150 THE PET BIRDS OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 



if my friend came to this land of flowers, we would be 

 sure to remember and come to see both herself and her 

 birds. I must not forget to add that I asked her what 

 kind of birds were her guests. &quot; I can hardly tell you,&quot; 

 she said, &quot;there are so many that I do not know ; but I 

 see plenty of mocking-birds among them, blue jays, blue 

 birds, robins, and little brown birds, which are very 

 sociable.&quot; By these last I recognized the friendly little 

 sparrows so familiar to us at home. She also told me they 

 expected to build a new house, and she wondered if the 

 birds would consider that a safe home, and come there too. 



So we parted, she to her lonely home and we to the 

 barracks. But the memory of that scene returns pleas 

 antly to me the quiet road- side shaded by the tall Flor 

 ida pines the rough-cast and shaggy horse and the 

 gentle old lady sitting among her baskets, with her son 

 by her side. I seem to see now her face lit up and shin 

 ing with sweetness and peacefulness as she talked of her 

 pets. That countenance, radiant with the beauty of a 

 serene, kindly spirit, that gentle voice I vividly recall ; 

 and as I do so, I do not wonder that the very birds of 

 the air learned to trust and love her. For all this told a 

 story that even they could not fail to read. 



But I have not taken my friend there yet, nor do I 

 know whether the hope of the good old lady has ever 

 been realized, and her friends (the birds) returned to 

 brighten and cheer her declining years, and meet their 

 kindly welcome. Long before I shall be able, in this 

 ever-changing army life, to revisit &quot; the ancient city,&quot; the 

 old lady will doubtless have gone to her rest. May the 

 birds, as in the sweet nursery tradition of &quot;the Babes 

 in the Wood,&quot; hover over her grave and lovingly scatter 

 leaves above her peaceful breast. 



A. K. EGBEHT, 



