The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-05-29
THE IMPROVED lESOP.
For Intelligent Modern Children.
BY BRET HARTE
I. THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.

| Bh BRET HARTE.
I. THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.
A thirsty fox one day, in passing
| through a vineyard, noticed that the
| grapes we're hanging in clusters from
vines which were trained to such q
height as to be out of his reach
| "Ah," said the fox, with supercili-
| Gus smile, 1--WE heard of this before
In the twelfth century an ordinary fox
| of average culture would have wasted
his strength and energy il the vain
attempt to reach yonder sour grapes.
Thanks to my knowledge of vine cul-
ture, howeva.4 [ at once observe that
the great height and extent of the vine,
the drain upon the sap through the in
creased number of tendrils and leaves
must, of necessity, impoverish the grape,
and render it unworthy the considera-
for me, thank YOU" With these words,
he coughed slightly, and withdrew.
MORAL This fable teaches us that
an intelligent discretion and some bo-
tanical knowledge. are of the greatest i'm
portance in grape culture.
II. THE FOX AND THE sToRK.
A fox one day invited stork to din
ner, but provided for the entertainment
only the first course-soup. This be-
ing in shallow dish, of course the fox
Tapped up readily, but the stork, by
means of his long bill was unable to
gain a mouthful.
You do not seem fond of SOUP"
said the fox, concealing smile in his
napkin. 'Now, it is one of my greatest
weaknesses"
"You certainly seem to project your.
self outside OF large quantity" said
the stork, rising with some dignity and
examining his watch with considerable
empressenaent; "but I have an APP
continent at eight o'clock which have
forgotten. I must ask to be excused.
Au reooir. By the way, dine with me
tomorrow"
The fox assented, arrived at the ap-
pointed time, but found, as he fully ex-
pected, nothing on the table but
single long knocked bottle, containing
olives, which the stork was completely
extracting by the aid of his long bill.
Why, you do not seem to eat any
vete, when he had finished the bottle.
"No," said the fox significantly, 81
am waiting for the second course"
What is that?" asked the stork
blandly.
the fox, in a very pronounced manner,
and Immediately dispatched him.
MoRAL-True hospitality obliges the
host to sacrifice himself for his guests.
III. THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
A wolf, one day, drinking from a rum
ming stream, observed a lamb also
drinking from the same stream at some
distance from him.
af 10 a
addressing the lamb with dignified Sc
verify, "what right you have to muddy
the stream from which I am drinking"
"Your premises are incorrect" re-
piled the lamb, with bland politeness,
''for if you will take the trouble to
examine the current critically, you will
observe that it flows from you to me,
and that any disturbance of sediment
here would be, so far as you are con-
cerned, entirely local"
Possibly you are right, returned
the wolf, "but If / am not mistaken,
you are the person who, two years ago,
used some influence against me at the
primaries"
Impossible" replied the lamb; "two
years ago l was not born"
"Ah! WELL" added the wolf, COM
posedly, 81 am wrong again. But it
must convince every intelligent person
who has listened to this conversation
that am altogether insane, and conse-
quently not responsible for my actions.
With this remark, he at once dis
patched the lamb, and was triumphantly
acquitted.
MoRAL-This fable teaches us how
erroneous may be the popular impres
sion in regard to the distribution of
alluvium and the formation of river
deltas