Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-12-12
OUR YOUNG READERS.
A FOOLISH SPARROW.

A FOOLISH SPARROW.
"This nest Is so narrow"
Said little Dick Sparrow,
'I've got quite pain in my wings;
Can't you soaeeze up q bit,
And just let me sit
On the outside, you tiresome thlngsr'
So selfish young Dick
Made them move pretty quick,
And soon he sat perohed on the edge;
A little brown ball,
tyrant, though small,
Surveying the world from his ledge.
There's a garden down there
Looks wondrously fair,
How nioe 1t must be 'mong the flowers,
I've good mind to try,
It's quite easy to fly,
To bird of my courage and powers"
"No. DON'T" said his brother,
"We promised our mother
That we'd certainly stay In the nest
While she is away;
SO do not pray
Dlsobey her, for mother knows best
'She says II we're good,
And eat plenty of food.
Our wings will be sure to grow strong,
And then by and by
She will teach US to fly
II we're patient, the time won't seem long.
But Dick said: "Pooh. pooh,
I'm bigger than you,
And fatter and stronger, you sect
Such counsel is good
For feeble young brood,
"But 10 can't be Intended for me-"
"Why, yonder's Tom TIL
I'll there, stop bit,
With you In that garden I'll roam
Ta, ia, little dears,
Youneed have no fears,
I'll be back before mother comes home"
Giving one or two springs,
And flutterlng his wings,
Down he spun like wild shuttlecook;
With desperate bound
His feet touched the ground,
But 1t gave him terrible shock.
Now little Tom Tit .
Did not want him bit,
He had plenty of plans Of his owni !
So In very great haste,
For he'd no time to waste,
Far over the garden he'd flown.
Dick felt rather slighted,
But soon was delighted
To find he could wander at VIII.
He spent some gay hours
Among the sweet flowers,
OF liberty taking his I'LL
Then he rested awhile
| In luxurious style
On a couch Of the softest green moss.
For sweet contemplation
And wise meditation
Young Dick thought himself at no loss.
"How very absurd"
| Thought this foolish young bird.
"Are the cautions and fears OF the oldi
There's nothing like pluck.
And trying ones luck,
| Oh, It's fss to be daring and bold"
yssDa 70 selr fast asleep
| TIL the shadows grew deep,
For the sun had gone down In the west;
Then he woke cold and cross,
From that soft bed Of moss.
And wished himself back In the nest
He wended his way
Through the twilight gray,
| To the place where ne first had allghted.
| Twas not easy to And,
| 1t had slipped from his mind,
And soon master Dick was benighted
| In the deepest despair,
| He ran here and there,
| And oft had his steps to retraceI
| Then faint. sad and tired,
As the twilight expired,
| At last he discovered the place
| The nest was so high,
But yet he must try.
To reach the snug home he had spurnsi.
He flew up once or twice,
But fell down in a trice,
For, al as, he'd not properly learned.
1t was all to no good,
He might try as he would,
The nest was still far out Of reach.
ITO every child
Who is willful and wild,
This story a lesson should teach)
When Dicks parents returned,
And his absence had learned,
For the truant they set off In quest;
But no Dick could they find,
And in great grief Of mind
They were forced to return to the nest.
Dick spent all that night
In pitlful plight
He was frightened half out OF his wits;
Cats were prowling around,
And at every sound
He shlvered as II he had fits
Then, to add to his woes,
A wild storm arose,
And down came the pltiless rain;
He was wet to the skin,
For his feathers were thin;
He was sick with cold. hunger and pain.
Poor little Dick Sparrow,
In penitent sorrow,
Deep remorse and repentance keen,
Then humbly confessed:
"Ah, mother knows best,
What q naughty young bird have been
Report said he died,
But next day espied
Two birds, who were kissing each other;
drew near to see,
II indeed 1t could be,
And surely II was Dick and his mother.
Nina Flassendale, In Leeds Mercury.