St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-02-06
VAIN WORDS.
Their Hurt Lay Not in the Truth ITSELF But
in It's Half-Toid Tale.

in It's Hatfield 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 conquest? How
happy it felt in the task accomplished,
how vigorously the sap coursed
through its veins, how brightly its tlow-
ers expanded to the rising sun!
s'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
have trimmed me into shape, or l
would ere this have outstripped you in
the race; but then l should not have
been so bushy as am now"
Cuckoo, cuckoo! what is the news
this morning?' asked bird which
alighted suddenly on the holly.
"The woodbinc 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 a merry peel in
her honor.
.ePooh! woodbine, indeed!' returned
the bird; s'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 a 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
sad case this year! not shade enough
to hide even a sparrow' nest. What is
itp Frost or the pruners scissorse 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 All" as bird rose almost
at it's side, II wonder if this will do
for my purpose? No, no; they tell me
the eggs are often crushed and trodden
under foot by those great clodhoppers
called men. No. [ must seek else
where" And with many prolonged
"cuckoos,' it few 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
"Dear me! how dull you all seem TO-
dayr' hummed bee as it few busily
amongst the meadow grass.
$50 would you, if you were soon to
be dried up and withered," answered
a bluebell, shaking her head saucily at
the intruder.
''Indeed! long may such fate be
averted from you, fair Lady Harebell,"
gallantly replied the insect, as it in
serted its proboscis deep into the heart
of the flower; ''but pray who may the
prophet of woe have beenp''
''The cuckoo; and she said they, had
told her; who are they Mr.. Beep''
"Ah! fair lady, excuse me, but I
have no time for gossiping," replied
the insect, as he wendell his way on
ward.
s'Dear, deari one would think it was
early May instead of nearly midsum-
mer," said butterfly, as it futtered
over the sweetbrier; ''you keep your
buds so tightly folded out Of sight"
''Ah! so would YOU said the hedge,
<'jf you were in as bad way as am. :"
"Rad way, indeed! never saw you
look fresher in my life, dear madam, :"
returned the butterfly, as it deposited
its eggs on rosebud. "Who can have
SO maligned your
ssThe cuckoo, and she said they had
told her; who may they be?''
sIndeed, madam, I fear I have NO
time to waste in speculation" an
swered the insect, as it danced away in
the sunlight.
well, Woodbine, you do not seem
over-pleased with your success" twit-
tered robin, as it alighted on the top.
most bough of hollow tree.
s.What is the use of it all, when l am
not fitted for my position, and shall
soon be bunch of dead-looking twigs?'
"Who could have said such thing?"
gueried the robin.
WHY, the cuckoo. and she said