challenged,
raised the wine and held it between his
eyes and the light. .-,--.z
s'To birdie in the homo nest!' All,
the tempter miscalculated the power of
that sentence. He meant evil to the
young man, but God had put this
thought into his miRd that he might
use him as an agent of good just
then, birdie in the home nest was say
ing, "Bless dear papa, and make him
good and happy" and God, who is ever
trying to lead his erring children into
right ways, heard the prayer, as he
hears all the prayers that true hearts
offer UP, and answered it in his own best
way.
As the young man held up the glass
of amber colored wine to the light, he
saw in it the picture of kneeling
child. The face, beautiful as the face
of an angel, was tender and very earn
est the large brown eyes had in them
a shade of sadness. While he looked
the face and form grew more and more
distinct. He saw the sweet lips move,
and heard them say, as clearly as it
the words had been spoken in his out
ward ears:
aBIess dear papa, and make him
| good and happy" ~
The glass Of wine did not touch his
4 tsNot dr;,i- 10 that 7u avolaimed his