The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-07-28


 placed in the first division of the first class of mathematical "tripos." and then the examiner made the further an- nouncement that Miss Johnson had se- cured the high and honorable position. Consequently there was great rejoicing In Newnham's halls. and the girls. the fair mathematicians and all. danced for Joy.
 Newnham girls also won high honors In the modern languages. and one Of them. Miss Purdie. has distinguished herself as n classical student. standing In the first rank and also gaining mark Of distinction in philology. In healthy competition with Girton. the other great English college for women. Newnham educates a large number Of students. exercising permanent and happy influence upon them, and through them upon the standard of woman's education throughout the country.
 MERRY SINGER.
 There was a pretty story of a mock Ing bird In one of the papers few days ago: little gray-plumaged. sweet voiced creature that held a crowd of de- lighted people in silence while they list ened to It's marvellous notes. It initiated other birds,an then In pure drollery. as 1t seemed. 1t parked and mewed. and mocked the splash of the waves upon the beach, and the rumble and chatter of the electric car. It's repertoire may be imagined. by anyone who has had the pleasure of an acquaintance with the wild birds of our southern states. or even with captive songster whose lit- tie life has ben spent in cage. and who knows not the delights of flight in God-appointed freedom.
 After expatiating upon the wonder full initiative powers of the bird. and the enjoyment of those who listened. the writer goes on to say. An effort will be made to capture 1t. as such birds sing just as sweetly. almost, when caged, as when enjoying the freedom of the air"
 This Is where certain readers simply "boiled over" with righteous indigna- tion. and this Is where the writer of the account missed a good point in not going on to condemn unsparingly all who would agree to, or take part in, such an effort" The bird was believed to have g. nest near the place where it was first heard singing, from which it flew on the approach of some mis- chievous boys who were bent on its cap- ture, and toward which 1t returned after 1t had charmed another audience with the witchery of its varied notes.
 And yet 1t must be caught and caged to beat out its life against prison bars unless it was killed in the catchingI
 There seems to be taint of barbarity In most human, creatures-not in all, thank Heaven! for which it is difficult to account. and of which we ought to be heartily ashamed. Does beautiful or rare wild bird appear in any unex- pected spot, there is always a gun raised to kill or maim 1t, or snare set for its capture. That it is happy and joyous in the freedom that is it's own by a natural right is of no consequence to the brute with the gun or the trap. He does not ne9d. its flesh for food or it's plumage for clothing or ornament it is only that he indulges in a reckless passion for killing or capturing that sinks him below the level of the animal or the savage who kills for need and not for the mere pleasure of slaughter. The lesson of mercy has not yet been learned, though there are innumerable attempts made to teach it. Shall We ever make it our own? As for the idea that wild birds will sing just as sweetly, almost" when in captivity as in freedom, that is great mistake. The bird must be born in a cage or placed in 1t in his early infancy. A bird hardly strong enough to fly will often die of broken heart when made captive. That wild, anguished look of bird when it finds itself a prisoner that frenzied dash at the restraining bars-who that has ever seen this can forget 1t? .t l The mocking bird who sings just as sweetly or almost as sweetly in a cage as he might if he were pouring out his little soul in perfect rapture of melody under the soft brightness of the south ern moon, is one that was captured in his babyhood, not when lin the zenith of his musical power" He was labori. ously brought up by hand, fed upon a carefully prepared diet and given water forty times day from teaspoon. He has even had his feet bathed for him and his feathers dusted. The polka dotted bib worn by the baby bird has been discarded for vest of dull gray and he has made many tentative efforts before he dared burst forth in song. He has tried; to be content in his prison was a caged bird ever content?-and he has taken only short flights about tht room, to the discomfiture of flies. H. has exercised his gay buffoonery at o'clock in the morning when all the res of the household would fain be spared his trills and cries, his squeaks ant barkings, in short, he has done his bes in that station to which man has seer fit to call him, but he has never knowl the delights of the upper air and of thu soaring wing.
 What became of the West Havel mocking bird we do not know. Let u hope, for the credit of human nature that he is still rejoicing in his freedom still charming his audiences with lav ish outpouring of song.
 HILARY. l --t