Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-04
THE BIRD WITH A BROKEN PIN
ION.
BY Harriet Hobson ooushsrty.

ago. vast building in Boston was
crowded 20 the very doors by a mass
OF people who assembled to hear a
great man speak. He was brilliant
orator, and a burning tide of eloquence
held the hundreds of listeners spell
bound that day. not a sound being
heard In the immense hall save the
speakers rich. trained voice as one
perfectely rounded period after an
other fell from his lips. On and on
he talked, carrying his hearers with
him TO other lands. Then by and by
the splendid address drew to a close.
ending with the words, The bird with
a broken pinion never scars SO high
again" which he uttered as he turned
away. merely to illustrate his last
remark.
Many heard, few needed, and pos
sibly none remembered. save one.
That was tall, broad-shouldered man
with strong. intellectual face, 50
powerful that 1t would have been too
stern In repose but for the deep eyes
and exquisitely sensitive lips. both OF
which silently proclaimed that within
that mighty frame dwelt the delicate
ly attuned suond of poet. THE
bird with a broken pinion never soars
SO high again. the tall man repeated
| softly to himself as he left the great
building. Then, striding along at a
rapid pace toward home. he added:
What theme for poem!" AT the
words the deep eyes grew deeper. tbs
long legs moved faster. and little
later Hezekiah Butterworth was seat
ed at his desk. his pen literally flying
across the paper. leaving in its wake:
| walked through the woodland mead
ows.
Where sweet the thrushes sing.
And found on a bed of mosses
A bird with broken wing.
| healed Its wound, and each morning
1t sang It's old, sweet refrain.
But the bird with a broken plnion
Never scared SO high again.
| found a young life broken
BY sins seductive art.
And. touched with Christlike pity,
took him to my heart.
He lived with noble purpose.
And struggled not In vain:
But the life that sin had stricken
Never scared so high again.
But the bird with broken pinion
Kept another from the snare;
And the life that sin had stricken
Raised another from despair.
Each loss has Its compensation.
There Is healing for every pain;
But the bird with the broken pinion
Never scars as high again.
The little poem was published few
days later in n small magazine, and
went Its quiet way In the world, un-
heralded. and unnoticed. as the best
things often do. until 1t fell into the
hands OF great singer. who regarded
the wonderful gift OF song given into
his keeping as sacred trust. He
set the little poem OF Hezelkiah But
terworth's to music. and his glorious
voice sang 1t over two continents--in
crowded concert halls. In vast audi
toriums, In mansions, In prisons, and
In novels. And whenever it's words
were heard the little song won love
for itself and fame for It's author, until
today there is hardly a home In the
land where those word are not known
and sung.
The author Of this little poem wns
born at Warren. X. l., In 1889, aud
for nearly half century was one OF
the best known and oes' loved men In
this country. For twenty-five years
assistant editor OF the Youths Com
panion, during that time Hezekiah But
terworth came In direct contact with
all the best writer's of his time, and
no man ever won more friends in an
editorial way than he; for no man
ever did more to help and encourage
his fellow-workers than did that big
NNNeDA "hc "itu bht u odkt
combined the generous. whole-souled
nature OF little child. And no writer
has ever come closer to his readers
than did this author with the quaint,
old-fashioned name, for no man ever
wrote better stun for young people,
because no man ever realized more
fully the little known fact that to
write well for children is the hardest,
even as 1t Is the greatest and nobiost,
work an author cand o.
Mr. Butterworth's was a wonderfully
gifted nature-strong and vigorous, yet
with an exquisite tenderness and sym
pathy underlying the sterner outside
that made the things that came from
his pen touch hearts as well as pleose
brains. And he wrote much; for aside
from the enormous amount OF work
demanded OF him as editor. Traveller.
| and iacfurar hia hnnLo nzar.o .-a