The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-02-01
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A|Ry TALL
PiNE.Woops sPARRows.
81 hAN @A!M1pQyR>

"It's strange to me-" said the Pine.
Woods Sparrow. show any creature
enn care for the ocean or the lakes OF
che rivers or the streams when they
can live In the greatpine woods.
1.-The great pine woods do not object
TO creatures who make their homes
with them. They are unselfish and like
TO share their beauty with other crea-
fures." - -
THAT is all perfectly true" said
GIrs. Pine-Woods Sparrow; but you
must remember that we are birds anG
not fishes"
II can remember that without any
trouble" said Mr.. Pine-Woods Spar
raw. smiling.
"Ah. yes" said Mrs. Pine-Woods
Sparrow "but you must also remem-
Der that creatures who are not birds
care for other things. Fishes like the
water because They can't live out of
It,"
II suppose that Is very sensible; In
fact am sure It is very sensible" said
Mr. pine-N 3Dds Sparrow. after a
pause. 1T would be foolish of them to
want to live In the woods if they
couldn't live In the woods. That
sounds little queer, as l have
.nrded It. Mrs. Pine-W Woods Sparrow,
but ] trust you understand me-"
II do; most certainly do" said
Mrs. Pine-WoOds Sparrow. 1T does
sound little strange to say that the
fishes wouldn't live in the woods be-
cause they wouldn't be alive il they
did live here--but it has much sense
TO II. stust the same"
isn't there an old saying about q
fish being out of water?" asked Mr..
Zine. Woods Sparrow. %
"Ah. yes!a said Mrs. Pine-Woods
Sparrow. "They say when a creature
feels shy or out Of place that he is
like q fish out of water. The saying
means that he is so utterly miserable
and unhappy"
ITS q good strong saying" said Mr..
Pine-Woods Sparrow. "A fish out of
water would be miserable"
I'VE ara shy" said Mrs. Pine-Woods
Sparrow, but we're happy by our
selves and we don't look for the soci-
ETY. or friendship of others"
That's So" agreed Mr.. Pine-Woods
Sparrow. I'VE don't let ourselves get
in Gny miserable position because we
keep right out Of the way. I remem-
Der one day when / had on by best
su!t---it was of brown and gray, with
touches of black around my neck and
shoulders; under my tail it was whit
ish-yes. 1t was my best suit"
a. Mrs. Pine-WOods Sparrow smiled.
for she knew her mate had no other
suit than the one he called his best
suit.
Eyes, ! remember" said Mr.. Pine
Woods Sparrow. that I was sitting.
or perching upon some tall thick
grasses. heard voices. but l wouldn't
look above, The voices came nearer
.And ! was feeling SO shy and SO afraid.
Fer a moment didn't know what
to do. But then hurried TO my wings,
which bird will do. just as person
wili hurry to his feet when surprised
and I flew off little distance, when
! went down into the grasses again. l
didn't tire myself going miles and
miles. A little way was enough. But
4 dldn't have to feel like fish out of
water or a bird of the land or away
from the air. escaped in time.
"And we are all alike, we pine
woods sparrows. We build our homes
OF grass and In the grass on the good,
old. safe ground. And the mother pine
woods sparrows hatch several beauti-
full white eggs into several beautiful
birds.
aye always live far south, both sum-
suer and winter, and do not move far
away, as other birds do.
"But It's nice to be what one is and
not what one isn't. l don't suppose
Dne can be what one isn't! But it's
nice not to want to be anyone or any
thing else-that's what mean"
YVES" said Mrs. Pine-Woods Spar
row, hts best to be satisfied. We love
the grass and the big pines. We care
for the woods and the. Southern lands
and we don't make friends. but live 4
happy life by ourselves"
.I'u sing a song about It," said Mr..
Pine Woods Sparrow. And he sang
little trIli and then chirped few
times. doing the same thing over and
over again.
"rm singing Q song" he said. about
happiness and being contented and
se flsfled; II is the song of the pine
woods sparrow family. the song of the
shy but happy birds"
And Mrs. Pine Woods Sparrow knew
that Il was true, though his song was
the sap,e one which he always sang.
hot as he was always happy and con-
tented the same song always was all
right.