THE STORK POSTMAN

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 18, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 20.

THE STORK POSTMAN.

SOME children living in one of the northern provinces of Germany, says Our Animal Friends, discovered that a stork had made its nest upon their roof. All the summer they shared their tidbits with their long-legged friend, which became very tame and companionable.

When the cold weather came, the stork prepared to flit to warmer climes. The children were sad at the thought of losing their pet, but their parents consoled them with the assurance that the bird would surely return the next spring. So the children consulted together, and wrote a little note, stating that the stork was very dear to them, and begging the good people in the winter to be kind to their pet, and send it back to them in the spring.

They fastened the note to a ribbon, tied it round the bird's neck, and tucked it under its wing. The next day they watched the stork wing its way to milder skies. When the spring came again, behold! one fine morning there it was, tame and gentle as ever.

Great was the children's delight, but what was their surprise to discover round its neck and under its wing another bright band with a note attached. It was from a missionary in Africa, stating that he had read the children's note and had cared for the stork, and thought that children whose hearts had prompted them to provide for the comfort of a bird through the winter, would be willing to help clothe and feed the destitute children of his mission.

The children were full of sympathy, and the missionary's note won a golden answer from the family. Other letters came and went by post, until by and by the children learned to know the missionary and his little black waifs almost as well as they knew the beloved stork that had proved so trusty a messenger.