Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-07
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
FABLES BY J. K. PAULDING.
The drop Of ,cater, the brook, the riusr, and til.
ocean.

The drop Of ,rater, the brook, the riusr, and til.
ocean.
A DROP Of water that sparkled like level in
| the sun, once fell from the clouds, into little
mountain stream. and ere il lost its identity ex.
! claimed 10 all the anguish Of dissolution, "Alas
what catastrophe-I am swallowed up in i'm.
mensity." The little stream laughed, as il leap.
ed down the mountain side, at the lamentation Of
such an insignificant thing as drop of water,
and, vain of its consequence, continued brawling
it's chrystal way in ali the pride Of concious 50,
periority, until at length, with sudden plunge,
it fell hpadlong into mighty river, and, like the
drop Of water, was lost 10 moment, crying out,
IN its last agonies, 40, Fate! who would have
thought brook Of my size could be swallowed so
easily9" The river murmured its contempt for
the little foolish stream, and continued its course,
gathering strength and pride, breaking through
mountains, tearing the rocks from their seats,
aud coursing, in thousand graceful meanders,
through fuwery meadows, until it found its way
to the vast and melancholy ocean, in whose
boundless waste it lost its being like the drop Of
water, and the little mountain stream. -sIs 10
possible" exclaimed the mighty river, that |
have been thus collecting tribute from half
world, only to become nothing at last!"
IT'S thuswith thee, D man!-Thou beginnest
in insignifcAnce. like the drop of water; thou
becomest laughing, leaping, brawling thing,
like the brook; thou waxest proud and great,
like the mighty river; and ere thou canst say. in
the vanity Of thy heart, '.What an ilIustrious
mortal am l." thou art lost in eternity.
The Mole. Hill and the Mountain.
A TOWERING mountain raised it head to the
skies on one side Of wide aud deep valley; on
the other, little moIe.hill lay basking 10 the
sun. As it contemplated the distant mountain,
shooting its snow capt brow into the regions OF
boundless space, far above the clouds, and be-
held the aided glories Of its distant summit, the
moIe-hiil became disseminated at the awful and
majestic outlines Of its mighty neighbor; It wished
thousand times tbatit could raise its head above
the clouds, it sighed at the thought that it could
never become mountain, and impeached the
Justice Of the gods, for having made it only
mole hill, to be trodden upon by man, and crawl.
ed over BY the most contemplate insects. In
short, it pned itself into wretchedness, and sac
rificed ali the comforts Of its own littleness to
the desire of becoming great.
As it one day lay gazing upward at the dis
tant object Of its envy, storm suddenly gather.
ed around the summit of the mountain; the light
nings leaned with forked tongues, the thunder
rolled the tempest dashed it's lofty sides aud the
torrents poured down, tearing their way, and
ploughing deep ravines in their course, while all
beneath remained perfectly quiet, and the little
mole hill lay basking in the sunbeams of sum.
mer morning. Scarcely had the storm passed
away, when the earth began to rock and trenble
As with an ague, rumbling and appalling noise
RACED in the bowels Of the mountain, which sud.
denly burst. throwing volumes Of smoke, and
showers Of fire into the peaceful skies, that turn
ed from blue to glowing red. Rivers OF burn
ing sand eusaed out from its sides, coursing their
way towards the valley, and scratching the verdure
and the woods into black smoking ruins. In few
hours the majestic mountain seemed as it were dis
embowelled, and, having nothing to sustain it, Tell
in with crashi,hat shook the surrounding world,
and hid the ambient skiesin chaos Of dust and
ashes The mole.hill had all this time remain
cd quiet and safe in its lowly retreat, and when
the obscurity had become disnpated, and it beheld
the grea. object Of its envy crumbled into mass
of smoking ruins, il became all OF sudden the
happiest Of mole-hiIls. "Body o. me-" it cried,
.but it is great blessing to be little. OTerra!
| thank thee, that thou didst not make the noun.
tain!"
The Revenge ofthe Beasts.