56 



Therefore I pray, and can but pray, 



God keep and bring them back when May 



Shall come with smiling- train, 

 Thick broidered with leaves of wheat, 

 And butterflies and field pinks sweet, 



And yellow bees and rain. 



Yes, bring them back across the seas. 

 In clouds of golden witnesses. 



The grand, the grave, the gay; 

 And if Thy holy will it be, 

 Keep me alive once more to see 



The glad and glorious day. 



As so many persons are habitually inclined to kill and destroy 

 the birds they see, whether guilty of any crime or not, the fol- 

 lowing lines taken from a little book on kindness to animals 

 and other creatures which inhabit the earth, will here be insert- 

 ed, to serve as a warning and pleading speech to those who are 

 so inclined. It does not give anyone pleasure so to do; or if it 

 does at the time, they feel no better afterwards. 



Don't kill the birds— the little birds, 



That sing about your door, 

 Soon as the joyous spring has come, 



And chilling storms are o'er. 



The little birds — how^ sweet they sing; 



O let them joyous live! 

 And never seek to take that life 



Which you can never give. 



Don't kill the birds — the little birds 



That play among the trees; 

 'Twould make the earth a cheerless place. 



Should we dispense with these. 



The little birds — how fond they play: 



Do not disturb their sport, 

 But let them warble forth their songs. 



Till winter cuts them short. 



Don't kill the birds — the happy birds 



That bless the fields and grove; 

 So innocent to look upon. 



They claim our warmest love. 



