The Mocking-Bird.


WHILE I am writing, I hear a mocking

bird warbling his morning song. He has

selected a tree near where I am sitting, or

the bank of a beautiful stream, whose running

waters are murmuring over rocks and

pebbles, while extending from its banks are

green meadows, presenting beautiful scenery

I am pleasantly entertained by this morning

warbler. He sings for a moment the robin's

song, then, without stopping, changes his

voice to that of the meadow lark, then the

blackbird, now the quail, swallow, bluebird,

whippoorwill, chickadee, in fact, nearly all

common birds that he hears. Truly he is

rightly named the mocking-bird.

He mocks other birds so correctly that were

it not that I could see him, I should conclude

there was a group of birds together, each

commencing his song when the other had

closed.

The mocking-bird is not handsome. He is

small and slender, his color is dull brown, and

were it not for his pretty singing, but little

notice would be taken of him.

When I saw and heard him, I thought how

interested all the family would be with his 

concert. I wonder if they would all learn a 

lesson from him.

God has made many different kinds of birds,

and has given to each a peculiar song, but to

this kind, he has either given no song at all, or

has bestowed upon him the gift of imitating

the songs of all other birds. Be this as it may,

we find him a very interesting creature; and

I could not but think how many lessons could

be learned from him. First, of the kindness

of our dear Heavenly Father in giving us

pleasure in so many ways; for we are taught in

the holy Bible that all the blessings this world

affords were created for the comfort and 

enjoyment of man, animals to help him, birds

with their beautiful songs to cheer his heart,

and impart to him a lesson by their songs of

praise to God, that he should also praise and

worship his Maker for his goodness. Yet for

all this and numerous other benefits, we have

only given in exchange sin and wickedness;

for God withholds not his goodness from us.

Though we may have but few or no good graces

of our own, may we not learn to imitate those

of others, and finally as other birds are not

ashamed of the humble mocking-bird singing

their pretty songs, because so correctly 

imitated, may we not follow in the plain 

footsteps of our dear Saviour so nearly that

 he may never be ashamed of us.

Let us all try to be pure and holy, that we

may be saved at last.





 E. B. LANE.

Edgefield Junction, Tenn.