Alabama, iqi8. 95 



Do you know the same God made the birds and you boys, and 

 both for the very same reason. 



Oh, children, drop the gun, the cruel stone, 



O listen to my words. 

 And hear with me the little one's moan. 



Have mercy on the birds ! 



Many of our most charming poets give us pictures, dear and 

 tender, of these little friends of ours. Among these is Wordsworth in 

 the "Skylark," and our much-beloved poet, Longfellow, gives a plea 

 for protecting our birds as our best friends in, "The Birds of Kil- 

 lingworth." Listen what he says : 



It was spring in Killingworth. Everything was putting on its 

 gown of green. The little brook was singing happily as it would pass 

 by some violets and say, "Wake up ! Spring is here." 



Some of the birds had come back from their long winter visit. 

 They were as happy as could be singing and flitting all around. 



"The robin and the bluebird piping loud, 

 Filled all the blossoming orchards with their glee." 



The birds thought the people would be glad to see them; but 

 when the birds came the farmers were angry and tried to make plans 

 to kill them. 



The people called a town meeting in order to plan a good way 

 to kill the birds. While the people were having the meeting, the 

 birds peeped in to see who was there. On the platform sat the 

 squire that lived in the white house ; and there was the preacher with 

 some lilies in his hand. Many farmers, too, were crowded in the 

 meeting. 



Poor birds; they listened how the men talked about them, and 

 they thought the people were glad to see them. 



"Ill fared it with the birds both great and small, 

 Hardly a friend in all that crowd they found. 

 But enemies enough who every one, 

 Charged them with all the crimes under the sun." 



But at the meeting the birds had one good friend. He was the 

 school teacher. While the others were speaking of ways to kill the 



