Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-09


ing such lesson as this. His intention
was doubtless good, but his Judgment
was at fault, and there is no other writer
who may not err in the same way The
| only safe course is for the parent to
satisfy himself of the character of the
books he gives his children, either by
careful reading or by taking the opinion
of those in whose Judgment and fidelity
he can place implicit confidence. And
1t is well worth while to expend time and
incur trouble in this matter if childhood
Is worthy OF our care-if purity of soul
and honesty Of life, and all tina. goes to
make manhood and womanhood noble,
are worth anything. and Home.
| The Prince and His Ring.
| The King was dead, and the Prince,
young and inexperienced, came to the
throne. But, because ne feared God and
loved justice. he shrank from exercising
| authority, and care sat heavy at his heart
| Greatly he desired to associate with him
in the government gsod and wise men;
but, while he doubted and feared, the
days went by and the vacant offices were
still untitled. Judgment was not executed,
for there were no Judges; the wrongs of
the innocent were not redressed, nor were
the guilty punished. The people muir
INJURED; but still the Prince hesitated and
feared to act. At length he sent for An
| Girls, the magician, and said: Fashion
for me talisman that shall reveal to me
the hearts of men. Let no evil in deed or
word Or thought exist that shall not be re-
vealed by the talisman which thou shall
create" 80, mighty Prince" said An
Girls, ITO hear is to obey, and the thing
which thou hast commanded shall assur-
edly be done" Again the DAYS went by,
and the people marveled that still the
Prince delayed to organize his Cabinet
and name his Prime Minister. And MANY
evil things were done on account of the un-
settled state of the empire; but the Prince
said nothing, thinking: "Only a few
days more and all will be made right"
At length Anciris appeared, and showed
the Prince marvellous ring. 1t was in
scribed within and without with sacred
| symbols and was set with rare gems. 1t
had, moreover, the double power of rem
! dering its Wearer invisible and revealing
to him all the evil that dwelt in the hearts
of those upon whom he CHANGED to look.
'Now shall be able to choose my Off
GERS with wisdom" said the Prince, 'and
to administer the laws Justly, never con-
| founding the innocent with the guilty
| shall know the Utmost thoughts of my
mobiles, and who are truly attached to my
person. No disguise will avail anything,
for | shall read mems motives as one
reads the pages of an open book"
SO the Prince put the ring upon his
finger, and went out to test the virtues Of
his talisman and see what was done in
the city. AT first he could hardly repress
the feeling Of indignation that no one
rose at his coming, that heads remained
covered, and the talk went on regardless
| OF his presence. Then, remembering
that he was unseen, he addressed himself
to the study of character as it was pre-
scented to him under this new aspect. He
| listened to the conversation of the no.
bles who had been his fathers counselors,
and was shocked to see the discrepancy
between their thoughts and words.
Startling revelations met him at every
turn. Men who had expressed the utmost
devotion to his person regarded his char
acter with secret contempt, and studied
how they would turn his weakness to
their own advantage. Those who had
protested the love of virtue We're self
seeking and unprincipled. One was dis
honest, another covetous; this one lust
fui, that one ambitious; and even the
sanity Prime Minister-his fathers friend
spoke half-truths and had other mo-
tives than those he avowed
"These are the vices of the rich said
the Prince. "Among the loWlv I shall
find the virtue that flies the palace and
the court
SO he wandered from street to street,
looking into the homes of people in vari-
Gus conditions. He had asked that the
evils of men might be disclosed TO him;
| but it seemed to him that he found moth
| ing but evil. All lives were black with
it. Evil propensities darkened all Char
acters Even the little children we're
wanting in innocence-already putting
forth the symptoms Of terrible depravity.
At length, overwhelmed with what he
saw, the Prince retraced his steps TO the
palace, and, seeking his private apart
ment, sent for the magician.
"Take back thy evil gift" said he,
plucking the ring from his finger. Cast
at the center of the world Let no man
henceforth behold what | have this day
seen. Would that as easily as l put by
thy gift | might put away the remem-
| brance of what it has disclosed. Win back
from the grave of yesterday the faith I
have lost
eff your majesty" SAID the magician,
'will put the ring on the other hand, you
may find a counter charm for the knowl-
| edge which you deplore; for then shall
you see the good in others, and the evil
| that dwells in your own heart"
Again tie Prince put the ring upon his
finger, and sat silent and with closed
eyes, while all evil he had ever done, and
all that, under favoring circumstances, he
might have done, was revealed to him.
Raising, at length, his streaming eyes to
heaven, he said: ''God, thank Thee that
henceforth | need know the secrets Of no
heart save my own. May its weakness
and sins teach me day by day the lesson
Of humility. Finding so much imperfec-
ton IN myself, let me not look for perfec-
ton in others; and, striving to improve
my life, may l learn charity for all men,
and seek ever to be guided by Thy wis
dom, led by Thy truth, even as a little
child is led by his father"
That night, as the Prince slept, ali
angel bore away from his remembrance
the visions of the day; and, when next
he looked into the faces of his lords and
mobiles, into the faces of his subjects
men and women and little children-he
saw the good that was in each, the posi-
BILE beauty to which, through the minis
trations of Gods providence, they slowly
grew. But the evils OF his own heart he
saw clearly, and day by day he put them
from him by good works, by humility,
and by unceasing vigilance.
No longer seeking an impossible pertec-
E