The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-04
For the Central Presbyterian.
Wishing and Doing.


1t was a calm, still August night not
a ripple disturbed the placid surface of
the loch of Lintrathen, and the blue
"braes O Angus" all round seemed, vet
bluer and DREAMER in the silvery ra-
dance of the moon. No breeze sighed
among the fr-trees, nor ruffled the
waters of the lake, but all was silent, and
aboEe=head the moon rode Enthusiastically in
the dark-blue, star-bespangled heavens
Long ago all the water-lilies on the
lake had folded their snowy petals and
sunk to rest beneath the surface, and on
land too, every flower seemed to have
closed its bright eyes in sleep, hushed by
the silent presence of the night.
ct all were not asleep, there was one
flower still awake and holding converse
with itself for the benefit of its drowsy
companions in general, and particularly
for the small clump of moss that it had
succeeded in arousing,-this was a great
gorgeous dandelion, and thus it spoke
disturbing with its loud tones the still
ness of that summer night:
" L should like 1t said, "to do some
thing great and wonderful, such deed
as would make men admire and praise
me. | should like to achieve something
grand that would transmit my name to
all posterity."
II wish you'd go to sleep" whispered
a daisy, drowsily, you are always wax
ing people up with your long words"
Poor thing What do You know of
the great and noble? You are happy to
dwell forever in obscurity. I suppose
you are content?' But the question was
lost on the daisy, who had again fallen
asleep, so the dandelion turned to its
most patient listener, the tiny moss.
1 think we flowers have very little
chance of doing anything great" he said.
Now If l were only one of those stars
up there, or that moon, why, should be
seen and admired of all" "But we
have our place in the world as well as
they" ventured the moss.
Our place Such place !" laughed
the other. Humble creatures like you
may be contented with such limited
sphere OF action, but assure you I am
not.
We can't change ourselves" said the
moss, " So we may as well try to do our
best as we are
4" That's just like you, you have no
ambition. Oh, if these were only FAIRIES
that could change me into star or
something like that, should indeed have
place in the universe
Cant you go to sleep and stop dis
turbing the others p put in thistle
grutfly at this juncture, and soon silence
was restored, and all the flowers slept
TRANQUILITY till sunrise. Then the moss
awoke, all glittering with dewdrops, and
happy and contented, went on with her
life-work, patiently embroidering with
dark green, the stump of fr-tree that
had fallen year before. And the dan
deion awoke to wish he was something
great and noble.
So two years passed away August
had come and gone twice since that
moonlight night of long ago, and now it
was September, and the braes O.
Angus" were purple with heather bios
som.
1t was noon. day-on the loch of Lin
trathen water-lilies rocked themselves,
and the dew-drops on their white chali-
ces sparkled like diamonds in the sun
shine all nature seemed to be rejoicing
in the beauty of the day, only one dis,
cordant voice filled the air with vain re.
plnlngs. 1t was the dandelion. After
two years Of wishing and longing to be
something great, and to amaze the world
with some wonderful deed it had done
nothing. While by its side the little
patient moss had achieved wonderful
work, she had clothed the old fr.stump
with a garment Of yelvety green, all en-
broidered with crimson, and what had
been unsightly two years before was now
a thing of great beauty.
And so, on this September noon, as the
dandelion repined, and the moss worked
steadily at her embroidery, two gentle
men came along by the edge of the loch
onswas evidently an artist--and before
the messy stump he paused, and ex-
claimed on the beauty Of the moss, then
drew out his materials and began to paint.
Pull that dandelion up" he said to