Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-05-08
OUR BOYS !
and GIRLS |
Observation-Disclosures
LESSON FROM A GULL

Now, boys who live far from the sea
or lakes may not know that gull 10
. white bird that flies out over the
water ard that 1t is never satisfied
to be Ions on land. "
But Philip. for that was the boys
name, concluded that the bird should
be taught to stay at home. 80 he tied
q string to its leg and the end Of the
spring he tied to the bedpost. The
gull looked sick and sorry as 1t set
tied down under the bed, but Phillip
came to it and demanded that It
stand up.
1--WE are going to make q civilized
bird out Of you," he said. lone that
will stay at home and live in nests
like the birds Of the woods and fields.
There is no sense in staying out on
the water so much Of your time-in
fact, 1t is waste of time-and IL you
stayed on land you would not only
make yourself more agreeable to 9TH
ers. but you would find it would pay.
Worms are easy to find, If you get
up early enough in the morning, and
then you can be much more comfor-
table and warmer on land"
The bird never said a word, but
hung its head and looked detected.
maybe it is too warm in this
room," said Philip, and so he opened
the window. The bird looked at the
window and shifted the fresh air in
the way that birds sniff. by opening
20 IN
but the cruel string on its leg woulo
not let 1t move. Then t began peck
ing at the string when Philip Tas not
looking, and after awhile it had worn
thru, but Philip sat in the room and
the gull made no move.
Then Philip stepped out of the
door and, quick as a flash, the gull
was on the window sill, and Philip
came into the room just in time to see
it whirl up into the air and start off
in long spirals toward the lake. just
as tho it were an airship showing off
its stunts. The fact of the matter
was that the string still clung to its
leg and. altho it did not prevent its
flying, 1t made it fly in one-sided
way, but never did it stop until it
was on a rock, far away from the
town of Good Intent.
Oh, the glory of that nice, clean,
smooth rock, after the stuffiness of
the house in which Philip lived. The
: gull could not express itself. but it
swallowed great mouthfuls of air. as
tho to rid itself of all that it had
been thru.
There was the clean rock, ship
out at sea, the long line of the gold
en- light of the setting sun over the
water, everything that gull loved.
and why should it not be happy. even
if bit of string dangled from Its
leg?
But, Philip was inconsolable. His
father promised to buy him parrot.
but he said there would be no fun in
teaching a parrot to talk as all par
rots talked, but he had thought to
teach gull to forsake it's wild life
and live nice and comfortable in a
town house, and that would have
been worth while.
What is worth while?" said
voice at his elbow. as he lay on his
bed crying about the lost gull.
who are your" asked Philip.
"Who am II" answered the voice.
"well, like that. I am your other
self" a
"Have got two selves?"
"Of course you have. Every one
has"
You look furry and funny" Philip
said. "You can't fool me. never
came in contact with you before"
Il may be furry. but l am not
funny" said the little creature. that
looked up at Philip. II am your bet
ter self, but you are not very we'll
acquainted with me-"
why my better self" asked Philip.
because / suggest all the unselfish
thoughts that you have and try to per-
suade you to put other peoples feel
ings before your own. l do not often
succeed, but l think that as you
grow older we shall know one another
better"
did you suggest that l capture the
gull?"
Indeed l did not. Why should
suggest that you try to make free.
white. beautiful gull into domestic
bird, that would prefer to pack away
in the bush to flying into the face
of the SUM-"
That's it," said Philip. 1T is dan
gerous TO fly in the face of the sun
and my idea was to make it safe for
the gull, 10 change its nature until 1t
would love to be domestic bird, as
you call it,"
II have an idea" said the little fur
ry creature, that you thought less of
the comfort of the bird than OF you.
own success in making convert OF
it. You wanted to hear the people
cay, Philip took wild gull and made
barnyard bird OF it, and you did
NOT so much care what the bird would
mies by ceasing to be ITSELF"
"Dut il it forgot about it and
thought only as land birds think
where was the harm?'