The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-03-21

While sitting at dinner with his fam
lily, on that day, Mr. Spence broke the
constrained silence-uhe usual accom-
paniment of their meal-with these
words: 81 saw beautiful sight this
morning."
Both the sentence and the tone in
which it was spoken were a surprise
A weight seemed removed from every
one-a shadow fell from each dull coun.
tenance. All eyes were fixed in inquiry
upon him.
"Jennie Elder at window, with the
wild birds feeding from her hands and
sitting on her shoulders" added Mr..
Spence.
ooh, yes; Tve seen it Often" said
Margaret, his Oldest daughter, light
breaking over her face. Jennie is so
good and sweet that even the birds
love her. / wish they would come to
my window"
"You must ask Jennie her secret"
said the father, with agentleness IN his
voice that was such surprise to Mar
garet that she looked at him in wonder.
Mr.. Spence noticed and understood the
meaning of her look. He felt it as a
revelation and a rebuke.
The dead silence passed away First
one tongue and then another was I'M
loosed; and in little while the whole
family were in pleasant conversation
a thing SO unusual at meal time that
each one noted the fact i'll kind of
bewildered surprise.
Mr.. Spence opened the windows of
his soul still wider, and let the singing
birds in. All the hours Of that day he
pondered over the new ideas suggested
by his neighbor; and the more he CON
sidered them the clearer it became that
there was better way 10 secure the
happiness Of himself and family than
the hard and narrow one he had been
pursuing. Minds needed something as
well as bodies. Tastes and feelings had
their special needs. Soul hunger must
be satisfied.
As he came home from his shop that
evening he passed store, the windows
Of which were filled with cages Of sing
ing birds. And as his eyes rested upon
them, he remembered how often he had
heard Margaret wish for canary; and
how he had often said, Nonsense.
you've got something better 10 do than
your time with birds
Mr. Spence saw things in different
light now.
"She shall have bird, he said speak
ing TO himself, and turned into the store
"Oh, father not for me-"
Mr.. Spence was taken by surprise al
the sudden outburst Of delight that
came from Margaret when she under
stood that he had really bought her the
bird Tears filled her eyes. She threw
Der arms about his neck and kissed him.
1T was so kind Of you-and want
I'd bird so much. she said. "Oh, III
be SO good, and do everything for You
can"
What sweet feeling warmed the
Mr.. Spence through and through.
The delight of this moment was greater
han any thing he remembered TO have
for years.
% am glad my little present has Civ
IN YOU 50 much pleasure" he answered, I
his voice that he might not
oetray too much of what he felt at
5 a good singer, the man said"
"lt's beauty" returned Margaret, /
casting her eyes upon the bird; 'fand
I'll love it if he doesn't sing note"
"Such little thing to give so much /
pleasure" Mr.. Spence said to himself, /
Is he sat bordering this new phase of
ife. And to his thoughts came this
eply: "A cup of water is little thing, /
,ut to thirsty lips it is sweeter than
lectar."
And then, as if window had been
opened in his soul, whole food of new
IDEAS and thoughts came III upon him,
md he saw that the mind has needs as
veil as the body, and that unless these
we're supplied, life would be poor and
lreary-just as his life, and the lives
# his wife and children, had for the
most part been. Mr.. Spence never shut
hat window, but let the birds fly in
nd out at pleasure
When Mr.. Egbert next saw him, he
Il L Al