Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1877-07-12
A LESSON ABOUT DILIGENCE.

who disguised himself, and during
the night placed Il great stone in the
middle of the road, near his palace.
Next morning a sturdy peasant
named Hahns, came that way with his
numbering OK cart. ''Oh these lazy
people, said he, there is this big
stone right in the middle Of road, and
no one will take the troble to put it
out of the way" And 50 lIahns
went OH his way, scolding about the
! lazinesS Of the people.
Next came gay soldier along. He
had a bright plume waving from his
hemlet, and Il sword dangling by his
side, and went singing merely on his
way, His head WIS held so far back
that he didn't notice the stone, so he
stumbled over it. This stopped his
song. and lie began to storm at the
country people, and called them
''boors and hlOckheads, for leaving
large rock in the road for Il gentle
man to fall over" Then lie weH
on.
Next came a company of merchants
with pack-horses and goods, on their
WAY to the t;lir that was to he held at
the village near the dukes palace.
When they came to the stone the
road WAS SO narrow that they had TO
90 off in single file on either side.
One of them, named Bcrthold, cried
out, did anybody ever see the like
of that bic stone living here all the
morning, and no one stopped to take
it away"
| 1t lay there for tIrec weeks; and
nobody tried to remove it. Then the
/ duke sent round word to all the pco-
! pie on his land to meet ut Il deep cut
( in the road, called D0rnthon, near
where this stone lay, as he had some
thing to tell them.
| The dav came, and a great crowd
gathered ut the DOrnthou. Each
side of the cut was thronged with
people overlooking the road. Old
Hahns, the farmer, was there, and 50
was Bcrthold, the merchant.
| And now winding horn was heard
and the people strained their
nccks and eyes toward the castle as u
splendid cavalcade came galIOping up
to the Dornthou. The duke rode
into the cut, got down from his horse,
and with a pleasant smile began to
/ speak to the people thus:
My friends, it was who put this
stone 1Erc three weeks, ago. Every
passcrby has left this tone just where
it was, and has scoldcd his ncighbur
| for nos taking it ont OF the way
When he had spoken. these words
he stopped down, and lifted up the
stone. Directly underneath il, was
a round hollow lined with white peh-
bles, and in the hollow lay a small
leather bag. The duke held it up
that all the people might see what
was written on it. On "a piece of pa
per, IA stcnd to the bag, were these
words "For him WHO lifts up the
stone" lie united the bag, and
turned it upside down, and out fell IA
beautiful gold ring and twenty large
bright golden coins.
Then tv1ryboly wished that he had
moved the stone. instead of going
round it and only blaming his neigh
hors. They all lost the prize because
they had not learned the lesson. or
formed the habit Of helplulness. Aud
we shall loose many Il prize. rs We 90
on in life, five don't form this habit.
That bag Of money WAS the dukes
prr mise of Il reward for hclplulness.
But that promise was hidden away M
der the stone so that no one could
see it. Gods promises are not hid
dcn in this way. They are written
plainly out in the Bible, so that We
may all see them and understand
them.
DIR. Franklin used to say: "What
though you have found no treasure,
and had no legacy left You, never
mind. Remember that diligence is
the mother Of good luck. Then,
Plough deep while sluggards sleep,
And YOU will have corn to sell and
keep.
Work while it is called to-day, for
you know not how much You may he
mndcred tomorrow. One to-day is
worth two to-morrows; and neve"
leave till tomorrow anything that
you can do to day"