Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-25
CHAPTER ONE
Which Introduces the Shepherd Of
the Birds.


the Birds.
The day that Henry Sink met and
embraced Gasoline Power and went
up Main street hand in hand with if Is
not vet forgotten. Their little Journey
produced al effect on the nerves and
the remote future history Of Bingville.
They rushed at group Of citizens
who were watching them, scattered 1t
hithcr and thither, broke down i sec
ton of Mrs. Risley's picket fence and
ran over small boy. at the end of
their brief misalliance, Gasoline Power
seemed to express its opinion Of Mr..
Sink by hurling him against tele-
graph pole and running wild in the
park until it cooled its passion in the
fountain pool. In the language Of Hi
ram Blenkinsop, the place was badly
'smiXed up" Yet Mr.. Smix was the
object Of unmerited criticism. He was
like many other men in that quiet vii
lage-slow, deliberate, harmless and
good-natured. The action Of his in
tellect was not at all like that of q
gasoline engine. Between the swift
ness of the one and the slowness Of
the other, there was wide zone full
Of possibilities. Tie engine had ac-
coTplshed many things while Mr..
Sinks intellect was getting ready to
begin to act.
In speaking Of this adventure, HI.
ram Blenliinsop made wise remark:
"N1y married life learnt me one thing"
said he IF you are thinkin' Of hitchin'
up wild horse with tame one, be
careful that the tame one IS the stout
est or it will do him no good"
The event had it's tragic side and
whatever Hiram Blenkinsop and other
citizens Of questionable taste may
have said Of 1t, the historian has no
intention of treating it lightly. Mr.
SmiX and his neighbor's fence could
be repaired, but not the small boy
Robert Emmett Moran, six years old,
the son Of the Widow Moran, who
took in washing. He was in the na-
ture Of sacrifice to the new god. EIe
became q beloved cripple, known rs
the Shepherd Of the Birds and alto
gethcr the most cheerful person in the
village His world was Il little room
on the second floor Of his mothers
cottage overlooking the big flower gar
den Of Judge Crooker-his father hav-
ing been the gardener and coacl!man
Of the judge. There were in this room
an ole pine bureau, q four-post bed
stead, an armchair by the window,
small round nickel clock that sat on
the bureau, rubber tree and very
tnlkative little old tin soldier Of the
name of Bloggs who stood erect on Il
shelf With a gun in his hand and was
always looking out of the window. The
day Of the Tin soldiers arrival the hoy
had named him Mr.. Blogi,s and dis
covered his unusual qualities of mind
and heart. He was wise old soldier,
1t would seem, for lie had some sort
of answer for each Of the many qucs-
ti0nS of Bob Moran. Indeed. as Fob
knew, he mad seen and suffered much,
having Travelled to Europe and hack
with the Judges family and been sunk
for Il year In 4 frog pond and been
dropped in jug Of molasses, but
through it oil had kept his look Of
inextingrlishablc courage. The lonely
lad talked now and then, with the
round, nickel clock or the rubber tee
or the Pine bureau, but mostly gave
his condolences to the wise and genial
Mr.. Blosgs. When the spring ar
rived the garden, with its birds and
flowers, became source Of joy and
colnpanionship for the little la1. Sit
ting by the open window, he used to
talk to Pat Crowley. who was getting
the ground ready for sowing. Later
the slow procession If the flower.
passed under the boys window and
greeted him With its fragrance and
color.
But his most intimate friends were
the birds. Robins, in the elm tree just
beyond the window, woke him every
summer morning. When he rlat1c his
way to the easement, with the ail o;
two ropes which Si,anned his room,
they came to him, lighting OH hi>
wrists and hands and ciaIT0y'ing 70!
the seeds anil crumbs which he Wa
wont to feed them. Indeed, lille Bol
Moran Soo1 learned the pretty Ing
Of every fcathcred tribe that ca:nTtH'
in the garden. lie could sound thr
pan pipe oi the robin. the fairy 1lut;
Of the oriUlc, The noisy guitar Of thC
bobolink ard the little l,icculn Of the
song sparrow. Many Of these dear
friends Of his came into thc room and
explored the rubber tree AMI sing in
It's branches. \ colony OF barn swal
lows lived under the caves of thr OLD
wcathercd shed on the far side Of tic
garden. There were many windows.
each with Il Saurr head locking OF,
OF II. Suddenly half Il dozen OF these
merry people would rush into tho :Iir
and fill it with their frclc. They wprt
like Il lot of laughing schnOlhuyS Skai
ing nvcr invisible hills and huIlows.
Viii! Il pair of field glasses, "w!icI.
Mrs. Cruaicr had loaned TO lin, Bob
Moran liGd learned the nest habits ol
the wh3i.. summer colony in that wna