The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-03-21
IDAHO WORLD.
BIRDS an THE WINDOW.

uds6 SOLuCtuAiS, OiSC W w. Al uOt 3 ifS
cent to support such lazy doings"
"Good morning, Mr.. Spence" said 6
friendly voice.
"Ohl it's you. Good morning, Egbert
Nice day, this"
Elegant! Balmy as May, and soft
as June. Twas going round to see YOU
"Ah, indeed! Just met, then, in the
nick of time"
eyes, in the nick of time; | want te
know how much you will put down fol
Mr.. Elders salary this year. Wewant to
increase it five hundred dollars if we can
The countenance of Mr.. Spence fell
He pushed out his lips and looked hard
and disagreeable
"Not one cent" was his slow EN-,
phatic answer.
Oh, you're testing, Mr.. Spence" said
his neighbor
"No; Pm in earnest. My girls have
something better to do than feeding
birds, Humphw
Feeding birds! Pm blind as to your
meaning" replied Mr.. Egbert.
"Let me open your eyes. Come back
with me little way"
They turned and walked short dis
lance.
eyes, there it is" said Mr.. Spence, as
he came in view of the minister's house.
"Do you see that?"
And he pointed to the window where
Jennie Elder, the ministers daughter,
stood feeding half dozen birds that
few close to her hand; one or two of
them even lighting on her shoulder.
"Well, that is beautiful y exclaimed
Mr.. Egbert.
Beautiful"
ayes, don't you think 500"
81 think she'd better be at work" re-
piled Mr. Spence. My daughters have
no time to waste after that fashion, and
! can't see that | am under any obliga-
ton to support other peoples daugh-
tiers in idleness."
"No; its both rest and inauguration.
The ten minutes spent with those birds
will sweeten her life for a whole day.
She will hear them chirping and twit-
tering as she goes about her household
duties, and be stronger and more cheer
full in consequence"
Mr.. Spence shook his head, but not
with the emphasis of manner shown
little time before. A new thought had
come into his mind. A bird had flown
in through the window of his soul.
"Work, work, work, every hour and
every minute of the day." said Mr.. Egg
bert, lis not best for any one-nor best
for Jennie Elder, nor for your daughters
nor mine"
Nobody said it was, replied Spence.
"But-but-"
His thoughts were not very clear,
and so he hesitated.
'The rest that gives to the mind a
cheerful tone, makes it stronger and
healthy, is the true rest, because it in
cludes refreshment and inauguration.
Nobody denies that" said Spence.
"And may not Jennie's ten minutes
with the birds give her just the refresh
ment she needs, and make her stronger
for the whole day? If not stronger
then more cheerful; and you know how
much comfort to a household ones
cheerful spirit may bring"
"You have such a way of putting
things" replied the neighbor in chang
ed voice. 81 never saw it in this light
before. Cheerfulness-oh, dear. | am
weary looking at discontinued faces.
IF feeding birds at the window is an
antidote to fretfulness, / shall recon-
mendmy children to commence at once"
"Let the birds come first to your win
dow" said Mr. Egbert.
"Oh, Pm too old for anything like
that" was replied.
ITO the windows of your soul, l
mean"
Spence shook his head. "You shoot
too high for me-"
"Thoughts are like birds right
thoughts like doves and sparrows,
wrong thoughts like hawks and ravens.
Open the window of your mind, and
let true thoughts come in. Feed them,
and they will come to you and fill your
soul with music. They will bear you
upon their wings; they will lift you