St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-29
A FIRST EXPERIENCE.

the world, and knows none on whom to lay
the blame She sought mission, new
sphere of action for the benefs Of her fellow
! creatures.
! Suddenly, before she had sufficiently
it came, flood of sweet song seemed to
soothe her rufiied feelings. a ark, .mpris-
oned IN a narrow cage, poured ioEth 10 the
| needless world outside its soul Of 1aslody
through hard bars OF wire.
| The sense of relief which had stolen over
The girl gave place to one of anger, com
hiued with some odd satisfaction Here at
last was an opportunity TO do good, even if it
were but obtaining the freedom of one E5cl, 5,
hopeless lark. And who more suited to the
task than she, the president, self-co1sti-
tuted only three days since, of the II
| Society for the Promotion of Christian Char
lty Toward Animals? The song that llcd
soothed her unawares now made her socl
burn within her. Crossing the road wiiaa &c.
| eided step, she entered little shop, over the
| door of which the bird sang On. Il was d
eobblers workshop, she found, scattered as
| such placesare with implements of the trade,
and pervaded with the pleasant smell Of
| leather a little, bent old man, with large
spectacles on his wrinkled nose, and deft
| lean fingers chat moved nimbls over the
rough leather, pat aside his work and shut
| fed forward TO the counter. He moved
slowly and with difficulty, for his old limbs
were getting past their work Pleasantly,
but rather curiously, he hade her Good
| day." scarce hoping for work in his POOR
shop from so smart and nicely dressed a
| lady. Evelyn felt somewhat uneasy at the
old mans harmless ASPECT
This bird, F" she began, rather timidly; "is
ii yours?"
The cobbler looked at the cage with visible
| pride
Yes, yes, miss, my bird sure enough; and
| a fine bird, too; not better bird in aIl NJ,
| miss He ribbed his hands and smiled
| genially. Evelyn was siient as he continued,
half to himself, as old men do:
-Four years it is I've had him; four years,
| and scarce day off his song 1t was my
| boys, my Dicks youngest that's gone for a
sailor; il seems only yesterday he came in
just as it might have been you, miss, to-day,
with the bird in his hand, and says he--
But beggin' your pardon; you was say
ing"
What will yon take for the bird ?" she
| asked, not feeling quite SO sure of her cause,
now she had actually plunged into the bat
tie.
Wouldn't sell him, miss; wouldn't take
sovereign for him, not if was starving"
Evelyn took out her purse and counted it's
ccntentsr-two and seyenpence halfrenny.
She drew out two shIliings, saving in firm
and superior tones; Two shillings; not a
penny more.
The old man looked at her kindly, and ex-
planned gently, as if to child tit was really
very irritating}:
mo, miss, don't want to sell him was
sayin', you see, it was my lad gave me the
little bird before he went to sea. No, I'm
not Likely to part with him for that, dearie, :"
indicating the coin with smiling contempt.
.Ay, and him all the chick or child I've got
left since Dick died. minds me O my
lad when ! hear him sing SO bright; often
when I'm feeling lonesome and iowspirited
he'll chime in so CHEEKY, and SET 1ne tninkin'
how my boys ccmiD' soon-eh, dear eh,
deari No, you can't have him; but never
mind, never mind" He nodded kindly, as
if 10 comfort her in her disappointment.
Evelyn's patience could stand it no longer.
do you suppose want to keep the poor
bird?" she broke forth. 4 want to buy it to
give it back its liberty, to let it be free in the
fields and the blue sky. Surely you know how
very very cruel it is to conhne a creature
made TO soar and sing at the very gates of
Heaven IN a narrow cage with scarce room
to turnP'
This was delivered fuently, being a YER
batim quotation from her speech at the
opening meeting of the aforementioned
society.
Poor, miserable bird" she concluded,
apostrophizing the unconscious lark.
The cobbler, simple soul. was good deal
taken aback at this convincing TRADE. He
attempted defense, however:
May he's not misarable-hear to him
sing Would he sing like that il he weren't
happy"
Eyes, cried Evelyn, "he sings because he
longs to be free. That is the song of despair,
and not of JOY"
The old fellows face fell. Her eloquence
half convinced him. Evelyn felt rather
heated, and wanted, she didn't know why,
to get out Of the shop.
saCome," she said, again profering coin,
two and SIX, aud far more taan the wretch
ed bird is worth
Nay" he said, sadly, 'I'm not going to
sell him. He's like an old friend to me, and
be loves me too, that he does
Keep your bird, then, cried the angry
reformer. Keep it, and let it die in its mis-
erable prison. Some day you win perhaps
repent your wanton cruelty With which
grandilouuent threat she departed, with
rather more haste than dignity.
That night, getting into bed, Evelyn came
to the conclusion that she had made rather
a poor show.
She had also lurking idea that her motive
had not been quite so much the cause of
righteousness as the pleasure OF reporting
progress to her new society. Her passionate
words kept recurring to her mind as she lay
sleepless half through the night. She won
dered if little birds had their duty to do, as
she had; whether, perhaps, in giving pleas
nre to a lonely old mans declining days, he
lark might not be unconsciously doing its
great Makers bidding in the place for which
He intended it. She was, she decided, over
young to Judge SO hastily And, being a
thoughtful and conscientious girl, she brave
" resolved to go the next morning, humble
her pride to the dust, and own herself in
the wrong.
About nine o'clock the next morning,
walking with rather red face up the mar
row street, she perceived the old fellow
standing at his door with the empty cage iD
his hand; be was gazing toward The sky,
and she saw tear trickle down his
wrinkled cheek He turned az she ap-
preached, and smiled mournfnlly in answer
to her inquiring glance.
tfAFavhe yo1i was right miss . he said.