The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-03-30
The Little Folks Column.
Berries Dream.

shall"
Little BERTHE Foss read this pro-
vero i'll bis aunt's handwriting on
a card in his arithmetic.
"Ho, no." he sighed, 81 wonder
what that has got to do with this
hard lesson"
BERTHE did not like his books
very well. He could read a short
story III his paper, or an anecdote
in his history, but would rather be
at play than studying his arithme-
TIC or grammar.
But lessons before play was the
rule III the Foss homestead. SO on
this bright suushIny day Herbert
sat at the table with book, slate
and pencil before him, but wishing
his task was done rather than to
work Justify to accomplish it.
Eagle and SNAIL" ne repeated,
turning around the card. I'D like
to see the pyramids-perhsps l
will some day"
Then closing bis eyes he tried to
recoliect exactly how the pictures
of them looked
Presently a large collection of
various creatures seemed to be
standing at the foot of the largest
one. There was the tall cameleop-
ard, the horse and the unwieldy
hippopotamus, the eagle, the peli-
can and the bright-tlnted little
humming bird, the ant, the turtle
and the dragon fly, the boa, the al
ligator and the frog, besides many
others. An earnest discussion was
evidently going on among them.
1T is not In our line of BUSH
ness, said the OK to the elephant.
NAY, nay" replied the latter,
"we'll not attempt the thing. Let
us stand back and see how the
others progress.
AZ the signal agreed upon, which
was the spouting OF the whale, the
contestants started. Up flew the
winged tribes. Quadrupeds leaped
from rock TO rock. or trotted along
the winding paths and all was III
connection and activity.
"Of what use Is all ,this?" said
the beetle, presently, folding up
his wings and shutting them mp in
his horny case.
"Hey, neighbour" said the grass
hopper, stopping, 81 will keep you
company
Many birds went higher, but be-
gan to ask the same question, then
flying in circles soon returned, and
one by one the beasts fell back,
even the feet, sure footed chamoIs
not caring to go farther on the
bare walls. Only the eagle had
reached the summit of the great
pyramid.
But now was little soft snail,
with his house on his back, crawl
ing upward. upward.
''Hallo, friend, where to now"
said the blue jay, looking up from
his ear Of corn.
40 surmount the pyramid" re-
Piled the snail
"Ha, la, ha," laughed beast and
bird in chorus. What a little
simpieton! AS if you could do
that-carrying a great burden, too.
Come back and take your ease, let
us eat, drink and be merry"
"Oh no, replied the snail, "trne
l have no wings like the eagle, nor
am | swift of foot, but you shall
see what perseverance can do" and
without stopping hs plodded on.
Wonder how far he wall 60"
thought Bertie, watching the black
insignificant thing with its white
She'll like large basket, now hid
den behind some projection, now
rising above the obstacle, never
looking back bit onward aud up
ward till at last the very top was
reached.
SWELL done, brother, cried the
eagle, "iet others learn from thee
that patient industry will accom-
phsh more than the most Aattering
genius unsteady and caprcious.'
BERTHE awoke with a start, the
dream was vivid as picture be-
fore hun and the eagles words
were still ringing in his ears.
swell, well, he cried, "Ill try
AID profit by it. If 1 am not an
eagle l can at least do as much as
the snail, persevere.
Taking up. his arithmetic he
went to work with a will unknown
before. From near the foot he
soon went to the head of HIS class.