The Washington times., 1918-05-19
To My Sweetheart
SOLDIER
Every Girl Should Read
These Wonderful
Letters.

ny QoAre4Ls Ne are kOluk 70 nave
q pageant I 60 not understand
the full significance of Il yet. but
II Is for the purpose OF keeping
popular feeling aroused. suppose,
and a. such We are doing our best
to make the AFFAIR sueeessful. The
States are to be represented, and
war and peace. and the Statue OF
Liberty. and spirit Of ia" and
Red Cross nurses. and Yankee
Doodle, and lots OF other things.
have charge OF the little tiny
children. and I nave been. racking
my brains TO think up = pretty
tabieau for them. Finally, Uncle
Jerry solved the problem. Chill
dren are like bifds," he said, with
his slow, sweet smile. Always
hopping and chirping. BirdI are
always flying. Mother used to call
me Birdie, and Mother always said
babies never die-they just lift
their wings and fly away"
With pervadlAg gaze Uncle Jerry
regarded the sky and his kind
smile took in the universe Ny
heart gave a queer throb. and 1
wiped away q tear. Even 50, little
babies do not die-they ny away
and their path Il very straight and
sure to Heaven.
And 20 I am going to have my
children be as little birds, in the
tableau for the pageant. At least
] am going to try-there seemed to
be insurmountable difficulties to-
day.
lThe ministers little Pohn have
chosen for the father bird. Little
q - - ~
bird. The other children are Just
little birds. presumably related by
marriage, or otherwise to the two
parent birds. The first part OF the
tableaux Will be q series OF games
or antica which the birds are hav-
ing among themselves. Then bed
time comes. and the birds 60 TO
sleep with their heads under their
wings. The mother bird flies back
and forth TO see that the baby
birds are all right for the night,
and then the father bird does the
same thing, to make doubly sure.
At the close OF the ceremony the
father bird puts a protecting wing
over the mother bird. and everybody
Is supposed to be sound asleep. II
will be very cunning. I think. when
I get Il worked out, for the children
are such darlings-but today pre-
sented some Obstacles.
The games and antics were ac-
eomplished with the instructive
grace OF childhood: then came the
going TO sleep with heads under
wings! The mother made her trip
successfully. and all was well, The
father made his trip, and sank down
satisfied, with his protecting arm
-
ed for a fraction OF a second, when
a bird on the second bourh spranC
up and cried out, II don't want to
be a bird want to be an ele-
phantT No amount Of coaxinE
would persuade her that a bird was
far more elegant and ladylike than
an elephant. The dismal wall rang
out, Il want 10 be an elephant I
will be an elephantw And unless
changed my aviaTy into a zoo I
b was obliged TO continue the re-
hearsal without the elephant This
mixed things up a little until Sally
smith got on q bouah somewhere,
and another little bird took her
place as mother. II was all very
well until John made his rounds.
He was just settling down with
his wing over his dutiful spouse.
when he opened an eye and shouted
out: This isn't the right mother
bird; want the mother bird I'm
used to! won't put my wing over
this mother bird. I want the moth
er bird am used to-"
So, you see, beloved, there are
difficulties in the way OF having a
pageant OF peace IN the time OF war.
The devotion OF little John to his
lawful partner is a sentiment,
however, which I can in no way
criticise, and might wish that the
lesson which its simple wisdom
teaches could pass from heart to
heart across the ocean, and reach
into those far countries where
morals are not 50 particular and
faith not so lasting.
Goodnight, DEAREST.