The Pet Bird Of The Ward

: Daddy's Bedtime Bird Stories

"Well," said daddy, "I suppose you are ready for your story, and this

evening I am going to tell you about a little boy I saw as I passed by a

ward in a hospital I was visiting to-day."



Jack and Evelyn sat up and listened eagerly, as they loved to hear about

other little boys and girls.



"This little boy," daddy continued, "was in the bed nearest the door I

passed, and I noticed him particula ly because on a table near his bed

was a large cage containing a small yellow canary bird. I asked the

nurse if pets were allowed in the ward and why this little boy

especially wanted a bird. She told me that the little boy was an orphan

and had been brought into the hospital one day, having been run over by

a motorcycle. He was very much injured, and they expected he would die

any minute. He was brave and scarcely moaned, but whenever the nurse

would stop by his bed he would beg her to send for his bird, which was

at the orphans' home. The nurse gently would explain that pets were not

allowed in the hospital. One night his fever became very high, and in

his rambling talk he begged for his canary. The doctor, who was a very

kind-hearted man, told the nurse to send for the bird, as the little boy

would not live more than a few days, and if the bird would give him such

great happiness they might be able to break a rule in his case.



"So the bird was sent for, and instead of dying the little boy began to

grow better each day, and the bird's singing entertained and gave

pleasure to the other patients in the ward. The bird was very tame, and

when the little boy opened the cage door he would hop out and over the

bed-quilt and perch on the little boy's hand.



"The canary made friends with every one. He was not at all afraid of the

grave doctors who came in every little while to see how the sick people

were getting along. Especially was he friendly with the little boy's

nurse, who fed him lumps of sugar.



"I stepped inside the room and asked the little boy how long he had had

the bird. 'Oh,' he said, 'a lady who came to visit the orphans' home

gave him to me when I was ill in bed with mumps! That was six years ago,

and he has been such a friend to me ever since. His name is Mumps, too,

as I thought his chest looked as fat as my cheeks, and the name has

always clung to him. He adores flowers, and whenever a patient has any,

Mumps flies over and pulls off the petals and eats them.'"



"Oh," said Evelyn as daddy paused, "I wish I could have a canary!"



"Well, maybe I'll bring you one to-morrow," replied daddy.



"And I'll help you feed him," said Jack.