The Yale expositor., 1897-04-30


Mamma. mamma, there will be
nestlings now, and the old birds will
teach them to fly. l have longGd to
see 1t all my life, but l could not go to
them, you know, and SO they have
come to me-"
The mother noted the faint tinge on
the cheek. the bright look in the eye.
and blessed the robins in her heart.
Yes. they have come to you. my
bird-like TO like-and you shall see
them fly"
But birdlings do not grow In a day
and the child watched from the great
wheel-chair with patience born OF suf-
fering, and a life OF pain-watched un-
I'll five round eggs lay in the nest
tinted with heavens own blue.
At last-oh. the JOY of it!-the blue
shells broke. and five strange, soft
things, with great eyes and yellow
bills. nestled under the mother-wings
nestled and cuddled until the wings
would hardly cover them, and the nest
seemed all too small. The brown
mothers heart was bursting with Joy
so, for that matter. was the faith
er's-but she kept her love to herself
and 1t warmed the birdlings. while his
ran over in one continual song from
the top of the tree. The little girl
looked like guardian spirit from
above.
my birds. my blrdsw she whisper
ed. over her clasped hands; my very,
very ownv'
The color that had come with the
robins slowly faded from cheek and
eye-as the, birdlings in the nest grew
stronger, the one. in the old house
grew weaker. and still the days went
by. The father-robin sobered down
with five wide mouths to feed, the
mother had to stretch her wings a lit
tie further every night to keep the
.nestlings in. The apple buds had long
since swelled into blossoms, the bios
SONS had flown off on the wind in
scented showers. leaving the small.
green balls that were to be apples In
the far-off fall. and the leaves had
turned TO a darker hue. The little girl
rested on pillows now, in the wheel
chair; her mother lifted her when she
looked down into the nest.
Mamma, how long will it be before
the robins fly?" she asked.
The mother laid her head by the one
on the pillow, and the child caught
only the whisper that was not meant
for her: "Oh, my love, my lover
At last the wheel-chair stood alone
| by the window. The little girl lay
very still within the curtained bed.
IL must not miss It," she whispered,
morning and night. you will watch,
mamma, dear, will you not, and wake
me-when-the birdlings-ny?"
The answer was always the same; 81
am watching, l am watching! Lie
still for a while and restv
The times for resting grew longer
and the times for waking short.
The sun, sending his last shafts OF
light through the leaves one late af-
ternoon, touched the eyes SO often
closed, and they opened at his kiss.
"Is ii sunset" she asked. Take me
up. mamma. l have not said good
night to the robins in so very long"
Tenderly the mother lifted her, while
the sweet breath of the meadow came
up on the breeze, and the leaves were
quivering In the golden light The
breasted robin was winging his
way home; the brown mother was
grooming a slumber song to her nest.
The child stretched out her hands. the
radiance clarifying face and hair.
Goodnight, goodnight. my birdlings'
Mamma. see how the sun goes down.
Twill be so beautiful--to-morrow--I
think they will not stay The head
dropped YEARLY on the pillow that
night. "You will wake me-so early
mamma, dear!''
The stars shone and paled, the gray
light stole slowly back again, and the
faint. faint blue to the sky. And In
the early morning One, long-awaited
came, and two went out into the sun.
rise. into the hush OF the sweet young