Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-07-24
A Bird ia TIE Hand.

/ Never. perhaps. has any winged creature
been so overrated is the bird in the hand
Some penny-,vise philosopher on rainy day.
when the floods were washing away fortunes.
and there WAS safety only in sailing close 10
the wind, financially, must have made the
odous comparison between the bird in the
hand and the bird in the bush which has
clung 70 them ever since. II was trlte and
taking. 1t appealed to the memories of peo-
pie who had found how difficult II was TO
catch the bird in the bush. Cautious, elder
" people, discouraged people who had seen
better days, prodigil sons among the husks,
al the miscellaneous folk who, having eaten
their cake. were ont of SORTS because they
could not have il too, hailed the new provcrb
with acclamatiou.
II swellcd the hoard of petty maxims with
which themo.her in Locs-!ey Hall breaches
down her daughters heart. IL took It's right
ful place with AL the keen, biting admoni-
tions with which Mentor made Tcicmachus
life burden 10 him. There is no estimating
the dignity which arises from mere rcpcii-
ten. The Bcllman in The Hunting of the
Slaren struck the keynote of a vital truth
when he sid, "What | tel you three timcs
is true"
Half The proverbs in the world owe their
life. liberty aud reputation solely TO some
trick of sound, some happy turn OF phrasing
by which they were spoken trippingly ON the
tongue They would no more bear inycsti-
cation than dei:iIting cashier. Face them
dowa. put them or oath - 10 their truth, and
they Will hide their diminished heads.
This bird in the Land, for instance. Who
really believes it is worth two in the BUSH
Only tie disappointed Hyspcptics of the
world All people who have not hopelcssly
loved and lost, all people who are still on the
up grade of oadcavor and achievement arc
happy, though they are empty handed.
fhe bird in the bush sings sol The bird
in the hand sing' not at all. II mopcs and
is always moulting, and always in n Mns.
Gummidge sort OF mood Much croakiug
has spoiled its voice for singing. II has
brought more brave plans TO naught by the
chill of its disapproval, il has vetoed more
high-hcartcd enthusiasm than might have
redeemed the world. To youths daring
nothing venture, Gothing gain" il is forever
setting lis dismal nothing venture nothing
lose" And SO the boat rots at the pier, and
the gold lies in tie mine, and the new world
await, undiscovered beyond the sea-
Perhaps the bittcrcst memory that hauBts
the bird in the hand is of the time when IL
also was a bird in the BUSH When il WAS
fee, and the light fell on its unclippcd wing,
and il was a thing Of beauty, seen and de-
sired of all men. Wcmay be sure II X the
bird in the bnsh that the poets mean when
they set their words 10 music. II is the bird
in the bush that Giacomclli il looking ~
when he gives us his ideals, with their cxag-
parafcI heads and their tender cOqucttiSh
human airs and gficos.
Its the bird in the bush that sing Of hope
and lures one on to new cndeayor and ~
.plauds success with rippling cascade of
song. Il Is one Of the things in the world
that makes life worth living, and mnst bc
counted in among tho dynamic forces OF
action. What though re shall never grasp
it? Its service of song has stood us in good
stead. And no man, save the one whose
geese, simply because they are his, are ail
swans. will venture, when he thinks il over,
to count bird in the hand worth two in The
/ bnsh- Washington Post.