The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1899-08-05

thing to cultivate the predisposition to
destructiveness which Is too largely de-
veloped in all children; moreover, I
would be placing in hispossession q gift
from which he could not derive one ra-
tional enjoyment. The custom of put.
ting toy pistols in the hands Of young
children is very reprehensible one;
they will learn how to shoot soon enough
without such early instruction; the
young mind is very impossible and Is
much more liable to imbibe wrong than
right ideas. The great majority of read
ers will be astonished when informed
that Of the twenty-seven cases Of lock
jaw that recently developed in New
York in three days, twenty.six Of them
were traced to the work Of the toy pis-
toll used in the celebration Of the 4th Of
July; what agonizing suffering and fear
full loss of life do we behold herel
There Ia no attraction that 30 delights
distant visiting strangers as the sing
ing of uncaged mocking-birds. It is q
pleasure they do not weary of comment
ing upon after their return to their far
away homes. remember how years ago
in far Western state l lay by the hour
before the rising Of the sun listening to
one Of these little songsters which regu.
larry perched upon the chimney only q
few feet from my bed. concealed from
view by nothing except the unceiled
single roof; there 1t would sit and send
forth variations of sweet and harmoni-
GUS sounds that would have delighted
the most cultured ear. 1t sang as II 1t
was aware that 1t had an interested lis
teDer. and II 1t was trying to excel all
Of its competitors. After many NOR.
nings of listening I began to regard that
bird as q companion, and retired at
night INDUCING the pleasing prospect Of
being again serenaded In the early hours
Of morn by that wonderful little song
ster. recollect how / tried to count
the distinct notes that came from its
tireless throat; on one occasion l coun-
ted as many as thirty two, but its vocal
powers interested and astonished me to
such an extent my attention was dis
tracted from the undertaking. am 60
ing to talk for while to the boys Of St.
Martinville. When l was In practice. 1
imagined that could gain your atten-
ton. In behalf Of the mOcking birds l
will suppose that each one Of you has a
pet bird whose singing delights the
household. but by accident 1t encapes
from the cage and while soaring around
and singing in apparent enjoyment of
its freedom, some boy comes along with
his devilish toy gun and shoots it dow n
never to rise again. What would you
think Of that boyp Would you not be-
lieve him 10 be cruel, heartless rascal
too mean to livep Life to that pet bird
Is no desrer than that Of the wild one;
In fact, it is not 80 valuable, for the
Gagged bird gives pleasure only to q few
and Is deprived Of its liberty. while the
wild one gives pleasure to many and en-
joys freedom. A few-days-ago read 10
q paper printed FIVE years ago tho fol.
lowing letter to Santa Claus:
"Doar SANITY Clauwa. !.
What we wants is two Winchester RI
fles and six self-cock-in pistols as We leve
to 1T injuns at once.
Yours lovingly.
JIMMIE and BABBIE."
You will notice that those little boys
did not ask for rifles and pistols to shoot
mocking-birds. pigs and chickens. Are
you aware that there is q doctrine known
as the "Transmigration Of Souls"p this
teaches that when one dies the soul of
that person enters the body of some ami
NAL or bird that most nearly resembles
the character and disposition of the dead
person; for instance. when quiet, inno-
cent and timid woman dies her soul en-.
ters the body Of q dove; when q fidgety,
nervous. noisy woman departs this life
her soul goes into . wren; the soul Of
one who entrances and holds people SPELL
bound by sweetness and beauty of song