Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1893-04-21
A BURNT MATCH.

parings, dirty Stops and manv 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 u
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 il ana begged it to give
me a history of its disgusting sur
roundings.
Said the match: You behold BE-
| fore you one of the most loathsome
objects which ever meet the eve 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! |. who was once a clean,
trim little match. snugly housed in a
neat box with my sisters, nov float
ing half consumed, in tho slime and
slop of the gutter! But let that pass
| for the present.
MY home originally was in the
forest / was made from the heart OF
noble pine tree which. for many and
many a year. swayed it's dark green
crown in the merry breezes and de-
family withstood the shocks OF storm.
Straight as an arrow it stood, fa-
above its fellows. 1t was the first to
greet the rising sun and it was the
first OF its brothers the sun saluted,
kissing the dews from his emerald
brow. The happiest days of my ex I.
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 flows
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 great city; subdi.
| vlded 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
been packed into thousands of little
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 a large city great
many miles from here One day
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
the conversations We overheard Fin
ally the young man took the train
leaving the city. and after a long
journey, we arrived at this place
After leaving the train he suddenly
grasped me from his pocket struck
me against some hard substance. and
in an instant was all ablaze. I-saw
glasses and bottles before me-, out of
which l 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 shape1y
body consumed. and what remained
was lying in filthy condition.
i felt very crestfallen at this SUD.
den change in my career. Looking
shout found myself in company with
q dozen or more cast OF cigar and ci.
garette ends and mass of nasty
looking tobacco guilds and sp1ttle
The man of the house next MORNING
threw filthy water over US, and
enptied US into the gutter. Twas In.
menting my degraded. and wretched
state to my filthy companions when 3
dnapidated quid of tobacco thus ad-
dressed me:
=" My friend you have not as pood
reason for complaint as myself iook
at me. Do l LOOK anything Ike .
beautiful green Leaf. drinking in the
sunshine and the dews OF heayen2 ",
! was all that once. grew on a great
strong stock with my brothers ana
sisters, until was plucked off b.
man. How nicely they handled me-
What pains they took to .sweeten. ma
And when I began to pride mvse,f =,
my elevation. and was lolled under ~.
tongue Of fine gentleman for :. Ia -.
moments what does the wretch ID -,
spit me out ground to a tho,,san.;i
fragments! @ you have nothinr =
which to complain. :
Here the Tobacco guild gave h,m