The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-03-23

mother to church in the village at the
road.
But she is not lonely. She does what !
ever a little girl can doto help her mo-
Their, and the rest of the time she plays
in the woods or by the brook. The
woods are full Of birds. All the long
summer they fit among the green
branches-bright little spots of color
red, yellow, blue, gray and brown. They
make love to each other, quarrel and
fight, and make up; they build their
nests, some in crotches where two
branches meet, some hanging from the
tip ends Of the slenderest twigs, some in
hollow trees, and some on the ground;
they lay their Eggs and hatch their
young ones and teach them to fly and
get their W living, and all day and
every day they fill the air with the
sweetest music.
1t is like being at a concert all the
time to live in the brown rm-house.
Even in the inter the snowbirds are |
there, and often a robin is tempted to |
stay by the crumbs Fannie always scat
ters for them.
Fannie loves the birds. She knows
them all and they do not seem afraid Of
her. Many Of them will eat out of her
hand, and it is a pretty sight to see the
little girl sitting on a messy log with a
dozen different kind OF birds picking up
crumbs around her and two or three
holder ones hopping into her lap or OF
her shoulders.
That mossy seat is Fannie's favorite
resort and her mother always looks
there for her. One day she was very
much surprised to find Fannie there
crying bitterly. "Why, Fannie, what is
the matter?" she asked anxiously, but
the poor child could only sob out, as
she put a paper in her hand, "Oh, NAM
ma, read that" The paragraph she
pointed out was the following:
I'm Louisville l saw in an apple or
chard a man catching the southern red
birds in a trap. He skinned them alive
before my eyes. He was paid fifty cents
eacn for their skins. Every redbird l
have seen since in milliners' shops, or in
street or church, has recalled to me
that blear-eyed man, bloody.handed,
amid the sweet fragrance and song of
that peaceful orchard. 100000 skins of
this species alone have been used on
bonnets this fall. = Is gentle
womsnhood inherently cruel, OF only
thoughtlessly 500"
"Oh, mamma" said Fannie, lifting up
her tear stained face. my brides
how wicked"
ayes, darling" said her mother, "the
fashion Of wearing bird skins 49, a very
cruel one, and at the present rate of
slaughter there would be comparatively
few left in ten years; but do not cry 80.
I am sure when people come to think
about it they will stop it. I was reading
to-day that Lady Mount Temple, a great
London lady, has started an anti-plum.
age society. This is a good beginning,
and I hope the time will soon come when
your feathered friends will lie SAFE"
With such hopeful words the wise
mother comforted Fannie.
Il wish I could help her mamma"
Fannie said as they ven back to the
house.
"There is one way you can help her,
you know, DEAR" answered her mother,
| and if
she prayeth best
Who loveth best
All things, both great and SMALL
l think the prayer which Fannie said
each night and morning after that must
have brought a blessing to the noble
London lady.
Have you ever noticed that when pep
pie pray earnestly about any such thing
God generally gives them a chance to
help in some other way? Fannie's
chance came just a week after that. 1t
was her birthday, and when her father
came from the village he brought a
small box directed to Miss Fannie
Hedges. Inside the box was a card with
the words, "A birthday gift from Cousin
Lucy" And what do you think the
gift was? just the prettiest gray plush
hat Fannie had ever seen, butt was
trimmed with two bright redbird skins.
Just a few moments Fannie's beauty.
loving eyes Toasted On it, and then she
SAID soberly: "Oh, mamma, l can never
wear it. Two poor little brides skinned
alive"
Her father was inclined t laugh at
her, but she persisted and this is part OF
the letter she sent to her cousin:
"DEAR Lucy: The hat came on my
birthday, and it is the prettiest one l
ever saw, and I thank you ever and ever
sc much; but you wont be vexed, will
you, II / take off the pretty bird skins?