The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-03-30
SLAUGHTERED FOB FASHION.
An Appeal to Our Women to Save
the Birds.

Eugene Bertram Willard, of Revere,
Mass, writing to the editor Of the
Boston Transcript, makes the follow
ing tender appeal for the little birds,
which The Journal, hoping to reach
the sympathetic ears Of the many wo-
men that never see The Transcript,
re-echoes in the authors words.
"Tne old epicures Of Greece and
Rome used on high occasions to revel
in dish Of nighteugales' brains.
This was wanton waste Of birds,
but to destroy birds for their beauty
and wear them in dead show as deco
rations is more revolving misuse than
even the poorest pretense OF turning
them into food. Women with feath-
ers in their hats are fostering a giant
wrong out Of pure selfshness They
suffer them to be slain by millions for
their 'adornment. Woman! Wo-
man! You know that without the
birds man could not live upon the
cart: :Set ESSwShat, were it not for
t5e-6irds the soSAh Of insect life
would be so immense saat vegetation
would be entirely destroyed; yet you
wilfully encourage the Rholesale
slaughter of our feathered ffiiends,
and knowingly sanction this destrUc-
tion Of the most exquisite creatures in
the universe. With your eyes open
you permit this war Of determination
o be carried on, and deck yourselves
proudly with these slaughtered birds,
seliShly unmindful OF the c:ual cost.
From the Atlantic to the Pacific,
from Canada to Florida, the agents Of
the great millinery firms are ceaseless
in their work Of death and destruc-s
tion. From early spring until late
fall, at all times and at all seasons,
the b autiful, helpless creatures are.
pursued with relentless vigilance.
What care these bird hunters that
without the parent birds tender care
the little ones die Of slow starvation
in the nest? What care they that
the glorious burst Of melody is hushed
in death, and that the maDgled form
is writhing in agony at their feet?
The dainty creature is to them but a
pair Of wings and crested head!
"They have no power to cry to US
When pride or fashion Stays them,
| For woman who pretends to love.
And, Judas-like, betrayed them.
ssFor woman who will praise the song,
Then bid them slay the singer,
That the wee head or tortured breast
Some added charm may bring her.
| "Could We but see the bright wings torn
From birds alive and bleeding,
And fote their quivering agony,
I had no need for pleading;
''The wingless fern flung in the dirt;
Its deathly pain aud terror
| Would wake in every wonan's heart
A bitter sense of error.
''Ten thousand thousand little birds
In cruel hands a-dying,
Have heard with breaking mother-hearts,
Their hungry nestlings crying.
The bonny, bonny little birds!
| It is their hour of need;
They have no power to beg for life;
IL IS tor them plead
"Oh, will not refined, reasonable and
intelligent women lead the way as
merciful women, and take vigorous
steps toward putting an end to this
outrage of the slaughter Of Our birds?
Once let refined and cultivated women
see the matter in it's true light, re-
fuse to decorate themselves with the
feathers of our birds and refuse to
allow their children to wear them, the
evil would soon disappear. How
slight a sacrifice is this for Women!''