Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-23

| couldn't help thinking about it in
the dark. And did see things-like
you said. saw all those two thous-
and little brides. Oh. it was such
flock! And then l had to think about
them all stopping chattering in the
tree and falling dead on the ground,
and my papa-and me-there with the
pretty gun. They were such little
things and you and me were so, big!
Nothing is so nice and pretty as a
birdie, is it, papa?"
Nothing" said
"And they sing for us!"
eyes"
"And they never hurt a thing!"
"Not thing"
Don't you love to see them flying
almost UP to the SKYE"
EYES,"
'Papa, God must like em-to let
EN- to that"
Eyes, l think He does"
"And SO easy--easy-easy! No boy
nor man can do that, can they?"
NO. said, the wisest men on earth
have tried to do it-they have even
tried to find out how the birds do It.
But God has kept their secret. They
have\all failed. think God will al
ways keep the secret Of the birds, and
that men will never be able to fly as
they do
go on papa! Tell me more stuff
about that" cried the enraptured little
boy"
But I had to confess that that was
all knew about flying.
Besides" 1 said aren't we getting
away from the case on trial?"
Billy did not even smile as he at
once resumed 1t.
"That's where the life comes in,
papa, dear. One minute a birdie is
flying in the sky as light as cotton.
Then some one shoots little bullets
through it and it falls like lead. That's
the life, papa, isn't 1t. that goes out
through the little bullet-holes?"
yves" said.
"And that goes away, away, some
where, mebby back to God?
Perhaps" said.
"And then the little BRIDES just like
a stone"
EYES,"
"And how fast. fast they fy!"
'The fastest Bird" I said, wisely,
glad to get away from Billy's terrible
speculations upon life, ''goes faster
than anything men have yet made.
Faster than a railroad train?"
ooh, <yes!"
"And then, when they're shot, all
the life goes out and they stop and
fall Just like that"
He smote. his pin khands togeth-
er in illustration.
'sAnd birds are such happy little
things papa, dear. And round. And
their feathers are SO beautiful. | don't
believe people could make feathers!'
Nor T." I admitted.
He was quite out of breath and stop.
ped to recover.
t'That's why / couldn't Sleep
"And was that all
"Yes-honist, papa"
"And you will get all we'll now?"
ooh. yes, papa dear! I'm we'll now!''
1.-THE birds will never have Drawer
champion" said I.
cit wasn't the birdies-all," said
Billy, SO quickly that knew he meant
to correct som misunderstanding OF
mine.
what then asked.
"You. papa DEAR"
THANK you, Boy" said l. 1--WE shall
not need to bother about that any
more. rye reformed"
II know" said Billy, land I'm sorry
| it hurts you Papa, sometimes | was
not i'll. But then I didn't have to 60
out with you"
Il forgive you,s smiled bit sad.
| ly. I fear.
pi11u lxicSpd ma
papa" he said. tonight I'll kiss
you good night. Shall 1 tell you more
stuff"
"Yes-everything."
II didn't know that you are as nice
as you are!'
laughed and proved to Billy-Boy
lust how nice could be. But guess
| I wasn't very nice to you. Mebby II
/ had told you not to kill the birds
that it hurts me in here" he put
both his small hands against his
chest-"you wouldn't have?"
do anything hurt Billy? Certainly
not!''
i.'Then,', he said oracularly, "it is all
my fault"
/ let him have the comfort Of think
| ing himself fellow criminal with
me.
"Well, say our fault?"
Eyes. So went and found that one
you know-up here on this hill-and
buried it in little grave with sticks
around to keep the snakes out. When
we go home I'll show you. oh, did
not tell you something else!"
Tell me quickly" / cried. "You
must play fair"
But do you observe that I was tell
ing the little boy nothing? And that
he generously RENTED that?
"Well one night when / couldn't
sleep, / thought that wasn't much
better nor bigger nor stronger than a
birdie. And / know I'm not SO pref
| ty. Well, there are giants. To giant
l am just as little account as bird OF
an ant-mebby And what would you
think If some giant would come along
some day before could get out Of his
way and step on nle-and not even
know it--just walk on? And / won
dered how I'd feel. 1t would hurt me
dreadfully wouldn't it? And, papa
You'd hate him! He SO big and me SC