Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-07-19

him with all their troubles. At night
he slept in cave on bed of leaves,
ana lie was never SO sound asleep
that he would not wake and welcome
the birds and animals who do their
calling after dark and sleep through
the long bright day.
he children loved the old man an
you may well believe, and, standing
little distance from him, would
watch the birds perch on his Shout
ders and chirp their secrets in his
ears. while the little animals hoped
upon his knees, and the big ones rub.
ped up against him, and looked trust.
insly in his kind old face.
oh. why do they not love and trust
u.s. the children would cry, when at
their approach all the wild folk
would scurry and futter away, with
great pattering of feet and fiutter
of wings.
All" said the old man, 'it is only
love and kindness that wins their
trust In each bird, in every animal,
lives wee fairy, or little wood
land elf; and well do these fairy folk
Know OF the mischief the children do
OF the stones you throw, the traps
you set, the nest you rob. So they
teach the animals in which they
dwell not to trust you. You would
be surprised to hear the things
they tell about you in the Land OF
Birds and Animals" And the old
man shook his head in sorrow, II
90 not think you mean to be cruel,
you little Ones" he continued. You
only do not think"
Then up spoke wee Chinese maid.
en-. in dear. funny little gown of
lowered silk, with big fiat sash OF
crimson. We'll, dear and wise old
man. if we could go just once to this
wonderful land and hear the birds
and animals talk. then we would
know rne things they do not like, and
we would all be very good to them
afterward"
Yes, yes, yes" cried all the other
little folk. show us the way to the
Land of Birds and Animals"
NOW this was exactly what the old
man had been waiting for them to
ask, for many tales of the children's
cruelty to animals had come to his
ears.
He now shook his head thoughtful
ly, and said: "Ah. cannot show you
the way Each time go it is by a
different road, and could not go
alone. There is just one bird, a beau
tiful snow-white crane, that knows
the way. If this bird should die. be
captured. or hurt in any way, the
clew to this fair land would be lost,
and even l could never go there
again"
oh. but we never hurt crane"
cried the children-"never!"
But forgot to tell you," said their
old friend, with funny little twinkle
In his eye and bit of smile on his
lips.' the crane takes all sorts of
shapes, so that he can be with chill
dren and learn their ways. Then he
warns all his people of your tricks.
Why. only yesterday saw this pre-
clous bird running for his life in the
shape of a little gray kitten that
some boys were chasing. Once, be-
cause mother bird had been killed
while the baby birds were still too
young to leave the nest, the fairy
bird took her place, and was nearly
killed by stone thrown by a mis-.
chievous boy. Now shall do my
best to coax the snow-white crane,
when next l see him, to lead you
children to the Land of Birds and AMI
mails. In the meantime this bird is
watching you when least you think
1t. Remember, take care of all birds
and animals, lest in hurting one you
injure the fairy guide, and SO lose
your only chance of ever entering the
magic land"
So all through the great country
of China the little children formed a
band, protective band, to guard and
cherish all birds and animals, so that
some day they would win the love
and trust OF the snow-white bird, and
go with him to the Land of Birds
and Animals.-Jean A. Remy In
Christian Register.