The Union and journal., 1870-12-09
A True Story.

In tho field back Of my house. and up
the hill. are two nice springs. From one
I draw water to my house through pipes,
while tho water from the other goes TO
my barn and my neighbor's house. The
water runs very swiftly. because Il Is run.
ming down hill. It Is far easier to run
down hill than Il Is to run up.
The pipe enters this spring. not mt the
| top of the water. nor at the bottom either.
II were Mt the top, the scum would get
into tho pipe, and floating bug now and
then. II Il were at the bottom, dregs and
sediment would get In. So the pipe goes
in about six inches below the top Of the
water.
When we are drawing water at the
barn for the horses, and my neighbor
draws water at the same time for her
washing-day, the pipe sucks Mt q great
rate. But Il draws In nothing but pure
water. ifall floating things keep at the top.
and all heavy things lie still at tho bottom.
Now for my story.
One morning there was gay young
frog about as big as half my thumb-too
big for t,dpole, too small for wise frog.
He could 60 just where he pleased. He
did not have to float with the bugs, for he
knew how to dive. He did not have to
stay at the bottom with the dregs, for he
knew how to swim. So he kicked out his
little hind legs and swan all around the
spring, doing very much rs he pleased.
One day he saw the little, round black
hole of the pipe, where the water was run
ming In quite freely. He wondered where
it led To. He put his nose In and felt the
water pull, and was little scared and
backed out. But It was such funny feel.
ing to be sucked that way; 1t felt kind OF
good round his nose, and he swan up,
and looked in again. He went In as much
rs half an inch, and then the water got
behind him and he was drawn all In.
Here goes' said he. II shall see ,chat
I shall .seer And along he went with the
water, till he came to where the pipe
makes bend for my barn-a sharp bend,
straight up. As the water was quiet there
he gave little kick and got mp intoa still.
dark place. close by the barrel where the
horse drinks. WELL said he, lisa snug
place here. but rather lonely and dark
Now and then he thought Of the spring,
and the light, and the splendid room no
used to have to swim in, and he tried 10
swim back against the stream. But the
water was on him. or running by him
swiftly, and he had no room to kick In tho
pipe. So every time he started to 60
back to the spring he would work hard
for few minutes, and then get tired and
slip back into tho dark place by tho bar
rel. .f#'r
BY and by he grew contented there.
The. water brought him enough to cat.
He shut his eyes and grew stupid. stopped
exercising and got Fat, and rs he had no
room to grow very big in the pipe, he had
to grow all long. and no broad. But he
grew rs big rs he could. till ut last no
stopped up the pipe.
Then had to go out and SEQ what was
tho matter, for the horse had nothing to
drink. jcrked away the barrel. pulled
out tho little plug and put ra,nrod down
felt springy, leathery something, and
pushing, down 1t went, and out gushed
the water. "What ,ods THAI" thought.
So pulled out the big plug, and put down
an iron raarod and churned 1t two or
three times, and then let the water run,
and out came great, long, rcd and white
and bleeding frog.
couldn't put him together again. Any
thing that gets sucked up into that pipe
and grows up In those dark places, has to
come ont dead, and all in pieces. won.
dered how such big frog could over have
got into so small pipe. Then wise
isdy in INV house told me, "why, he went
in whom he was little and foolish, and
grew up in there!"
can not get that poor frog out Of my
mind. Ho was so like some young folks
that I have seen. They frolicked up to
the door of theater. or they stood
and looked into u bar-roOm, or they
Just wanted to 60 to one ball. or got out
behind the barn to smoke pipe, or went
off sleigh.riding with some gay young
man without asking leaye-or some way
put their foolish noses into dark holo
that felt funny. and led, they didn't know
where. Pretty soon, In they 90. When
they want TO get back. they can't; and
they grow bigger, and wickeder, and all
out Of shape IN that dark place. If they
come out at last, they are all jammed up.
Knocked to pieces. sick. or dying, or dead.
When see them In their collins, hear
folks ask. "IIOw came he to throw himself
away SOP" "What made him drink HIM
self to tleathp" "How happened she to 60
of, to infamyP" "How came he to be
gamblcr2"
Then shall answer as the wise lady
told mo about the frog. "They went In
when they were little and foolish, and
grew up there" Abad habit hugs man
tighter. and jams him out of shape worse
than my pires did that poor frog.
- II Daa.La. a, .iiIc Eor-noraI