The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-11-19
NAUGHTY DICK.

Ihat wed certainly stay In the nest
While she Is away;
So do not pray
Disobey 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 see;
Such counsel Is good
For feeble young brood, ~
Built can't be Intended for me.'e
"Why, yonder's Tom Tit!
Hi there, stop bit,
With you in that garden I'll roam.
Ia, ia, little dears,
Youneed have no fears,
I'll be back before mother comes home"
Giving one or two springs,
And fluttering mis- wings,
Down he spun like wild shuttlecocki
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 own;
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 will
He spent some gay hours
Among the sweet flowers,
Oflibertv taking his I'LL
Then he rested awhile
| In luxurious style
On a couch of the softest green mosA
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 old;
There's nothing like pluck.
And trying ones luck,
| Oh, It's fine to be daring and bold"
Then he fell fast asleep
Till 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 wendell his way
Through the twilight gray,
To the place where ne first had allghted.
Twas not easy to find,
1t had slipped from his minds
n And soon master Dick was 09nighted.
" c'A -.l..>
He ran here and there,
And oft had his steps to retrace;
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 homo he had spurned.
He flew up once or twice,
But fell down in trce,
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.
(To every child
Who Is willful and wild,
This story lesson should teach)
J W hen 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 giief of mind
They were forced to return to the nest.
Dick spent all that night
In ptiful plight
He was frightened half out Of his wits,
, Cats were prowllng around,
And at every sound
He shvered as II he had fits
> Then, to add to his woes,
1 | A wild storm arose,
, And down came the pltiless rain;
He was wet to the skin,
For his feathers were thin;
l 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 naughty young bird have beef
Report said he died,
But next day espied
Two birds, who were kissing each other
:. drew near to see.
0 If indeed it could be,
4 And surely 1t was Dick and his mother.
Nina Flassendale, in Leeds Mercury