Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-04
PROTEST. AGAINST PIGEON SHOOTS.
woman Writes Indignantly of the
Sunday prmctIcc Mt the Pnrl.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Jan. 3.-To the Editor
Of The Bee: If l were man would prob
ably have a charge of disturbing the peace
lodged against me, but l am only woman
and unable to get into action the indigna-
tion that has been swelling my heart all
afternoon. But | never wanted to be a
man so bad in all my life, a great big man
with the strength and skill of Corbett II
| had been such man for few minutes
this afternoon several gentlemen of Council
Bluffs and Omaha would have had occasion
to recollect this cold and stormy Sabbath
day. | have two children a girl and boy
The boy is and the girl is years old
When the snow came today they were wild
with delight. They pleaded to he permitted
to get out their sleds and coast on the
hillsides, and | compromised with them by
consenting to take them out driving in the
cutter. We drove down Broadway and over
the big bridge into Omaha. Returning
we watched the snow being whirled and
driven by the winds across the river While
passing the east end of the bridge we heard
the banging of guns. The sound was borne
down by the north winds and came sc
sharply that our horse was frightened, and
III he had not been Il good, honest animal
he would have ran away and perhaps in
jured us. We drove on a little further and
two shots came almost simultaneously. We
all looked in that direction and saw two
pigeons in the air. One was falling to
the earth straight downward, its white
feathers mingling with the flying snow.
The other came directly toward us, carried
by the wind. 1t fell with great force in
our laps. Its white plumage was covered
with blood, and its blood flowed out and
stained the snow that covered our warm
lap robes. The expression of fright and
anguish in the eyes of the poor bird was al
most human.
hny e
pet pigeon, and those men have shot it,"
The blue eyes of the boy were filled with
tears and the little heart was swelling with
Indignation. The little girl shrunk closer to
me weeping. 20, mamma, darling, how can
those men be so wicked and cruel? Why
did they kill that innocent little brd?'
II know" said the boy, as he arose in the
sleigh and threw aside the robes. ITS a
lot of men over there and they're having a
pigeon shoot They hire wicked boys to
steal the pigeons and then keep them in a
box until they get ready to throw them into
the air and shoot them"
While he was speaking the guns were
ared again and we saw two more innocent
birds slaughtered. Our horse seemed to be
sharing our indignation and he quickly took
us away from the vicinity Of the slaughter
nen.
The little boy tenderly held the wounded
bird in his hands while the little girl 81
lently stroked its blood-stained plumage 1t
nestled down In his mittened hands. The
look OF fright was gone from its eyes but
the expression OF terrible pain was ntensi-
fed. When we examined II at home we
found that one little leg had been shot away
and the other was broken at the thigh, and
there were other shot wounds in its body,
The children insisted on calling In our fam
lily physician and he has done what he could
to save the life OF the little bird.
| have learned that these pigeon shoots
are held every Sunday afternoon and that
several hundred birds are slaughtered each
time In violation of the laws of the state
as well as the laws of God and humanity.
learn, too. that not more than per cent
OF the little captives get away without being
killed or wounded. The few meet a mercful
death. but the many escape desperately
wounded to perish in prolonged agony.
Where are the officers OF the Humane socl-
ETY. and what are the poles doing that they
will not stop men who resort to such bloody
cruelties and call II sport?
AS write my little girl returns from min
isterlng TO the wounded bird. Her eyes are
swimming in tears as she asks In tone that
has almost menaca in 1t: Mamma. can't
men find some other way to try and be
happy on Sunday without killing little birds
just for the fun OF 1t? Won't God punish
those men for numbering the innocen. little
birds?" A COUNCIL BLUFFS MOTHER.