Today's farewell crumb on this blog features words from the birds

Railway employee saves boy, and more.

After saving the life of a little boy who fell on the tracks, an Indian railway employee went viral on the Internet for his kindness. Now he's being praised again -- this time for giving the boy's family money the Ministry of Railways gave him as a reward.

When 30-year-old Mayur Shelke was given $660 from the Ministry in a special ceremony, he decided to donate a good portion toward the education of the boy he saved. "I'll give half of the amount, given to me as a token of appreciation, for that child's welfare and education," he said. "I came to know that his family isn't financially strong. So I decided this."

"He was miming for his life."

Marcel Marceau's talent for pantomime entertained audiences around the world for over 60 years. It also saved hundreds of Jewish children during the Holocaust. Born to a Jewish family in Strasbourg, France, in 1923, he was a fan of Charlie Chaplin and dreamed of performing in silent movies. When he was 16, the Nazi's invaded France and the Jews of Strasbourg fled for their lives. Marcel changed his last name to Marceau to avoid being identified as Jewish, and he joined the French resistence.

Masquerading as a boy scout, Marcel evacuated a Jewish orphanage in eastern France. He told the children he was taking them on a vacation in the Alps, and led them to safety in Switzerland. He made this perilous journey three times, saving hundreds of Jewish orphans. He was able to keep the children quiet by entertaining them with silent pantomime. According to a friend, "Marceau started miming to keep children quiet as they were escaping. It had nothing to do with show business. He was miming for his life."

Crumbs of Comfort ends in 3 days

This daily Crumbs of Comfort blog started seven years go. Since then, 2,368 crumbs have been viewed 180,000 times by readers in the United States (561), Russia (85), Germany (47), India (17), France (11), and several other nations. One reader from Spain wrote, "Thanks for your crumbs. I have posted three of them on my blog, citing the source, to improve my English. Thanks again from Barcelona." The time has come to end this blog, so you will only receive three more daily crumbs before we go "off the air." It's been an honor to share good news with you, and I thank you for your kind support.

A springtime crumb

The town of Ladysmith, in British Columbia, Canada, was pretty much unknown until this bush put it on the map. A giant rhododendron spanning 25 feet by 30 feet blooms about 4,000 blossoms every spring.

It's almost 125 years old, and has become such a botanical wonder online and by in-person visitors that it's been given its own name -- Lady Cynthia. Photos of an elderly woman standing next to the bush have circulated on the internet, claiming she actually planted the bush. This has not been verified, but if she's a long-time resident of Ladysmith, she watched the bush grow from a small shrub to the resplendent bush we see today.

That's a good boy!

A family's beloved pet dog nearly drowned after falling into a backyard pool when the owners were not home. It happened in Boksburg City, South Africa. Byron Thanarayen, the pets' owner, said he and his wife were initially confused when they returned home and found both dogs wet.

The family decided to check their security cameras, where they discovered the smaller dog, Chucky, had fallen into the pool. Fortunately, the larger dog, Jessie, was nearby and worked to lift Chucky to safety. It reportedly took Jessie 34 minutes to successfully lift Chucky out of the pool. Apparently the smaller pup's wet fur kept causing him to fall out of Jessie's mouth.

A dog crumb, from the Detroit River

For four days and three nights this past February, a dog stranded on an ice floe in the icy waters of the Detroit River beween the U.S. and Canada struggled to stay alive. Concerned parties on both sides of the boarder tried to find a way to save the pup, but the extreme elements were against them. That's when Jude Mead and his son, who own a marine construction company in Windsor, Ontario, set off in an airboat. They were able to pilot their way aross the ice. They found and rescued the dog with relative ease.

After surviving so long in sub-zero temperatures, under the threat of prowling coyotes, the pooch was in rough shape and was taken to an animal hospital. He suffered frostbite and dehydration, but vets speculated that his matted fur was a blessing in disguise, since it helped keep him warm. After recovery, the lucky pup was named Miracle and put up for adoption. Many applied, but when the man who plucked him out of the ice stepped forward, the shelter staff agreed nothing would feel more right than reuniting them.