STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 277 



him witL. the happiness of former innocence 

 can truly feel. He never left the place without 

 increased fears of fury, associated as he was, I 

 believe by force, with a band of the most des- 

 perate villains that ever annoyed the navigation 

 of the Florida coast. So moved was he by the 

 notes of any bird, and especially by those of 

 the dove, the only soothing sound he ever 

 heard during his life of horrors, that through 

 these plaintive notes, and them alone, he "was 

 induced to escape from his vessel, abandon his 

 turbulent companions, and return to a family 

 deploring his absence. After paying a visit to 

 those wells, and listening once more to the 

 cooing of the dove, he poured out his soul in 

 supplication for mercy, and once more became 

 what Pope declared to be ' the noblest work of 

 God,' an honest man. His escape was effected 

 amid difficulties and danger; but no danger 

 seemed to be comparable with that of living in 

 violation of human and divine laws ; and now 

 he lives in the midst of his friends." 



Some one — I am unable to tell who — has 

 made a sketch, in a poetical form, of the 

 thoughts of a young dove, just beginning to 

 fly. It is called "The Bird's Soliloquy," and 

 as it is very pretty and very short, I will print 

 it for you : 



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