The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-02-06
VAIN WORDS.
Their Hurt Lay Not in the Truth Itself, But
in It's HalC-TOId Tale.


in It's HalC-TOld Tale.
Only spray of wild honeysuckle--
nothing more; and very joyful
spray, too, for had it not at last
reached the top of tall holly tree
round which it had twined, and now
swayed gracefully in the breeze as if
seeking new fields for conquestP How
happy it felt in the task accomplished,
how vigorously the sap coursed
through its veins, how brightly its flow
ers expanded to the rising sun!
"Here am at last! Catch me now,
if you can!" it laughed gayly down to
the sweetbrier hedge which grew below.
my climbing days are over" it re-
piled, contentedly, "since the shears
havS trimmed me into shape, or l
would ere this have outstripped you in
the race; but then should not have
been so bushy as l am now"
Cuckoo, cuckoo what is the news
this morningPn asked bird which
alighted suddenly on the holly.
"The woodbine has reached the sum-
nit" murmured the tree; and the blue
bells and grasses in the meadow at its
foot bowed their innocent young heads
to the breeze, and rang merry peel in
her honor.
"Pooh! woodbine, indeed!' returned
the bird; "a weed like thatr' and she
pecked contemptuously at the flower as
she spoke. "Poor struggling thing!
flower here and there for time, and
then they tell me, nothing but bundle
of dead-looking twigs. Give me the
creepers of the South. They indeed
adorn the position they hold. "
Cuckoo, cuckOo!'' it continued, as
it perched on the sweetbrier hedge.
"Well, my poor old friend, you are in
a sad case this year! not shade enough
to hide even aspamow' nest What is
it? Frost or the pruner's scissors? All,
they told me you were in bad way,
and fear it is true"
Cuckoo, cuckoo!' it resumed, as it
hoped amongst the waving grass;
every pretty whilst it lasts, but they
tell me it will soon be cut down and
withered Ahr' as bird rose almost
at its side, 81 wonder if this will do
for my purposeP No, no; they tell me
the eggs arc often crushed and trodden
under foot by those great clodhoppers
called men. No, / must seek else
where" And with many prolonged
cuckoos, " it flew off to a neighboring
wood.
What had happened that the lark
covered on her nest on the ground and
forgot to fly upward; the grass no long
er danced in the soft summer breeze;
the sweetbrier leaves seemed oppressed
with their weight of dew; the honey
suckle hung limp and still from her
airy bowerP
"Dear me! how dull you all seem to-
dayr' hummed bee as it flew busily
amongst the meadow grass.
$50 would you, if YOU were soon to
be dried up and withered," answered
bluebell, shaking her head saucily al
, the intruder.
Indeed! long may such fate bt
8 averted from you, fair Lady Harebell, ,
CALAMITY replied the insect, as it in
E serted its proboscis deep into the hear
4 of the flower; "but pray who may the
, prophet of woe have beenP"
, "The cuckoo; and she said they, haC
i told her; who are they" Mr.. BeeP"
{ "Ah! fair lady, excuse me, but
? have no time for gossiping," replied
t the insect, as he wendell his way on
Q ward.
o "Dear, dear! one would think it wa
). early May instead of nearly midsum
S mer," said butterfly, as it fluttere,
y over the sweetbrier; 'you keep you
buds so tightly folded out of sight"
Il "Ah! so would you" said the hedge
r 'if you were in as bad a way as / am.
n bad way, indeed! never saw 20
d look fresher in my life, dear madam,
10 returned the butterfly, as it deposite
II its eggs on rosebud. "Who can hav
n so maligned youP"
7. "The cuckoo, and she said they ha
1t told her; who may they beP"
Indeed, madam, l fear have n
time to waste in speculation, al
swered the insect, as it danced away /
the sunlight.
- "Wel, Woodbine, you do not seel
over-pleased with your success, twl
tered robin, as it alighted on the tol
X most bough of a hollow tree.
''What is the use of it all, when l al
y not fitted for my position, and sha
le soon be bunch Of dead-looking twigsg
re "Who could have said such thingP
b. queried the robin.
why, the cuckoo, and she So