The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-04-10

4 but shut my mind to that truth then.
Meanwhile, as | was changing in char
acter, so also was the earth-for it wa
consolidating and hardening. The Who'll,
mass was becoming packed together, ant
there was so much material to be dis
posed of that there were tig Int squeezes il
places-so tight that sometimes fractions
rocks broke out in fire ard flames, and de
clared that they could not and would moi
stand it, that they mould have room to ex
pand as they chose. OF course in this
general squeezing | got much crushed
and wherever | was pushed | met witt
insult. Even the little room / took III
] was grudged me.
~ Finally got thrown in with company
of minerals, who held themselves immeas
urably my superiors.
q" It's shame" | often heard them de
clare, " that that bit of old bone should
be in our way"
So they rubbed and knocked against
me, pushed and .iostled, till they did sue.
ceed in fretting me to less than half my
original size; and even when everything
had subsidized, and had found tiny cor
ner to rest in, they often cast Jealous eyes
fupeM1t. q Ihey were not pleasant COM
panions; but bore all their unkindness
in silence. L remembered how disagree
able l had made myself to others, and
felt that was, paying just penalty.
II L could have gone away, and left
them the space they so unwillingly
awarded me. how gladly would | have
done so! But there was no possibility OF
my escaping, buried as | was, deep in the
earth. So lived on, sunk in my little
hole, as far out of sight as l could, quiet
and unobtrusive, never speaking unless
were addressed, which did not happen
twice in all the ages. My whole exist
ence was depreciation for my unwelcome
presence.
l think they might have been kinder
when they saw how humble was. How
ever, they were not: and perhaps it was
as well, for | was only a scrap of old
bone, | kept repeating to nyself-only a
fragment of once mighty monster; but
such poor fragment that | very made.
| quately represented him. 1t was better
should leave it alone than attempt it, for
should only have met with ridicule and
incredulity.
VI course knew nothing of the flight
of time; | only know that it was centuries
[ lived down there, an old bone among
those aristocratic minerals. And, as the
years rolled on, think they grew to de-
spise me more and more. If could have
done anything t. make them improve
their opinion of me, | would have done it,
But | could only remain quiet, and think
back on the grand old days when we had
led such a free, wild life, my master
and |.
don't know why the minerals thought
worse of me as time passed. | think it
must have been because they had nothing
to do. and it was little amusement to
them to abuse me. Anyway, they often
called out to me in injurious tones, that
had lost my only beauty-my fine white
complexion; and they wondered | was
not ashamed to show my ugly, changed
face in their circle. | bore it all in silence
what should | have gained by replying
And if | had lost my complexion, how
could help it, | thought; we none of us
improve by age, suppose, and if they
were indestructibe and unalterable was
not cOnceited enough to think was.
| \ on see, it was not happy life led
down there, but it, too, came to an end
AS | say | have found all things do in this
world, if we only wait long enough.
Great disturbances occurred about us
after our long quiet. l, accustomed tC
such matters, thought they foreboded an.
other convulsion, and, as my position in
life could but be improved, | hailed the
sounds gladly, rejoicing at the thought
of release from my neighbors. | was
somewhat mistaken. The disturbances
| l.
those beings who were at that time stran-
gers to me, though now they are familiar
friends.
a shaft was being sunk in the ground
for the place of our abode had been pro-
nounced vauable mine, likely TO produce
copper. Daily the intruders came nearer
our dwelling, | could hear hem ham,
mering, breaking, and rending. My
neighbors grew alarmed; they had not
wished to be disturbed out of their even,
peaceful existence.
AT last one day the men penetrated to
us. With curious eyes l looked upon
them. They seemed so tiny to me after
the living beings | had been accustomed
masters heel would have crushed them
to atoms. But they were well-looking,
wellformed animals, and | took rather a
fancy to them from the first.
How relentlessly they tore away mass
after mass of ore! | really felt quite sor-
ry for the minerals, unfriendly though
they had been; they seemed to feel the
separation so much, and resisted the in
struments as long as their strength would
allow. The mass in which | had nestled
was torn off too, and we were all convey
ed into the outer air. Here we were hand
ed over for inspection to a man who di-
vided worthless pieces from valuable, and
| was fully prepared when my turn came
10 be thrown away as a useless piece OF
old bone. How could l know that time
had wrought transformation in me?
Judge, then, of my intense surprise,
when, having examined me closely and
| turned me over and over in his hand, the
man called our,
1--WE have indeed find here. See this
| splendid turquoise L have discovered i'm
bedded in piece of copper. How beauti-
ful it is ! what a lovely blue :"
1t really took ire some moments before
| could realize that l was the object OF
these praises.
There was no doubt about it, however
| for | was handed from one to another, and
ardently admired, till at last the finder
folding me carefully in a piece of soft linen
he would ask a jeweler about my worth
was as curious as he about the verdict
! could not understand what had happen
ed to my poor, humble old self, and how
|, so long despised, sheuld suddenly have
assumed value in every ones eyes. | die
wish the copper could have seen my tri
umph, and witnessed in what estimation
men held me. Then the recollection that
after all, was only an old bone rushed
over me; | was perhaps unconsciously
acting delusive part, and when the jew
eler saw me | should be found out. Fol
how was 1t possible tina | could have be
come costly thing, unless men prizeC
old bones? and that | could hardly i'm
agine.
How glad | was when we arrived at the
jewelers., and | was taken out of my en-