The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-11-15

no birds-nothing but ice and snow
That is what will happen to you il
you lot your souls grow dark your
little world will be left in darkness
and miseTy-you will be wretehed
So, avoid careful ly all that would
disturb your soul : idleness, dis
obedience, and, above all, untruth.
All these evil things are like mists
which ascerd from below, and which
will at last hide the light which the
Lord has given you. If yOu keep
your Oul free from these mists, il
will always shine like bright sun,
and you will be happy"
We all listened t0Uncle Bernard,
and resolved to follow hrs good ad-
vice, and not let the Inists from be-
low darken our souls.
After that, listened more than
ever to the sound Of the shell. /
thought of the wonders of which
Uncle Bernard had told us, and
thought if one could only see those
things through a little hole, how
beautiful it would be
But what surprised me more than
all was that, while | was listening,
it seemed as if I could distinguish
the echo Of my own thoughts in the
humming of the shell. Some were
gentle and sweet; some were joyful
and sang like the birds at the return
of spring.
One day, however, the shell gave
back to me sounds that were less
agreeable; its music grew harsh
and caused me the greatest terror.
1t was because I was not satisfied
with myself, and dark clouds OBJ
scured my soul. 1t was my fault,
my very great fault. But I must
tell you about it from the begin
ming.
In the afternoon of that day, Lud-
wig and l had gOne to keep our
goats upon the AItenberg. We sat
down in the shade of a group of
trees, when Ludwig suddenly point
ed with his whip toward the ravine,
and said to me:
"Look down there, on the edge
of that great rock. There is a
blackbird's nest in the old beech-tree
there"
Uncle Bernard had often forbid
| den me to take birds nests; and,
besides, this was just over the pre-
cipicc in the forks of large messy
branch. looked at it thoughtful
ly, and Ludwig said:
"There are young ones in it.
This morning, when [ went to gath
er muIbcrries, I heard them calling
for their breakfast. They will be
gone by tomorrow, for they must
be fedged."
l did not say anything, but the
devil urged me on. At last, got
up and went to the tree, but it was
too large to climb. Unluckily a
smaller beech-tree grew beside it,
| and | climbed this and bent it over
so that 1 could reach the lower
branches of the other. The two
blackbirds uttered plaiDtive cries
and huttered about me, but | took
no notice of them. I seated myse f
astride of the messy branch, in or
der to reach the nest, which I could
see perfectly. There were three lit
tie ones and an egg in it. The lit
tie ones stretched out their necks
and opened their great yellow beaks
and | thought had them. But, as
l went forward, suddenly the branch
broke like glass, and I had only time
for one shrek. l whirled twice
over in the air, and fell upon a
large branch below, to which ]
clung with all my strength. The
whole tree trembIcd to the roots,
and the othor branch fell, sweeping
down the rock with a noise which
made my hair stand on end. In
spite of myself, l watched it till it
reached the bottom of the ravine.
1t whirled about in the torrent, and
was borne away amidst the foam to
the great cascade, when l saw it no
| more.
Then I climbed carefully up the
trunk, cIinging closely to it, and
praying God to forgive me, and at
last, pale and trembling, slid down
among the bushes. The two old
blackbirds flew around me with
heartrending cries. Ludwig had
run away, but as he went down the
path, he happened to turn his head,
and seeing me safe and sound,
he returned, all out of breath, cry.
ing:
you are there! You did not
fall from the rock 2"
'' Yes, l am here" said, scarcely
able to speak. "The good God has
saved me. Let us go home--I am
frightened :"
1t was near seven o'clock and the
sun was setting. Neither Ludwig
nor | blow our horns, as usual, to
hear the echo of the Hollow Rock
answer us. When we reached the
village, said to Ludwig:
"You will not tell ?'
Don't be afraid"
At eight o'clock my uncle had not
come homo, and Gredcl and l took
our supper alone. Then / went in
to the library and took up the shell;
but oh what a tumulti I Leard
the torrent roar, and in the midst of
it the plaintive cry of the two old
black birds, the sound of the branch
crashing down the rock, and the
creaking and groanipg of the tree.
And when l thought of the poor
little birds crushed among the stone,
/ il was terrible
1 ran away to my little room and
went to bed; but sleep would not
CONE, and fear Kept fast hold OF
/ me.
About ten o'clock ] heard my
] nncle como in. He took his horee