The Democratic advocate., 1881-12-17
Select STORY,
BIRDS AT THE WINDOW.
BY r. S. ARTHUR.

birds that came every day to her window.
My girls have something else to do. I'll
not give cent to support such lazy doings.
Good morning, Mr.. Spence, said friend
ly voice. [ want to know how much you
will put down for Mr.. Elders salary this
year? We want to increase it to $500 if
we can.
Not a cent, was his slow, emphatic reply.
Oh you are testing, Mr.. Spence, said his
good humored neighbor.
No; I'm in earnest. My girls have some
thing else to do than feed birds. Humph!
Do you see that? and he pointed to a win
dow where Jenny Elder, the minister S
daughter, stood feeding half a dozen birds
that flew close to her hand; one or two of
them even lighting on her shoulder
Well. that is beautiful! exclaimed Mr..
Egbert.
Beautiful
Yes; don't you think so?
| think she had better be at work, re-
piled Mr. Spence, in hard voice.
Mr. Egbert turned and looked at his
neighbor in mute surprise.
mean just what [ say, added Mr. Spence.
My daughters have no time to waste at
ter that fashion, and [ can't see that [ am
under any obligation to support other peo-
pies daughters in idleness.
Jenny Elder is no idle girl, said Mr..
Egbert, little warml y.
Don't you call that idleness!
! No. 1t is both rest and invigoration The
ten minutes spent with those birds will
sweeten her life the whole day. She will
hear them twittering as she goes about her
household duties, and be stronger and more
cheerful in consequence.
Mr. Spence shook his head, 6ut not with
the emphasis of manner shown little be-
fore. A new thought had come into his
mind A bird had flown in through a
window of his soul.
Work, work, work, every hour and every
minute of the day, said Mr., Egbert, is not
best for anyone-not best for Jenny Elder,
nor for your daughters, nor for mine.
Nobody says it is, replied Spence. But
-but-his thoughts were not very clear,
and so he hesitated.
The rest that gives to the mind a cheer
full tone, that makes it stronger and health
ier, is the true rest, because it includes re-
freshment and invigoration.
Nobody denies that, said Mr. Spence.
And may not Jennie's ten minutes with
the birds give her just the refreshment she
needs, and make her stronger for the whole
day? If not stronger, then more cheerful;
and you know how much comfort to house
hold one cheerful spirit may bring.
You have such way of putting things
replied the neighbor in changed voice. |
never saw it in this light before. Cheerful
ness-oh, dear! [ weary looking at discon-
tented faces If feeding birds at the win
dow is an antidote to fretfulness, [ shall re-
commend my children to begin at once.
Let the birds come first to your window,
said Mr.. Egbert.
Oh, I'm too old for anything like that
was replied.
To the windows of your soul | mean.
Spence shook his head. You shoot toe
high for me.
Thoughts are like birds-right thong hts
like doves and sparrows; wrong thoug hts
like hawks and ravens. Open the windows
of your mind and let true thoughts come
in. Feed them, and they will sing to you
and feed your soul with music. They will
bear you up on their wings; they will lift
YOU into purer regions. You will see clear
er and feel stronger You will be a wiser
and happier man.
If we can get down to the heart OF
things, we are all right, was the smiling
answer. And now we want to know how
much we can count on from you toward
Mr.. Elders salary Open wide the win
dows; let just and generous thoughts come
in.
As much as last year; perhaps more
I'll think over the matter, was replied.
While sitting at dinner with his family
on that day Mr. Spence broke the con
strained silence, the usual accompaniment
of their meal, with the words
| 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 countenance All eyes
were fixed in inquiry upon him.
Jenny Elder at a window, with wild
birds feeding from her hands, and sitting
on her shoulders, added Mr.. Spence.
Oh, yes have seen it often, said Mar
garet, his oldest daughter, light breaking
over her face. Jenny is so good and sweet
that even the birds love her. wish they
would come to my widow.
You must ask Jenny her secret, said the
father with gentleness in his voice that
was such a surprise to Margaret that she
looked at him in wonder Mr.. Spence no
ticed and understood the meaning OF hel
look. He felt it as revelation and re
buke.
The dead silence soon passed away
First one tongue and then another was un
loosened and in little while the whole
family were in pleasant conversation-a
thing SO unusual that each one noted the
fact in kind of bewildered surprise.
Mr.. Spence opened the windows OF ms
heart still wider and let the singing birds
come in. All the hours of that day ne
Wondered the new ideas suggested by his
neighbor. and the more he considered them
the clearer it became that there was bet,
ter way to 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 attended and SATISFIED.