Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-09-12
Fireside Department.
How a Skylark Preached a
Sermon.

Sermon.
Stories, as well as poems about
the skylark, abound; but the fol-
lowing story shows the constant
love of Englishmen for this truly
English bird. There is no such
thing as song-bird natural to Au-
stralia; there are birds that chatter
and birds that shrek, but no bird
that sings. We'll, there was young
man who went out from England as
a gold-digger, and was fortunate
enough to make some money, and
prudent enough to take care of it.
He opened Hstore," a sort of
rough shop, where almost anything
could be had }, at place called s'The
OVENS" noted gold-feld, about
to hundred miles from Melbourne.
AS he continued to prosper, this
young man, like a dutiful son, wrote
home for his father and mother,
asking them to come out to him, ,and,
if they possibly could, to bring with
them lark. The old folks agreed,
and in due time, with a lark in
charge they took ship and left the
shores of England.
The old man, however, took the
change SO much to heart that he
died; but the old woman and the
lark landed in sound health at Mel
bourne, and were speedily forward
ed to Mr.. Wilsted's store at ''The
Ovens" 1t was on Tuesday when
they arrived, and the next morning
the lark was hung outside the hut,
and at once began piping up. The
effect was wonderful. Sturdy dig
gers-big men with hairy faces and
great brown hands-paused in the
midst of their work, and listened
reverently. Drunken diggers left
unfinished the blasphemous sen
tence, and looked bewildered and
ashamed. Far and near the news
spread like lightning: "Have you
heard the lark?" as it true, mate,
that there is real English skylark
up at Jack Wilsted'sT' =.
So it went on for three days, and
then came Sunday morning. Such
sight had not been seen since the |
first spadeful of the golden earth
had been turned! From every quar-
ter-east, west, north and south
from far-of hill, and from creeks
twenty miles away, came a steady
stream of rough, brawny English
men, all brushed and washed as de-
cent as possible. The movement
was not arranged beforehand, as
was plain from the haIf-ashamed ex-
preston of every mans face as he
met his acquaintance in the crowd. |
There they were, however, and their
errand was to hear the lark! Nor
were they disappointed. There,
perched in his wood-and-iron pulpit, |
was the little minister, and, as if he
knew the Importance of The task
before him, he plumed his crest,and |
lifting up his voice he sang them a
sermon which touched his audience
more closely than perhaps even the
bishop himself could have done.
1t was wonderful sight to see
those three or four hundred men,
some lying on the ground, some sit
ting with their arms on their knees,
and their heads on their hands, some
leaning against trees with their eyes
closed, SO that they might the bet
ter fancy themselves at home, and
in the midst of English corn-felds
once more; but whether sitting,
standing or lying, all were equally
quiet and attentive and when, after
an hours steady preaching, the lark
ceased, his audience suddenly start
ed of, little low-spirited, perhaps,
but on the whole happier than when
they came. Yes, and doubtless in
many breast the lark's warble had
stirred the memories of the lessons
learned in the village school, or in
the village church at home, and had
wakened muttered longings for those
'means of grace" for which they
had cared SO little when they were
within their reach. rat.
So the skylark preached his SER
mon, and many of his congregation
wished that they could have taken
him away with them, to preach to
them in their distant diggings dav ,
by day.
"l say, joe" one digger was heard
to say to another ''do you think
would sell him-the bird,
you know! I'll give as much gold
dust for him as heweighs,a and think
him cheap"
''Sell him! not he!" was the in
dignant answer; how would you ,,
like fellow to come to our village
at home, and make a bid for our
parson" "-Honae Pets.