Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-24
MORE LEGENDS OF THE ROBIN.

Legends OF blrdS ana mowers always
prove interesting to me, because L love
nature in all its varying forms, especial
ly living, growing things. Therefore,
the legend told by Miss Thomas IN a
recent chat OF how the robin got its red
breast found in me a sympathetic read
er This particular story ! had never
heard or read, though one or two others
or the same subject have long been
familiar to me.
No bird is more popular or beloved
than the robin. He takes hold upon
cur heart strings in early. childhood,
perhaps largely because Of the part he
plays in that Juvenile classic. Babes in
the Wood"
In one story L have read it is said
the robin got his red breast by facing
the east. every morning. to sing a glad
welcome to the sun as il rose above the
horizon. The rosy beams of early dawn,
I'm appreciation of his praise of aurora,
paitned his breast a warm red, promis-
ing that for all time to come his de-
scendants should be thus clothed.
Another legend relates how the bird,
beholding the suffering OF our Savior
upon tho cross, longed to do something
for his relief. , Seeing that, the .thorns
lin the crown upon the bowed head OF
=
robin flew down to pluck one from its
place, hoping thus TO lessen the pain
of the dying One As the bird rested
there, seeking to draw forth the thorn,
his breast feathers became tinged with
blood from our Savior'S brow. Since
that day, in token of the kindness done
by that particular bird, all robins wear
russell waistceats. and they always shall
as long as there are robins in the world,
which shall be as long as the world
lasts; FOR surely this bird, unlike many
Of the feathered tribe. shall not BECOME
extinct. 1t is too much of rfavorite
to, be wantonly sacrificed as many OF its
fellow. creatures have been. s'
Will some of the readers of our page
send me cancelled stamps now and then
lof denominations other than ones and
twose ] can get plenty of these on the
letters that come to the members OF
my household. but sometimes | stand in
need of others, especially three, four,
Eve, six and ten-cent ones. 1 am maxi
ing postcards, the designs on them be-
ing made of the stamps cut in the. de-
sired forms and pasted in place, using
green for leaves, and the other colors
for flowers and butterflies. These were
originated by a man who is. a shut-in,
and 'inasnitIch as he cannot fill the, de-
lowing his designs to be copied by other
shut-ins.
My crabs claw cactus is now in bloom,
and is a thing of beauty. To me-. being
shut in, as / am, from the outdoor
world, my window garden is source of
much delight. At, one side of my flower
shelf is trailing asparagus fern, which
is being trailed on trellis of picture
wire. IT has now reached the. top Of
the window ard is growing across to-
ward the opposite side. You may be
sure that ii looks very pretty against the
white wolfe curtains, especially now that
they are just fresh from the laundry.
am glad that the marriage of Mrs.
Thomas did not compel her 10 give up
her place as editor OF our department.
III a mere contributor may express an
lopinion of an editor-and il a GATEWAY
Hook at n king. why may she MOTT
seems to me that she has Improved in
her writing since she took this impOr-
tant step. One gets the impression that
she has more time to. give TO the work,
and possibly she has, despite the fact
that she is farmers wife. Hoping
that 1 have not erred in speaking thus
right out in meeting / am, with greet
lings and good wishes to all.
MARGARET A. RICHARD.
1918 Marion street, Columbia, S, c.