The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-05-18
The WOrkh0use Spa row.

At board meeting in workhouse in
Davenport, England, the master read as
usual the record of admittances, dis
charges, births, and misunderstanding
in the latter one of the little creatures
which ''fall not without our Heavenly
Fathers notice." 1t is stated that the
mention of a sparrow caused thrill
among the board of guardians, as its
death caused sorrow in the room its
familiar presence had cheered for eight
years.
The story of the bird as given by the
matron was, that it fell from its nest be-
meath the roof, through an aperture into
room occupied by fourteen aged
women, and was picked up, poor un-
hedged mite, manned, and apparently
lifeless. By the tender pity and nursing
of these women, its life was saved, and it
became general favorite.
A pasteboard cradle was made for it,in
which it had little bed with coverings
fit for a chijd's doll. Dicks nurse was q
very old lady who had been bedriden for
eighteen years, and could not even feed
herself. The sparrow slept in her bosom,
IN his cradle, every night. At dusk he
expected his bed to be made, and when
any delay happened, he would grow
much excited, fly about, chatter, peck
his nurses neck, and give no peace till
his bed was ready.
Dicky was great comfort to the poor
woman, who was always contented and
cheerful. AS she sat propped up IN bed
she would talk to him and he would hop
about her and look up as if he under
stood all she said. 1t was quite pic
ture to see her, with her happy face, her
bible fixed upon a board Ia front of her,
with Dick perched on it's edge or her
shoulder, while she read aloud to the
other inmates of the ward
They all believed that Dick understood
all they said and did, and any person
who watched his movements would think
so, too. The old ladies believed he knew
when any one of them was sicker than
common, and he certainly showed great
concern when death took place in the
ward.
One of the women, who acted as assis-
tant nurse, regularly brought in the
meals. Dick would watch this proceed
ing quietly from bed or chair, till the
woman took her seat, then dart into her
lap to receive his share of the food.
Our feathered friend was not confined
indoors, but passed in and out of the
window as he liked, perhaps made COM
panions of the other sparrows, but call
from one of his human friends would
bring him into his favorite quarters in a
moment. Dicky took daily bath in q
little tin cup, and he would not allow
his bath-tub used for any other purpose.
If any one took it up, he showed dis
pleasure, and would not rest till it was
put back in its place.
When the morning bell was rung to
wake the help, Dick was always first to
answer the sound. Out he would spring
from his nest, alighting on the face of
the assistant nurse, whose duty it was to
rise first, and peck at her until she
awoke. This brings us to the sad date
of the oath of November, 1880, and the
mournful tale all too common in wo' Id
inhabited by cats as we'll as birds. The
night nurse coming into the room just
after the ringing of the hell observed
Dick at his morning task of waking the
assistant. No one ever saw the poor
sparrow after that. A cat had followed
the nurse up the stairs. The assistant
nurse woke with some scratches smarting
on her cheek. This was the only sign of
what had become of the pet of those
poor old women, whose sorrow at his
loss can scarcely be described.