BY THE WAYSIDE 
1: 2 
BY THE WAYSIDE 
Published on the tenth of each mouth except July and 
August 
The official organ of t'ie Wisconsin and Illinois Audu¬ 
bon Societies. 
Twenty=five cents per year. 
Single Copies 5 cents 
All communications stiuuld be s 
Appleton, Wis. 
entto Thos. II. Moyle, 
This has been a very good year for 
the Wayside. The number of subscrib¬ 
ers has increased greatly. The letters 
have showed much more intelligent in¬ 
terest. The editor wishes to thank the 
many teachers for their help in inter¬ 
esting their pupils in the work. We are 
so sure of its importance to the people 
of school age*. There are such stacks of 
prejudice and ignorance regarding birds 
that we can’t start too early to over¬ 
come it. This is also the editor’s vale¬ 
dictory. The Wayside will be published 
in Madison for the next year. Mr. 
Frederick Brandenburg will lie the edi¬ 
tor and Mr. Chas. E. Brown of the 
State Historical Library will assist him. 
We are sure that the Wayside will be 
well taken care of by these gentlemen. 
Owing to a mistake the Mauston let¬ 
ters were not received in time for pub¬ 
lication last month. The Mauston boys 
and girls nearly always lead in the num- 
her of letters to the Wayside. 
The Robin and the Credence. 
1 
It was the blessed Christmas morn. 
When for our Solace Christ was born. 
The Church was swept and garnished 
well; 
The pine-boughs made a wholesome 
smell, 
Then, ere the great bells, far aloof, 
Jangled and hummed above the roof, 
In silence came the ancient priest, 
To bless the house and set the feast. 
He carved the bread of wheat-flour fine. 
In chalice poured the fragrant wine. 
Soon by his spoken word to be 
Instinct with deep Divinity. 
Then served the credence point-device 
To serve the holy mysteries. 
But ere the sacred veil he laid, 
He humbly knelt and softly prayed. 
II 
Meanwhile, across his ordered prayer. 
Fell tender 11 litterings through the air. 
Like dainty cherubs sailing by 
On some light-hearted ministry 
A bird incomparably drest 
In downy cape and ruby vest; 
He perched, and swooped, and shyly 
veered,— 
The priest across his fingers peered;— 
Upon the credence lit and paced, 
And found the banquet to his taste. 
The food, lie thought , that came at call 
Was set and consecrate for all. 
Who e’er the precinct duly trode, 
For me, or any child of God. 
He ate, approved, and ate his fill, 
Then piped a grace with right-good will. 
III 
Then creaked the door; the ringers 
came, 
Came clatterieg child and feeble dame. 
To seek, like Anna, long and late, 
Her Lord within the Temple gate. 
Sir Redbreast saw them ; at the view 
The thankful sinner upward flew. 
There in the rafters pluming sate, 
Aloft, secure, inviolate;— 
The old priest rising from his knees, 
Repaired the tiny ravages. 
It pleased him that the sacred feast 
Was thus diminished, thus increased; 
Though God, he thought, still waits to 
bless 
The meat with grace and godliness, 
Yet ’twas no harm (perchance he erred) 
The benediction of a bird! 
