The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-04-09
A BURNT MATCH.

parings. dirty slops and many other
refuse fragments all commingled In
one filthy mass. One fragment OF
this common compound found In the
street l had almost forgotten to men,
ton. 1t was simply the remains of a
burnt match. Like the other contents
Of the gutter it had served Its turn.
Having my curiosity aroused concern
ing these repulsive objects and seeing
that the burnt match was the most
decent looking OF this molly mixture.
addressed it and begged. it to give
me history OF Its disgusting sur
roundings.
Said the match: .'You behold be-
fore you one Of the most loathsome
objects which ever meet the eye of
man. There is nothing so low and
abominable as the filth OF the gutter.
1t is the embodiment Of all that is dis
gushing to the sight and scent Of man.
Think of it! l. who was once a clean.
trim little match, snugly housed in a
neat box with my sisters. now float
ing. half consumed, in tho slime and
slop OF the gutter! But let that psss
for the present
my home originally was in the
forest ! was made from the heart OF
noble pine tree which. for many and
many year. swayed its dark green
crown in the merry breezes, and de-
family withstood the shocks OF storm.
Straight as an arrow it stood. far
above its fellows. 1t was the first to
greet the rising sun and 1t was the
1t a.
kissing the dews from his emerald
brow. The happiest days OF my ex
istence were those in which ] dwelt
within the heart OF the great pine
tree But in an evil hour came the
woodman. He viewed the shapely
trunk of the tree and soon the glitter
tering steel OF his axe sunk into its
heart The sound OF the heavy blows
echoed far and wide through the
silent forest They were the death
knells of the great tree. Soon the
blows ceased. when. with a mighty
crash. the magnificent monarch OF the
forest fell to the earth.
The body was divided into con-
venient lengths and transferred first
by oxen. then by locomotive, to the
match works of a great city; subdi-
vIded into millions Of tiny sticks like
myself; boxed and sent out over the
world, so that now the body of the
tree must be scattered far and wide
over the earth. Even my companions
that dwelt with me in the same box,
must now be scattered thousands OF
miles from each other. After we had
i,ta fhn,,eopls ~ ~
boxes, they were placed into larger
boxes and sent from the factory to
other cities. Many many miles my
companions and myself travelled be-
fore we saw the light OF day. This
event happened in large city great
many miles from here. One day l
found myself, when the cover OF our
box had been removed. upon the
counter OF cigar store and was
viewing the strangeness OF my sur
roundings when in steps young man.
He buys a cigar takes up the
match at my side. strikes It. and be-
hold! beautiful light burst forth.
which the young gentleman imme-
diately applied to his cigar He took
some half dozen other matches from
the box among which was included.
and put us in his vest pocket could
not see where he went but knew we
were going the rounds OF the city, by
tho conversations we overheard. Fin
ally the young man took the train
leaving the city, and after long
journey. we arrived at this place.
After leaving tho train he suddenly
HE otr
me against some hard substance. and
in an instant was all ablaze. saw
glasses and bottles before me. out of
which supposed the young man had
been drinking. My brilliant existence
was very brief No sooner had the
gentleman lit his cigar than he threw
mo away. found half OF my shapely
body consumed. and what renamed
was lying in filthy condition.
Il felt very crestfallen at this sud-
den change in my career Looking
about found myself in company with
dozen or more cast off cigar and ci-
garette ends and mass Of nasty
looking tobacco guilds and Spite.
The man OF the house next morning
threw filthy water over us. and
emptied US into the gutter. was Ia
menting my degraded and wretched
state to my filthy companions when d
dilapidated guild Of tobacco thus adj
dressed me:
my friend. you have not as good
reason for complaint as myself Look
at me. Do I look anything like a
beautiful green Leaf. drinking in the
sunshine and the dews OF heaven Yet
was all that once. Igrew on great
strong stock with my brothers and
sisters, until was plucked of by
man. How nicely they handled me!
What pains they took to sweeten mo!
And when l began to pride myself on
my elevation. and was lolled under the
tongue OF fine gentleman for few
: moments what does the wretch do but
spit me out ground to a thousand
fragmentsl O. you have nothing OF
which to complain
Here the Tobacco Guild gave him