Smyrna times., 1889-03-27
Soliloquy of my Pet Canary.

L IGIEOSDGCJ
the past is so full of incident, NAV
not be pardoned by the dear reader fol-
recounting just few of the most note.
worthy events of my life-especially as
| realize | am growing old, and this
little particle of dust must soon mingle
with its Mother Earth.
This reflection, however, fills me
with no dread apprehension, since God
IN his loving kindness, has promised
that even sparrow cannot fall with
out his notice." | am here led to con-
trast the love mankind exhibits for the
| sparroWs. Is it because their plumage
IS not so bright and beautiful as birds
OF my nationality? Or because there
IS neither harmony nor sweet music in
their voice with which to charm the
human ear? Or on account of their
common life and their greed and quar-
relsome instincts? Perhaps so; at any
rate, never saw one of them civilized
and treated as one of the family, as I
myself have always been, and so ten
derly cared for; yet God careth for
them.
Referring to my infancy l would
state that | was born in this beautiful
city OF YOnkers, during the centennial
year OF American independence, 1876.
mad magnificent home, and was
surrounded by every evidence of ele-
CANT taste and refinement. Fortune
had smiled on the occupants, nv dear
master and mistress, who. amid these
most charming surroundings. here be-
gan their married life.
A more loving couple l never saw,
as the realities and responsibilities of
life dawned upon them, so full of
youthful health and activity and
when, in the flight of time, God blessed
their home with sweet little babe. |
really thought they had reached the
iull fruition of earthly joy. The little
one grew nicely, and passed success
FULLY through some of the trials and
slcknesses incident to early infancy,
and IN the course OF time became nv
constant friend and companion.
For hours at time l would sing gtO
her my sweetest music, and thus divert
and interest her while her loving
mother was busily engaged with her
household cares. l received every
kind attention, and my beautiful little
quarters were kept scrupulously neat,
and was well provided with choice
food adapted to my wants.
But, alas the Angel of Death Wis
tied our home, and, after many days
and nights of weary watching, little
Bessie was called to her home in the
skies. How much we missed her
childish prattle Aud even now her
joyous laughter echoes through the
lapse years. How changed the home
how sad the hearts therein! Still |
tried my best to dispel the gloom by
singing my sweetest strains of music
Thus time rolled, and when the
home was again blessed with another
babe-a beautiful boy-we were all
made immeasurably happy.
Up to this time | had never experi-
enced any personal trials, my parents
having died during my early infancy,
leaving only my little sister and my
self She was as beautiful a canary as
l ever saw, with beautiful plumage,
tall, slender and graceful, with a voice
that trilled in sweet unison with nv
own, as from morn till night we sang
our duets together But now we
reached our first great trial.
We were presented by our kind mis-
tress to one Of her lady friends, and we
were removed to another home, some
little distance away, probably a mile
or mOre-and we seldom saw our kind
benetactOrs after that time. Our new
home seemed strange to US for a long
time, and the notes we sang were soft
and low.
Our new surroundings could scarcely
compare with those We had left; but
our new friends, young and childless,
were very kind, and so tenderly cared
for US, that we soon learned to love
them, and did our utmost to brighten
their home with our song.
Thus the years rolled on, and we
moved from place to place, still within
the limits of our beautiful city. But
the time had arrived for another sepa-
ration. Our kind guardians had de-
clded to remove to distant city, and
We were again consigned to the care of
strangers. This time We were taken
to an old house, the seven members Of
which family ranged in age from 2 to
16 years. The house was situated on
narrow, short street, which ran up a
steep hill. The windows and doors
were small, and the ceilings low, and
altogether the surroundings were SO
different and plain that my sister bird
resolved, one morning, to escape, and
if possible find her way back to the
home of her infancy.
never saw her more, but have a
vague apprehension that she either
fell a victim of those merciless SPAR
rows, or some tTeacherOus cat, or small
boy. 1t was long time before l could
reconcile myself to bear my trials pa.
tiently but my new friends proved
very kind to me, especially her whom
the children called grandma-so that
soon experienced a degree of content
ment, singing meanwhile my sweetest
songs even while memory reverted to
the long ago.
But, dear reader, am growing old.
My pilg rimrge is nearly ended My
voice is failing, and my plumage is not
quite so bright as it used to be. l am
now frequently told that l am getting
too particular in regard to the quality
of my food. Can this be second child
hood? 1 now often sit for hours think
ing over the past, and the strange dis
pensation of Gods providence l have
seen in my comparatively brief life.
time.
have outlived both Bessie and heI
little brother, and their loving mother
who has gone to join them in the bet
ter land. l have also survived my
kind young mistress who moved to the
distant city--and within my recOllec
tion Garfield, Grant, Mcclellan, AR
thur, Hancock and Sheridan, have al
responded to the last bugle call, anC
been gathered to their fathers.
have also survived the good maj
who owned the home that now shell
ters me; and grandma, having Tough
the good fight, has peacefully entered
into the JOY of the Lord.
Does it not seem strange that / an
permitted to live on? l often wonde
who will be the next to be calle,
away. Thus 1 pass the time away
thinking of the strange events tina
may occur in this world, even within
the lifetime of "a little Canary Bird
c. l.. C. IN YOnkers Statesman.