The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-06-07
DEATH OF THE BOBOLINKS.

In the window of dingy little bird
store big wire cage swung to and fro
in the sunlight. Outside, in the busy
world, the streets were covered with
snow; but, up above. the sky was
bright and clear and blue, and the sun
shone merrily on the snowy roofs.
aWhat big world it is" sighed
white-throated bobolink, hopping on
the highest perch of her cage and
looking down on her mate with
shadow of discomfort in her eyes.
"Our world?" he asked, "or," nod
ding his head in the direction of the
snow-covered street, "theirsP"
"Theirs," she sighed-"our world is
small, very small"
"And yet we should be content" he
reioined. "We have all we need; we
have food enough and warm house,
and I am sure no one has yet ill-treated
u.s."
@Yes, yes-I know all that is true.
But there is something more-some-
thing above and beyond mere exist
ence. Have you never thought OF
libertyp Have you never dreamed of
flowers and green fields, and heard in
your sleep the music of the singing
brooksP Oh, my life, let US go to the
far away waters-let us live in the
shadow of the green leaves"
There was mist in the bobo1ink
husbands eyes when he replied and
his voice had new and plaintive
note.
DO not grieve for the impossible"
he said. "Even if we were free, what
would our liberty avail usP Where
are the running brooks, and the flow
ers and the green leaves, when the
earth is under the snowp"
"Ah my life, have thought of that.
But many time, as child, have
listened to my mother tell of the warm
land that lies to the south-a land so
close to the snow zone that the brave
heart and hardy wing could reach it
between the sunrise and the sunset"
81, too," he said, musingly, shave
heard of the warm land"
"And shall we go thereg"
"Yes, my heart"
sThen listen. This morning the
master will be away and the boy will
give us our food. He is careless and
will leave the door open. If we fly out
and perch on that high shelf yonder,
he will not be alarmed, because we
have often done that before. Instead
of returning to the cage. however, we
will watch our opportunity. and when
a customer comes in we will dart
through the big door. Once outside,
we will speed away to the Southland
and leave our prison behind US for
ever. Shall we goP"
Eyes" he said, "we will 60"
After while Jack, the boy, who
had been out with a canary for a So
ciety girl with voice as sweet as the
note of the bird itself, came in, whist
ling and rubbing his ears.
The master had been waiting for
him so he could go out. 81 will be
gone an hour" he said, and the boy
threw off his coat, and taking box
of seed he went over to the bobolinks'
cage.
"What pair of beauties you are, !"
he said. you're not so bright as the
canaries and not as gay as the parrots,
but like you just the same; and some
day, when can raise the money, I'm
going to buy you and see whether you
can't brighten up that little room OF
ours at home"
The bobolinks chirped and looked at
each other with glance full of mean
ing. Had the boy noticed it he might
have stayed his hand. But he didn't.
The bobolinks were old friends. They
were often given the freedom of the
store and had never abused their lib
erty. Why should they now?
So when opening the door OF the
cage to reach the lavatory, the boy
went away to get some fresh, pure
water, the whirring of wings did not
make him turn around. He was used
to it. He even smiled little to him.
self, and dreamed half-defined dream
of building sometime and some place
cage as big as room, where these
pet bobolinks and other pet bobolinks
without number might fly all day, and
all night if they willed, and coax the
sunshine into the eyes of his poor,
heart-sick mother.
Up to the highest shelf the two bob
| olinks ~few-up above the monkeys
and cockatoos- -and looked down will
mingled fear and expectation in theil
| hearts.
What if, after all, the boy should
suspect their designP What if the
master should return before they
could fly away into the great worlo
outsideP
The husband bird seemed to los,
heart, but his mate reassured him.
Courage" she said; shave courage
In few moments at most we will b.
free"
The boy returned the lavatory tt
the cage, but scarcely glanced at th'
trem bling bobolinks.
"They will come down when they
are ready" he murmured; and thel
he went to the other end of the stor
to look after the parrots.
Presently short, red-faced maj
came in. Before the bobolinks coul,
move he had slammed the door.
The hearts of the bobolinks sank.
"Let us not lose courage" said tn
husband bird.
The voice of his white-thro" ted mat
interrupted him.
"See, see! she cried; "the door
not closed"
He looked, and his heart gave
great leap. The customer had slam
med the door too hard. 1t had swun
back again, and the great world la
before them.
They did not tarry; with las
glance at the dingy store that had bee
: their home so long they spread thei
wings and darted through the ope
! doorway.
. For a moment their eyes, accu'
toned to the gloom of the n1usty shol
8 grew dim in the dazzling sunligh
Then, as they saw above them the blu
sky and heard the twitter of the snow
bird in the caves, they rose~ high
the air, and circling around, droppe
, down on the roof of the post office.
"Are you weary?" asked the bob
link husband softly.
"Not very" she answered, with
little droop of her head. The exc