BIRD PARADISE 9-^ 



number of flies one toad can devour in a single 

 meal. 



Occasionally I go down to the meadow and deep 

 tangled wildwood just as the last doors of day are 

 closing for the night. The process of closing the 

 doors is always interesting, and I never have 

 known two of these occasions just exactly alike. 

 Last evening I tarried a few minutes just beyond 

 the confines of "God's Acre," the halo of dark- 

 ness clothing all things in its restful sphere. So 

 many friends have hung away the worn garments 

 of time in the little wardrobe near the church that 

 I love to tarry there, renewing life in the sacred 

 influences of " Auld Lang Syne." How delight- 

 ful at such a place and time to have a little bevy 

 of vesper sparrows shape a requiem of the day 

 that seemed to be a real foretaste of " standing 

 ever in the light." Vespers' song holds some 

 things that are common to all the sparrows. But 

 just as clearly it is guardian of many strains that 

 no other bird commands. It was fully dark when 

 this experience came to me, and at least five of 

 the birds were opening their hearts in the song. 

 Without the slightest stroke of effort the song 

 came to me clothed in the mantle of praise. The 

 voice of the meadow, the wider voice of the stars,. 



