The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-01-22
JUVENILE c0LuM.


TOT, watched the ANAL man with earn
est attention az he turned over the leaves
offhe .cresses. AT Last be saw him snatch
something, which looked like 1 little fab,
out Of the water, and put il in his pocket,
"It's my belief, Tom, he said, res0ming I
the conversation, "that you have been pug
cling yourJhead with what people call PO-
liticI Economy.
ssBut I've been thinking that don't see
why I'm to work any moro than those that
employ me.
4iWhy, you sec, Tom, you must have
money. Now it seems to mo that there are
but four ways of getting money there's
(which won't suit n,e.n Interrupted Tom.
every good. Then there's Borrowing.
(which don't want to do"
"And there's Begging /.
'sNo, thank you," said Tom stoutly.
"And there's giving moneys worth for
ttYour words are as fine as a Sermon"
said Tom.
ssBut look here, Tom,n proceeded the
man in green, drawing his hand out of his
pocket, and showing q little dripping fish in
his palm, "what do you call this Z"
81 call it very small minnOw," said
Tom.
"And do you SEQ anything particular
at looks uncommon bright" answered
Tom, stopping TO look aC IT,
at does" said the man in green, "and
now I'll tell you a secret, for Pm resolved
to be your friend. Every minnow in this
stream-they are very scarce. mind you
but every one of them has silver tail"
"You don't say so," exclaimed Tom,
opening his eyes very wide; "fishing for
minnows, and being ones own master,
would be a great deal pleasanter than the
sort of life I've been leading this many
day"
get them; and much good may g it do to
you, !" said the man in green. farewell,
ing he walked away, leaving Tom on the
| brink of the stream, full Of joy and pride.
He went to his master, and told him that
he had an opportunity Of lettering himself,
and should not work for him any longer.
The next day he arose with the dawn, and
went to work to search for -minnows. But
of all the minnows in the world never were
any SO nimble as those with silver tails.
They we're very shy, too, and had as many
turns and doubles as a hare !; what Q life
they led him They made him troll. up
the stream for miles; then, just as he
thought his chase was at an end, aud he
was sure of them, they would leap quite
out of the water, and dart down the stream
again like silver arrows. Miles and miles
he went, tired, and wet, and hungry. He
came home late in the evening, completely
wearied and footsore, with only three min
nows in his pocket, each with q silver tail.
ssBut at any rate" he said to himself, as
he lay down in his bed, s'though they lead
me pretty life, aud Ihave to work harder
than ever, yet certainly am free; no man
can order me about now"
This went on for whole week he work
ed very hard but on Saturday afternoon
he had only caught fourteen minnows.
"If il wasn't for the pride of the thing,
4 he said TO himself, sfId have NO more t.
do with ishing for minnows. This is tht
hardest work ever did. am quite 9
dodge in and out, splash myself, and
/. broiI myself in the sun, and all for the sake
Of a dumb thing, that getsthe better of me
, with q wag fits fins. But it's no use stand
ing here talking must setOH to the towI
: and sell them, or Sally will wonder why
don't bring her the weeks money" So IL
- walked to the town, and offered his fsh TO-
:, sale as great euriosities.
every pretty" said the first people b,
showed them to but they never bought
r anything that was not useful"
r "were they good to eat :" asked the wo
: man at the next house. "No Then the.
= would not have them"
d "Much too DEAR" said a third.
i "And net very curious" said a fourth
It "but theyhoped he had come by them hon
% estly."
y At the 4fth house they said, so! pooh
10 when he {XnlDlCcU Ln&u. NO HOJ JUG.
d were not Quite so silly as to believe ther
is were fish 10 the world with silver tails
II there had been, they should often hav
y heard of }hem before"
At the Sxth house they were such YER
q. long tine turning over his fish, pinchin
ts their tailed bargaining and discussing then
a. that he vdntured to remonstate, and requee
It that theyishould make more haste. Ihere
!, nnon then said if he did not choose to wal
-, +bair nleAure thew would not purchase 8
y ali. So tkey shut the door upon him; an
he as this sosred his temper, ne spoke Iaent
Ie roughly q the next two houses, ana we
q. dismissedat once as very rude, unciv
o. person.
ny But aftlr all, his fish were really gre;
ID, curiositiel; and when he had exhibte
ne them all Eer the town, set them out in q
&c lights. pHised their Projections, aud take
IT immense baips to conceal his impatient
and ill-tehper, he Mt length contrived
'n' sell them kll, and got exactly fourteen do
q lars for tlfm and no more.
as sNow, 1itten you what, Tom farmer
ne he said tosiimself, Sin my opinion you,
~, been making great fool of yourself, and
81 only hopeFally will not find 1t out. 1c
rat was tired Il being q nottingham, ana tn
: 81. man in gren has cheated you into doiI
IA. ..n the harde4 weeks work you ever did
W. your life, ~ making you believe it W
100, more freelike and easier. Well, you sa
-eo YOU didn'kmind it, because you had ]
vas master; bit I've found out this afternoo
q 1 Tom, andi don't mind you knowing
T. that eyerybne of those customers of you