The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-06-18
The
Boy and
the Bird.

A writer in Appleton's Magazine
gives an experience which a boy had
Nfter wounding grouse. We give the
article in part:
The bird at which the boy had
1xed thrust down its legs and wab-
haed as II about to fall: then recov-
cred itself and flew on, its legs dang
ling. A chance shot had apparently
broken Its back, paralyzing its legs.
0lat leaving It still strength enough to
~ certain distance. Trained hum
tor as he was, the boy watched the
wounded bird, and marked the exact
pot where 1t finally dropped, just at
tAe edge Of the cornfield, half mile
Away.
n think I'll go after It, said the
youth.
Nonsense, said Luther, it's a
nadf mile away, and you have all you
want without IT,
but the bird Is wounded. I hate
TO have it lie out there and suffer-
Oh, it's probably dead; or if it
lsnt. some skunk or weasel will kill
e tonight. Come along
1T was nearly sunset, and the youth
was tired after the long tramp Of the
lay It would be long trip over
70 the cornfield for weary legs-and
hen perhaps to find the bird dead.
Already 1t was supper-time at home,
ana ne had a hunters appetite. So
be allowed himsef to be over-persuad-
ID. and the two tramped homeward.
But the grouse that had fallen
over in the cornfeld was not dead.
Nor. as 1t CHANGED, was its wound Of
? KIND to produce speedy death. The
INJURY did, however, render the bird
utterly helpless. Once it had drou-
PED to the earth 1t could not rise
hgain. Nor could 1t move about on
ehe ground. for its legs were para
wed completely. 1t lay on the bare
larth. sheltered by the cornstalks from
me eyes Of hawks, and where
mere was not much danger that mar.
Anding beast would find it. But there
was no food at hand. 1t was doubtful
wen whether the bird would be able
@ SIP few drops of dew from a
p0rnstalk to quench the thirst thar
~ wound must develop.
Quite obviously fate had marke3
the grouse for lingering death AZ
torture IT'S wound, already nainfuI
mast become more so with the lapse
Df time. Insects would come In MIA
ianxes to poster It. Hunger and thirst
would add their modicum of agony
Tne greatest mercy 1t could hone sor
would be the coming of some skunk
weasel. as the hunter had sug.
sested. to put 1t out of misery. Bur
no such messenger Of speedy death
financed to come that way"
The following Sunday morning the
Doy went to church. The writer
The youths soul was undergoing
aeveiopment in that half hour. He
was making one of those short cuts
nom point of view TO point Of viaw
he was passing (little as he realized
~ rom the barbarian hunter stapa
% 2 plane of broader sympathies
All through ME lesson he sat
orooding the same thoughts. and az
as ieDt the church the idea OF the
wounded bird had taken full nossas.
mon OF his mind. Instead OF going
nome. he set out for the field wbere
ne mad shot the grouse. He heI,evad
ne might find the bird even vet A.
least he would try.
A good memory and keen avo
enabled him to go to about the noint
o. the field from which the grouse
mad flushed; and over by the corn.
neid ne noted the exact point (marI,.
ca by peculiar fence postl where
the wounded bird had gone down NJ
went directly to 1t, and had scarcely
entered the cornfeld when his dog
came to a point. There ahead on the
srcund lay the bird, stretched at fplI
length. 1t made no effort to escane
- ne came up, 1t was too near teatb
% aear him or anything. its ewes half
closed. Its bill agape, as it Seebiv
gasped for breath.
IN an instant the youth was on his
knees beside the bird, a great lump
IN his throat, his eyes staring as If
they would start frosss taeir sockets.
i