Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-05-08

cause It got little taste o, the hap
piness OF the homes of Good Intent
and would like to stay here?"
ut has not" said the furry creature.
ut has come for sign"
what kind of sign?"
"You showed your selfishness when
II came last and now 1t has thrown
itself upon your generosity. Will you
cut the cord that still bangles from
Its leg, or will you catch it again and
make a prisoner Of it?"
what would you adviser"
'As your better self l should ad-
Wise you to help this bird to its own
idea of freedom. To cut the cord
that bound 1t tc civilization and let 1t
breast the waves and fly into the
heart Of the sun II 1t wishes to-"
"But 1t would be SO safe here"
"Safe here? Yet. so 1t would, be
safe to eat and drink and stifle its
heartache. until in deseration its
feelings would be blunted and people
would say that it was resigned to its
fate and has ceased to be wild bird.
happy in its domestication."
Philip caught the thread and pulled
the gull to him.
II had great hopes for the gull" he
said.
Are you SO sure that 1t was the
happiness of the gull that you thought
off"
But what is happiness but peace
and safety? What is the good of
flying in the face of the sun and
shivering In the cold? think shall
try the experiment again."
Philip made fast the end Of the
thread and Immediately the bird
dropped.
1T trusted you," said the better
self.
The bird made no motion Of any
kind, but it looked long into the eyes
of Philip and the boys eyes looked
away first.
III only knew ;er certain" said
Philip.
THAT is easy enough" said the bet
ter self. Are you ready to trust
the bird as it Las trusted you?"
Philip hesitated aud then he slipped
the cord from the leg Of the bird. 1t
hesitated a moment and then made
for. the window, and Philip found
himself on it's back, not the Philip
he knew, but the better self, whom he
had never seen until that day.
The bird made great and glorious
I,,,, t6r,, Oh ND
joiced in its graceful motions and the
strength with which SO small bird
breasted the wind. finally they
alighted on the big. smoth rock and
. far down below Philip could see the
fish, their shining backs like jewels
in the sun-lit waters. He found him
self in touch with the little bird upon
whose back he rode and he knew that
it must fly out and meet an incom.
ing ship.
ut is sign that land is near" he
said to himself. IRON white top to
white top of the waves the gull
rushed on and never in his life did
Philip experience anything like the
elation of that ride over the waves,
for the waves dashed high and and
then broke in great masses of white
foam that hid the cruel rocks upon
which the ship might have lashed
itself.
There are SO many hidden dang
ers in the world" said Philip, land
even in the town OF Good Intent
there may be rocks that l know not
Of"
What a great and glorious world it
is, he thought, when on the back of
the gull he darted right into the path.
way of the sun. Oh, We are going
right up, up-I am sure the gates OF
heaven are opening and am not at
all afraid. am so glad that did
not make captive this magnificent
gull. Now here we are right on the
edge of the sun"
Philip" said his mother, why
don't you pull down your blinds II you
are going to sleep under the window
in that way? Your head is hot. and
I'm afraid you will be sick with that
hot sun shining in your face for the
last hour"
mo, l won't, mother" he said. 81
never felt better in my life. and I am
going to let the gull co."
IL I.o hi NNth