SYMPATHY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 2 (Supplement)

SYMPATHY.

(By Veronica Posselt, Reuben Avenue, Brooklyn, Wellington, age 16 years.) One beautiful sunny day, |vhen the birds chirping eaily in the trees, and the whole world seemed full of life, a little boy and a little girl lay upon their front lawn, and cazed with sorrow at two dear little canaries which were in a cape on a verandah of their neighbour s house. "Isn't it t shame," said the little boy, "that those little birds are shut up in that little cage, while other birds are flying gaily about in the sunshine fossicking for grubs, having their quarrels, flitting here and there, but free to go where thay please?" "Yes," said the little girl, "the poor little things have no room to fly about, and they never get nice, fat, juicy grubs to eat. They must get terribly tired of seed and water. I'd love to let them out." The little boy's expression became more sorrowful, and the little girl industriously dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Mr. Canary whistled gaily, and nudging Mr*. Canary with his beak, drew her attention to a little girl and boy lying on the lawn of the house next door. "See those humans," he whistled, "well, they are always running about, calling 'Coming, ready or not? or 'You're hit,' and various other peculiar expressions that I can't think of. I think they must be looking for a nice, comfortable cage like ours." "Probably they are," said Mrs. Canary, "but I don't think they, have found one, for the little human with the long hairs seems to be crying. Poor dears; outcasts, that's what they are. Not a soul to bring them seed and water. That seed we had this morning was delicious, wasn't it?'' "Yes, the 6eed was delicious," replied Mr. Canary. "Do you know," he continued, "this cagc has been in our family for seventeen generations. Those rungs are brass, the floor is porcelain, and what is more, we have always had a human slave to bring us more seed and water, clean our cage, and to keep that horrid black cat out of the way. You see, they are looking at our cage all the tima. Oh, I do hope." he continued/n. a trembling voice, -that the poor dears find cne. i j hnmang do, though, and even then they have to be led there by big men in blue uniforms." Mr. Canary flicked a big tear from his eye, while Mrs. Canary smothered her sobs in the seed bottle.