Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-07-09
ST. HlBz EkLg SEMINARY.
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/" or Ui II BRANCHES. /"
A little y ztFeam flows softly
from IT'S soe s the East, between
banks cosese II fragrant flowers.
White water Ileat on its surface.
tinged viii - rosy-fiush from
the rays Of / "a sun. The air
is laden sid iume, and tiny
wayelzss la1l III the little stones
chime ike music. All il
- : begIl's
From oAt Of ciuInp Of grass and
water lilies there gently glides lit
tie plank OF soft. smooth wood. On
II is child, tins baby girl, and
50 smoothly does :be plank float
along, that she does not feel its mo-
ton. On it glides, till another
plank is met upon which the child
steps, and the first one sinks. Que
year Of her life is gone. sunk into
the irrevoeable past.
The new plank then drifts on;
the child runs and skips along it,
happy in the glory OF the rising sun,
the music ofthe birds, the fragrance
OF the flowers. Another and an
other plank she steps upon, each
new one floating towards the West
as the one she has left, sinks from
sight. Her parents watch from the
banks with anxious eyes, how can
they know whether she viii reach
another plank or be carried down
to eternity with this one
By and by the ripping stream
widens and grows more swift: some
Of the exquisite colors Of dawn have
faded away; Oh, happy. happy
childhood. thy hslcyon days are
transient as the rosy hues of dawn,
and soon, ah. soon, do little waves
of trouble come to stir thy placid
waters
The stream suddenly widens into
a river; en- it's banks now grow
stately palms and graceful olive
trees, har g.ng Their lFhitfnl branch
es far out over the water. Her par
ents, who could reach sad clasp her
hands across the little stream, must
now let her drift out alone into the
broad river.
The waters may be bridged by
their love and thoughts of her, but
in the river Of school life she can
no longer depend upon their guild
ance. Their last injunction to her
is. to gather the pleasant olive
branches which droop within her
reach, for they are the symbols OF
wisdom, abundance and peace.
At first all is new and strange;
the olive branches have no charm
for her, and she longs for the fow-
cry stream of her childhood days.
But, as she plucks off the little
olive twigs, and then larger ones.
their beauty wins her admiration,
and the task once so disagreeable
becomes pleasant. On the banks
are kind teachers, who hold down
the branches within her reach. and
help her to pluck the large and
high ones. AS time goes on, she
steps to other pianks; the river
widens and the sun gets higher over
head; the trees become more luxu.
RANT, and the olive branches, more
difficult Of access, bursting forth
into glorious white blossoms, which
fall in fragrant showers around her
Frightening and sweetening her life.
Her hands are now filed with fresh
green olive branches; many fine
ones are passed. which she might
have plucked; but now she can new
er reach them, for the plank goes
ever onward, never one inch back.
ward.
Happy, proud, triumphant ,, now
she stands, wearing crown of pure
white olive blossoms; waving the
branches in her hands, about to
step upon a plank which will carry
her into the sea-the broad, deep
sea of life Eagerly she bends for.
ward to catch glimpseof the broad
expanse. Often has she seen il in
her dreams, but never did it look
SO fair, so promising as now. The
day is very CAIN. the broad sheet
of water in the distance looks SC
smooth and blue
Oh little recks she Of the storm.
that may one day stir those water;
TO their depths. Scarce can she i'm.
agine those blue skies filled with