Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 3 [March 1902]: Illustrated by Color Photography — John Shaqi
Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 3 [March 1902]: Illustrated by Color PhotographyVarious
History
Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 3 [March 1902]: Illustrated by Color Photography
Various
Birds -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals
“No, I am not. I am freezing, and these cold clods are mashing me. I
wish I was back in the paper though we were crowded on top of each
other.”
“But you could not grow there.”
“No, but I could be more comfortable. If it takes these old black clods
to make me grow I don’t know that I want to grow,” and she gave a sniff
to show her contempt.
“Stop! You don’t realize what you are saying! You are near committing
the unpardonable sin. Do you remember your promise to Mother Nature as
she placed within your bosom the sacred germ of life? That promise which
you gave to grow, at the first opportunity, and to do all within your
power to become strong and vigorous, producing seeds in which she could
place like germs. Then have you forgotten your dying mother’s request
that you live up to this solemn promise?”
Seed number One did not reply, but gave a little rebellious grunt to
show her state of feelings and remained silent.
This was a great relief to the other seeds, who were enduring the
discomforts of their new and chilly environments with as much fortitude
as possible, hoping and believing that their new home would yet become
more comfortable. Finally all became quiet and they shut their eyes and
waited and dreamed.
The cold, dark night was at last over. The seeds in their little dark
chambers could not see this, but they knew it was so when they felt the
warm influence of the sunbeams as it crept stealthily down through the
damp soil and warmed their cold, wet wrappings. Oh, how it did revive
them! They grew larger as they tried to express their thankfulness. The
quickening power within pictured to them bright sunshine, refreshing
showers and warm, balmy nights. But there they lay helpless in the dark,
waiting and dreaming and dimly feeling that—
Instinct within that reaches and towers
And, groping blindly above for light,
Climbs to a soul in grass and flowers.
But the greatest change of all was in seed number One. She had spent the
dark, cold night in thinking of the promise she had given and about
which she had been reminded by seed number Two. Gradually the angry,
rebellious feelings passed away and she began to realize how sinful her
spirit had been. And now that the warm sunshine had turned the cold, wet
clods into a blessing she most heartily felt ashamed of herself and
could get no rest until she gave some expression to this feeling. She
began by snuggling closer down among the clods and trying to make them
feel that she was glad to be among them.
Then she whispered to them softly: “I am so sorry for the rude,
impatient, angry words I spoke yesterday when I first came among you.
Can you forgive me?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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