Evening star., 1903-08-01
The Story of q Bird.

Near the seaside home Of a city gentle
man stands a moldering post. on the top
OF which a poor old lamp used to sit No
ono cared for the lamp, and so at last 1t
rusted away and got destroyed. The gem
tleman had never liked its looks, nor.
indeed the looks Of the old post until last
summer. when it came to be the place
where a little song sparrow used to perch
and sing. At first the gentleman scarcely
noticed the bird itself. but only enjoyed
the gay music. till after awhile he found 1t
was the same pretty creature that did all
the singing, and that 1t sat on the old post
ana poured out its notes as II there were
no other good place to sing in the world.
That made the post seem of some account
and not such an ugly neighbor after all.
To be gladdened several times a day by
such music made the gentleman feel that
he owed something in return. He. there
fore, scattered seeds near the post, and
thus had the satisfaction. as 1t were, of
paying the musicians board. Even that
was not enough. so he made a toy house
and fastened 1t on top Of the post. where the
old lamp used to sit. The song sparrow
seemed to know the house was meant for
him. for on the very next day he moved
into it with his family. and gave a grand
concert on the roof for house warming
When the summer came to an end. the
gentleman and the sparrow. each with his
family. had to go to their winter homes
The former at least was sorry to do So
lest his tiny neighbor should choose next
year to summer elsewhere. Throughout the
winter he never forgot them and when his
little daughters canary would sing he used
to wonder whether the little song sparrow
was carolinR anywhere. and whether they
would find him again by the seaside
May returned. and then June. Schools
closed. 1t was time for city folks. If they
could. to go out Of town. The cottage near
the ocean opened its windows. and the
gentleman once more placed his arm chair
in the shade Of the porch. Ife often looked
at the old post. and thought what an ugly
thing it was. even with bird house on top
without the song sparrow to beauttfy 1t. II
the sparrow never came back. what should
he do with the Of bird seed in his
trunk? There was not long. however to
wait. One morning as the gentleman sat
reading his newspaper. q shower of music
begaR~to fall round him. and Master Spar
row was on his housetop. saying: How do
you do once mOre?'
Days came and went. as they had done
the year before. | must tell you what hap
pened one afternoon when the song spar
row was away from home. One of his third
cousins. an English sparrow, who is not
at all popular. came to see him. and, finding
the family away. he made himself so much
at home as to eat all the seeds he could find
and then to perch upon the roof of the
house. That was about the same as getting
into the song sparrow's bed. The gentle
man saw 1T all. and knew that the visitor
meant not only to stay but to drive out
the real owner. He wondered what could
be done: but while he was wondering some
thing shot past the porch: there was an
awful bump, and the English sparrow
whirled over and over In the air and light
ed d long way Off. with, only half his tail
left The song sparrow coming homo,
had seen what must be done and he did 1t
so well that 1t never had to be done aga,n.
Then he jumped upon TIE houSetop himself
and made everything ring with a song
AT last came the day when the gentleman
was obliged once more to close his cottage
and return to town. The song sparrow
watched the moving as If he knew another
season had ended Goodbye" said the
children. and went to the station; but while
waiting for the train they heard the SPAR
row sing. they couldn't tell where. All!
there he was across the road on a pine tree
shaking himself and singing like mad. It
didn't sound as II he were sorry, the song
was so gay. But he had come to see the
family off. and in his best fashion was
wishing them happiness. Looking back
from the train. the gentleman and his fami-
ly saw the little bird still on the tree war
bling with all his might. Do you wonder
that they felt sorry at the parting? That
was last summer. This year let us trust
that 1t will find the little songster for the
third time living in the toy house on top Of
the old post.