Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-09-30
HOW MARY BECAME A BIRD.
BY CONSTANCE RUTHERFORD.

"AH, Mary, Mary, fear you will never
be neat and tidy!" exclaimed Mrs. Mason
as her little daughter ran to her, her apron
soiled and her dress torn.
"But, mother, l couldn't help it this
time. did try"
No, my child, you say that so often,
yet you do not improve. Take your little
chair and think how many times this
week you have torn your dress and made
the same excuse"
1t was springtime and her chair was
near the open window. Mary began gaz-
ing at the clouds that foated across the
blue sky while the soft breath of Nav
tossed her curls off her brow
Think, Mary; | wish my little daugh-
ter to be careful and neat Begin and
count; how many times has your poor lit
tie dress been tOrn?''
Let me see, mamma! once at the gate,
once after the squirrel across the fence
| that is tlo0 times; once at the plum-Oh,
dear me! there is one time at the violet
bed, then the hens nest in the barn.
don't believe [ can count them! There
are more times yet!'
The tears ran down the cheeks of the
little girl as by her simple arithmetic she
discovered that her delinquencies had
been without number
c Sit there, then, dearie, and try to
think how pleasant it will be when you
are careful and can assist mother so that
Ellie can run to you to help her be tidy,
too"
Mary was oppressed With WEAKNESS and
her restless little feet could scarcely re-
main quiet, so the gentle words of her
mother failed to dispel the cloud from her
usually sunny brow. Nevertheless, Mary
was beginning to try to think, when two
hooking birds flew through the shrubs
and flowers; one poised himself on
blooming vine, and in an instant the
whole air thrilled with melody. She caught
sight of the free, beautiful bird and sighed
inaudibly:
ooh, how I wish | was bird No face
to wash, no curls to tangle, no dress to
tear. | would go where pleased and /
could sing all day long"
The little girl leaned her face on the
window and watched the bird as he sat on
the spray above her, trembling with grace
and song.
Suddenly he scared away, and Mary,
too, saw herself borne with him on magic
wing high into the air. She beheld
around her the trees of the wild woods
and heard the songs of many birds.
Her bird companion alighted on the
messy brink of streamlet, and she saw
her own reflection in the water-a verita-
bic bird! She could not believe her eyes,
but looked again and still the image was
the same. To try her new-found powers
she scared up to the overhanging trees,
and, returning, alighted beside her guide.
"Oh, am so gladn' she said and
burst of her own song startled her.
She would gladly have sung all day,
but the birds were all busy among the
stones and turf gathering food for them
selves or their young; so she had to do so,
too
After flying from rocks to hedges, from
trees to streams, and from fields to hills,
her new energy tagged. When the even
ing shadows came on she thought she
would surely rest now; but no: away, |
away they hied over field and farm to the |
deep forest
When the damp breath of the swamp |
sighed through the trees she thought
how dark and cold" and her weary
wings dropped long before they rested |
from their flight. In the deepest wood
they finally stopped, and our f1edged Marv |
tucked her head under her wingo to
keep her head warm. The chirp of her
companions cheered her, and she settled
herself for comfortable nap; but sud-
denly noise broke upon the silence, and
pair OF bright eyes glared in the dark.
ooh, the owl! the OWL" screamed the
birds as they heard the dread Whoo-
WHO'D are yOu?" and in widest alarm thew
flew ID every direction. The cries Of one
poor NIUE BIRD that the owl had caught in
creased the terror that lent new energy to
their weary wings. In their consterna
ton all flew they knew not where. At
last, hal-dead with fright, poor Mary
dropped into little bush on the edoe of
a field far from the forest. Here she rest
ed little; out she sat with fear and
dreading some new disaster. ]
Her wings We're heavy, her feathers rum