Freeman's champion., 1857-08-13
The Ugly Sucker.

There grew little time since, in
Mr.. Graham's garden, damask rose
The tree was small in itself, but il
used to produce large quantities Of
very beautiful flowers. Mr.. Graham
was very lond OF his tree and many
q time has he cut its richred blossoms
and sent them to- some sick person
to adorn and perfume his room.rlo.i
In process of time Mr.. Graham
began to think that his tree would
not keep up its character, and that ht
would not have flowers There were
leaves and thorns in abundance, but
nothing more. At length Mr. Gra-
ham appliedto neighboring gardner.
"Why, sir" said the gardener,
"this long sucker is doing all the
mischief; it has taken all the strength
out OF the plant, and tho sooner it
comes off the better" So saying,
with one cut Of his knife he laid il
low. i.V ,ta.~.a ,as.y .5 iJ
The truth was, this ugly sucker had
for a long time been doing it the
greatest mischief; it had taken away
all the nourishment. from avsrypor-
tion of the plant, and there was not
bud or leaf that did not feel it's ex-
hausting drain. And, while it was
thus proudly exhaltihg itself, and
making magnificent show, and ta-
king away nourishment from every
thing within its reach, it was really y
good for nothing. New that the
ugly sucker is gone, the rosebush is
as good as it was in its brightest
days. n o1aa- .
Sometimes a very ugly sucker
springs upin tile heart and does great
damage there. We sometimes see
many very beautiful flowers in child's
life, such as kindness to companions,
and gentleness Of disposition, and
diligence to study, and efforts to please
and denial of self, until up springs
something that injures them all, and
they begin to languish and die. gos
Selfshness is an ugly sucker; it
will mako everything else llanguish I;
it will take q prominent place; no
doubt,--alas ! only too prominent
it will suck everything else to feed
itself; and, when it has grown and
thriven, what has it to show? Moth
ing but what's disproportioned, with
cut beauty oruse. Avoid selishness,
dear reader there are fewuglisr and
more mischievous suckers than that.
Pride is another ugly sucker how
high it starts up ! what figure it
makes how much it strives to out.
top all around how little does it
concern itself about detracting from
its neighbor, provided only it can feed
itself! 1t must need concentrate all
attentions upon itself. But q haugh-
ty spirit goes before fall and, il
anything is to be done to aVcrt,the
the threatened ruin, the knife must
be produced +; this pride mustbe cut
down. 1t will not do to prunc it q
little at the top, to hope it will come
to good, or anything of the kind it
must be served altogether and cast
AWAY. ia'c Aha ~
b ldlsness is another very ugly suck
er,--one which | am sorry to say, is
/ by no means uncommon and runs
very high. You generally find that
there is little to admire in an idle boy;
idleness seems to withera multitude
Of good feelings which otherwise
might have produced beautiful oblos-
SONS. 1t is hard to be idle without
being viciousj and idlenessif it has
nothing else to feed upon, will live
on aman's soul, and then everything
is in the fair way not only TO Ian
| guish, but to die. ,iUyreA JOY
Try your own heart, dear reader,
and see whether you have anything
springing up there at all like this
ugly sucker. If 80, cut it dewn at
once; so long as you allow it to re-
main, it will dwarf and starve every
thing that is good Pray, too, for
Che Holy Spirit Of God to assist you
in this blessed work. 1931 HtNa9.
Nf ----s-a---'s--'n---rss----~-~ ann.
AN INpiDEL REBUKED, AN inhdol,