The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-16
THE LITTLE GRAY BIRD.

Ll44L UNA olhOs
The little boy, just in from school, was
complaining to Aunt Matilda of being COM
PEELED to do just as the teacher said, never,
he declared. being permitted to do as he
wished. The old woman paused for a mo-
ment in her work, and then said: "Spose,
chile. dat yo' was slave like de leetle
gray bird dat has in mind; what would
yo' do DEM"
The little boy said he had never heard Of
the little gray bird. well knowing that the
old woman would promptly tell him all
about 1T. dat is, chile" she explained,
'Tll tell yo' it as Mr.. Wizzle Wuzzle done
tole 1t to me. Mr.. Wizzle Wuzzle say dat
long time ago de law 'mong de birds was
CAT de one dat couldn't sing had to be a
slave. De leetle gray bird was one OBJ dem
dat couldn't sing, havin no mo- voice,
honey, den ole Miss Postum, cause he was
tongue-tied So ii was dat he come to be
de slave of Mr.. Sparrow. 1t was a scan'lous
shame for to make him a slave, for dere
was no better bred bird flynn den de
leetle gray bird, but, he couldn't sing.
why, dere wasn't nothin' else for him to do.
Sc it was dat he had to help Mr. Sparrow
water from de spring. nus de chiTren,
build de fire an do de cookin', an
why Aunt Matilda interrupted the
little boy, you surely don't mean to say
that the birds had fires and cooked their
food"
Nov, chile" the old woman explained,
Use tellin' dis story as Mr.. Wizzle Wuzzle
done tole It to me. He say dat de leetls
gray bird had to build de fire an do de
cookin', an isn't de one dat gwine to say
to de contrarywise. Howsomever, vile de
leetle gray bird was workin' hard, doin'
dis and doin dat all de day long, his mars
ter, Mr.. Sparrow, set hisself up on de lin
of tree an sing an sing. Course. while
de leetle gray bird be a slave, he got
soul am understandin', an as he work
all de day long, he lissen an lissen to de
song Mr.. Sparrow sing, It'll by an by he
git de whole of it in his head. An den,
when dere wasn't nobody bout, he try TO
sing hisself But he still tongue-tied, an
not a note could de pore leetle fellow make.
So he cry hisself sick. an say: o, If my
tongue was only ontied.'
"And did the little gray birds tongue
ever get united, Aunt Matilda?" asked the
little boy.
ST hasn't got to dat yit, chile" she re-
piled, but knows dat one day when Mrs.
Sparrow was wishin' for a big fat worm
for one of de chil'ren dat was ailin', Mr..
Robin came long wild one, an Mr.. Sparrow
sell de leetle gray bird to Mr.. Robin for it.
Mr.. Robin carry de leetle gray bird home
wild him an sot him to work jes as hard
as he was 'bliged to do at Mr.. Sparrow's
house. Jes like Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Robin
would sot hisself up on de linn of a tree
an sing an sing, while he look on De
pore leetle gray bird lissen to de song Mr..
Robin sing til he git dat song all in his
head"
But Mr.. Robin" continued the old
woman, didn't keep de leetle gray bird
long, for de doctor havin' purscribed a
bunch of cherries for Mrs. Robin, who at
dat time wasn't in de best of health, Mr.
Robin sell him to Mr.. Lark. who happened
long wild a bunch of 'em ies' den. With
Mr.. Lark it was de same ting so far as de
leetle gray bird was consarned till one day.
when Mrs. Lark allowed dat she jes' he'd
to have a hoppergrass for dinner, Mr.
Lark see Mr.. Catbird wild one, an he sell
de leetle gray bird to Mr. Catbird for It,
d
he sell him to Mr.. Whipperwill, an Mr..
whipperwill he sell him to Mr.. Woodpeck-
er, an he keep on bein' sold till at las
Mr.. sparrowhawk buy him.
"Now, Mr.. Sparrowhawk." explained
Aunt Matilde, twas mighty hard marster
so Mr.. Wizzle Wuzzle tells me, wild a
mighty sharp tongue an mighty sharper
bill an claws. an he make de life of de
pore leetle fellow berry miserbul. He work
him early an he work him late, till de
pore leetle gray bird wish an wish he dead.
But he work an work, tryin' all de time,
when he git de chance to try de songs his
marsters done sung. But he still tongue
tied, an do he know 'em all by heart, he
couldn't for de life Of him git note out
Howsomever, one night Mr.. Sparrowhavk
come home In a terribul temper an nuthin'
didn't suit him. do de leetle gray bird try
his bes' to please him. But Mr.. Sparrow
hawk git madden an madden at him, till at
las he jes' pitch right into him an peck
an claw him like he gwine to kill him. De
leetle gray bird open his mouth to beg for
mercy, an Mr.. Sparrowhawk. in peckin' at
him. done bite de pore leetle fellow tongue
so dat he nearly split it open. an de pore
leetle gray bird drap down for dead.
'.But he wasn't KIT, chile" hastily ex-
planned the old woman. as she noticed the
panied look of the little boy. .Leastwise,
Mr. wizzlc wuzzle allow dat he wasn't.
an Mr.. Wizzle Wuzzle know what he talk
bout. But Mr.. sparrowhawk think he
done kilt him. an on he ny. BY an by
de leetle gray bird come to. an a~seein'
dat his mouth was all a-bleedin' he hop
down to d Gprtng 20 wash II ont. he Dip