The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-20
The Birds and the Ivy.

the walls OF the ola cnuKcn some very
sweet songsters had built their nests and
they had very gay times listening to the
gay talk OF the passers by. Though no.
body had ever noted the fact those birds
have very neat memories.
Many an interesting chat did they en-
icy and many pert comment did they
pass, not only on the gossipers OF the
village, who stood around the church yard
OF SUNDAY, but on the figures of the
bellies and beaux. At the time the birds
lived there nearly every ono went to
church, not only on Sundays. but to
morning mass, and many q brave lad
VINO went to fight on the great battle
fields OF Europe In that delusive but
magnificent contest, that the greatest OF
modern soldiers led, asked q blessing at
the church. 1t had been the first place he
they went for what proved very often
their last journey together.
To the benches that the simple minded
rulers of the village had built I'm the yard
around the church came many a one of
an evening to rest and on very pleasant
afternoons in the week might be seen
there old ladies with their sweet-faced
grandchildren.
Though very Jolly at times, the birds
were very reverent creatures. They loved
to listen to the voice OF the priest as he
intoned the solemn chant OF the requiem
or sang the Gloria Mt Christmas and at
Easter. Tho sweetest things to them,
however, were tho prayers OF the old and
of the psnitents. They had noticed that
though the voices OF the children singing
their communion hymns made their own
throats break into song that music
sweeter than theirs was heard when the
angels of the sanctuary repeated the
broken sobs OF the old soldier OIL the sad
voiced offerings of one TO whom grace
came from God when she was deemed
but an outcast by men.
One day, in ISL, there was great
commotion in the village, for the orders
had come from the Emperor that more OF
the flower Of its manhood was needed TO
do battle for France. Many of the youths
prepared TO go away TO the war. One or
two were to return perhaps with the
cross Of honor; more TO find death under
the symbol OF their country on distant
field; and others, for such Is The effect of
war, to forget all the quiet beauty of
honest hearts and to lose Tor their coun-
try not their lives, but their mapliness.
The birds in their ivy home had heard
of war, for the talk OF the villagers had
been ever o. it during the long summer
evenings, and some times when before
the Sunday service they heard men talk
of death on the battlefields they almost
forgot to sing, There was touch of
requiem when their notes joined with
the pleasant voiced children on the SUI
day after the great conqueror's order.
Among the msiaens OF the village was
one whose devotion to one of those called
on TO leave to take part in the great con.
tests OF the hour was well known TO the
tenants of the OUTSIDE wall OF the church.
She was the best loved OF their friends,
and their greeting TO her was scarcely
less warm than that whica they gave the
old rector.
In their own way they had cbatted
over the matter of this devotion OF their
friend and while they knew the sad part
notes nor softer strains than when these
two met for the last time in the church
yard.
The birds left the churchyard to see the
brave hearted leave the village, and they
knew the soldiers were too proud to show
sorrow or recall other claims, as they
cheered for glory and France. They
LATE ba rhn do hy dau fn hp
prayers that wete sent up for the absent
ones, and they wished, oh, so earnestly,
that they could hold the angel that float
ed by them once in while, until be
promised that the absent should be
brought back.
One day the dead body Of one OF the
songsters was found In the churchysrd,
and the others said that it few at an
angels ear to beg more closely for the
granting OF the prayer of the fair girl in
the church below. All its little life was
thrown into the effort; but it did not
strike the angel, only the hard wall.
Many Sundays after the soldiers had
gone so bravely away the people shook
their heads sadly and the pastor tried TO
speak words of consolation, but they were
hushed by his own feelings and by the
wall OF his people. Moscow had been
burnt and soldiers of France had starved
to death far away from the birds and tho
ivy that clustered around the cuhrch.
Then a pa,e.fsced nurse tended at the
home that had been built for the un 'ortu-
nate insane, and one day bit OF ivy was
found growing near the house. X seemed
to grow wonderfully fast, and soon the
birds came to build their homes amidst
its branches and their song was sweet 10
hear.
The people in the church, though, az
they went to service, missed the respon-
ses made by the fair outsiders, and 1t was
soon found that they never returned TO