THE FIRST GRIEF.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 12, 22 September 1909, Page 58

THE FIRST GRIEF.

(Written specially for the Cousins, by

COUSIN KATE.)

When I was a very little girl indeed there hung in our nursery a picture called “ The First Sorrow.” It was ot some children gathered round a bird-cage —full of trouble—for one of them held in her hand the cage’s pretty tenant, dead. Last week I read in the American “World’s Work” a story something like that picture, only much sadder, and I knew it would interest the cousins—my cousins who have so many pets, and never need go hungry. It was written by Alexander Irvine, now a great man, though, at the time the story happened, a very, very poor little boy. Poor as he was, he had one treasure, a pet pigeon, and he prized it with all the love of his young Irish heart. From Monday morning until twelve o’clock on Saturday night young Irvine’s father mended shoes. But he could not earn enough money to satisfy his twelve children, and they often went hungry. Once a week this shoemaker left work for a w'hole day, that was on Sunday. Then the mother put on a pretty frilled cap, and the children were not even allowed to whistle a hymn tune. But on that one day they feasted — on some meat and some nettle broth—they could never afford to keep a pig. There was a quaint custom among the poor folks of that town. They took each other presents of their broth on Sundays. One Sunday our little hero thought he tasted something different from the familiar flavour in his broth. Nettle broth he knew, but this fine-tasting thing he did not understand. Alas! some days before he had missed his beloved pigeon; and had mourned for it in vain. A tragic thought crossed his mind, and forced him to ask questions. The dreadful truth then came out. His precious pigeon had been stewed to enrich the Sunday feast,