The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-25
SNAIL AND ROSE BUSH.
A Charming Tale of the Time When
the Earth Was Young.


the Earth Was Young.
Translated from the German for ne PhilI
delphid Times
Around the garden ran a hedge Of hazle
bushes: outside were fields and meadows
filed with cows and sheep. but in the midst
of the garden stood a blooming rose bush.
Under this sat a snail. Now snails have
much in little, having themselves in them
selves. only wait TIL my time comes.
said TINS one Il will do mo than merely
put forth roses, bear nuts, or give milk Ike
COWS and sheep"
~ expect very much from you" said the
roe bush. May | ask whom 1t will be
donegn
II take my time" said the snail "You
are always in such haste-that does not
strain expectation"
In the following year the snail lay IN al
most the same spot under the rose bush, that
again put forth buds und uufolded roses
ever fresh, ever new. And the snail crept
half out of his she'll, stretched his antennB
out and drew them In again. "All looks as
it did last year. Not a single forward step
has been made. the rose bush sill ha, roses,
it does not get any farther" Summer, au-
tumn passed away, the rose bush
bore roses and buds till the snow
fell till the weather became rough
herself 10 the ground, the snail crept
into the earth. a new year began; roses
appeared, the snail came forth. You are
now an old rose bush" said the snail.
You must hasten, because you will soon
die. You have given to the world all that
you had; whether that was of any import
ia zee is a question for the consideration of
which have had no time. But IL is very
clear that you have not kept the least
thing for inpaT abandonment else
wouli something better, no doubt, have
come from you. Can you deny thiSs You
will soon be nothing but a bare stick. DO
you comprehend what / say~
''You brighten me-" said the rose bush
II have never yet considered this"
mo; you have never employed yourself
at all with thinking. Have you ever &C
bloom and why the process of blooming is
just so and not otherwisew
IN 0, >" said the rose bush. Il bloom joy
fully because l cannot do otherwise. The
sun shines and warns me, the air refreshes
me. 1 drink the clear dew and the streng b.
ening rain-I Dreathel I live! Out of the
earth and from above come strength and
power | receive ever new, ever-growing
happiness, and therefore must | ever bloom.
This is my life, | cannot do otherwise"
You have led very easy life, said the
snail.
certainly All was given to me" said
the rose bush. Yet was not more given to
you? Yours is one of these thoughtful,
profound natures; one of those highly
gifted ones that will astonish the world
THAT plsases me not in the least" said
the snail THE world is nothing to me.
What have | to do with the worldi am
sufficient unto myself"
But must not all of us here on earth give
IN Ofhara the heGt IF Onrsaluac1 10
all what we mayo Truly, | have given
only roses. But you? You who are so
richly endowed, what have you given to the
worlda What will you give"
"What gavel What l givel | spit
upon i'll 1t is nothing, nothing to me! Put
forth your roses for aught care; you can
advance no higher. The hazel bushes may
bear nuts, the cows and sheep give milk;
each has his public, | have mine in myself
l withdraw into myself and there l remain.
The world is nothing to me-" And there
with the snail went into his house and closed
tightly the same.
at is right sad" sighed the rose bush.
However much l may desire | can never
creep in; | must ever remain outside, must
ever bear roses. Their leaves even drop
off and are blown away by the wind.
Yet | once saw a rose laid between the
leaves Of the mistress hymn-book, one of
my roses found a place on the bosom Of a
beautiful young girl, and one was kissed by
the lips of frolicsome little child. This did
me good; this was true blessing. This is
nay remembrance, my life." And the rose
bush bloomed on in innocence. and the snail
hay idly in his shell-tde world was nothing
to him. Years passed away. The snail and
the rose bush died and returned to dust.
The rose Of remembrance In the hymn book
withersd and crumbled away, but in the gar
den btoomed new roses, and in the garden
other snsils grew they crept into their shells
the world ~as nothing to them.
Shall we begin to read this story over
againi 1t will always be the same
NJ. C. e.