Tick-Tock " Talk 



the last I heard of it and that was 

 long ago where four-footed folk found 

 shelter from the storms; where yellow 

 corn and sweet clean prairie hay 

 brought solid comfort and content, 

 where foaming milk pails stood out- 

 side the door and expectant cats looked 

 on and waited for a share. 



Speaking of wild pigeons once num- 

 bered by countless thousands, but now 

 absolutely extinct on this continent be- 

 cause of ruthless slaughter by thought- 

 less huntsmen I once knew a boy who 

 thought he loved to shoot and kill all 

 sorts of birds, but who lived to regret 

 some of his own indefensible acts in that 

 line, and one evening not so very long 

 ago he sat by the evening fire, and there 

 came to him a scene from other days : 



Forefend the Thoughtless Deed or Word 



A May-time of the long ago; 

 A boy and dog a-hunting in the hills 

 'Midst flowery fields and meadows sweet. 

 The notes of happy songbirds 



[119] 



