The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-03-02
LITTLE WHITE-THORN.

LliILE NHI1E-THORN.
In 81 small village iu Great Britain,
very many years ago, there lived poor
widow named BriSitte. She was de-
sceudant of rich and respectable parents.
Her father bequeathed her Il house and
lot, with the adjacent meadows, a -four
will, u hriGk kiln, twelve horses, twice
that number of oxen, twelve cows, aud q
great supply Of grain and linens.
But she Mas only u poor widow, with
ont protector except her brothers, who
were selfish snd nNious Of her inherit
anCe
The eldest brother, named Peter, took
possession Of the homestead and the
horses. Francis, the second, took the
meadows and the bour-mi!l. The third,
George, seized the brick-kiln aud the
oxen and sheep, leaving poor Brigittc
nothing bat miserable barn, without =
door, 10 which, formerly, the sick and
ailing cattle had been brought
As she was conveying her scantr funn-
ture to ito destination. Francis, who still
had some pity i'll his heart for his poor
Elster, SAID to her:
Il will act a. q charitable and Chris
tan brother towards you. Among my
cattle | have black COW, which is Of no
use 10 Inc, for she has not enough milk 10
noulish bube. lOu can take her with
You. Your daughter, White-Thoru, can
let her gra2o Oh the moor.
This was u barren piece OF pastura90
which had been left to the widow.
White Thorn, the daughter OF the wild.
ow, had received this strange name be-
cause her face was always so very pals
and delicate
So, Brigitte went with her pale little
daughter, who was only ten years old, to
their poor home. Day after day White.
Thorn led the COW 10 its pasture ON the
moor; hcgc the COW had difficulty i'll
finding enough grass to satisfy ller hun
ger. Meanwhile, White-Tlorn busted
herself in whiting woodcn crosses, skill
fully ornameutlng them with white
DAISIES. putting them into the earth, and
singing pretty, plaiutiye songs. She
prayed God to help her mother IN this
hour of great need
One morning, while thus employed,
half lost in thought, she WAS startled ont
IF her rpyaric by n little bird that had
alightcd ou ono OF the little crosses she
hal put into the ground. The bird con
sfsntlv turned ia head towards her,
mnked and twittered, as though it had
something important 90 tell her The
Child locked at the bird in wonder, APP
preached it. aud listened. Try as she
might, if WAS impossible for her 10 ,ll-
dcystOnd q single wood the little robin
.nd. The bird seemed TO know that
Wnity-Thou Did not comprehend its
language, bat it twittered louder than
ever, flew 10 and flo, and spread ont its
minga: still, she could not understand
aAat the bird wanted
In tie meantime her whole attention
Was SO wrapped up III the bird THAT even
ing crepi on unObseryed, until ut last.
when the bird How away, she looked up
and heheld stars tulukliug down upon
her from the sky
Then she started up and thought Of
the neglected COW. which, Us she feared,
had strayed from the moor. She called
10 her with all her might, beat and shook
the bushes around her. descended into
the hollow where the brooklet bubbled all
the day---but i'll vain.
At last she heard her mother calling to
her from distance, us If some great
misfortune had happened. She hurried
toward her in great fear, and found hot
in the pathway that led 10 the house,
lamenting and wailing over the skeleton
of the black COW. II had been devoured
by hungry wolves. AZ this fearful sight
the blood curdlcd in the poor child s
veins: she turned cold as ice, and could
not speak n word. but fell on her knees
and would not be comiorted. Tho widow
was surprised 81 the bitter grief a her
daughter, and she said to her:
although you were fond Of tic COW,
it is wrong to weep so bitterly for dumb
animal. Remember that it Is God 5 will,
and be contented, my innocent child
Let us 90 home"
White.Thorn obcdicntly followed her
mother; she sighed at every step. and
could not control the tears that rolled
ceaselessly down her face. My poor
cow!" she thought; "she is gone now:
sue vas so gentle and 80 willing to be led;
she even began to grow fat" And III
her grief White Thorn went to bed with
ont her supper, and awoke several times
at night, for it seemed to her she heard
the COW at the door. In her anxiety she
arose before daylight, and ran bare
headed and with naked feet into the
meadow. Here she saw the bird again,
and seated on one of the flower crosses.
His song seemed to call her to the spot.
Unfortunately the song was the Same as
YESTERDAY, and she did not understand
lis MARBLE. She was about to turn away.
disappointed and sad, when she thought
sine saw a piece OF gold on tho ground.
She turned it with her foot, when, 10! it
was only an herb that cleaned like gold
IN the sunlight. But the strangest part
OF il was that she understood the voice OF
the bird now, whose trittsr said to
her:
white Thorn, listen to ms; 1 have
your welfare ut heart.
"Who are you? she cried In sudden
surprise.
INV name is Robin Red-Breast,' re-
piled the bird. 81 am the bird that was
J -. x..L - rluck q thorn from