Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-29
HT 4 SPOON.


spoon ~ nav ht.n many wooden
spoons in L. co'l,.; les, but this was a
spoon with II .dasion and a history.
1t had been in the kitchen of nobleman's
house for many, many years. 1t had helped
to stir some toothsome dainties for wedding
feasts, for christening festivities, for the
yuletime gatherings. 1t had helped also in
the preparation of funeral baked meats"
Down the long hall had foated snatches of
song gay laughter and echoes of sighs and
sobs as well, 1t had heard the waiting
maids describe the beauty of the danes and
the gallantry of the cavaliers Still the
spoon was content with its lot. These
things were not for wooden spoons. TWAS
well.
But one day by some chance silver
spoon was brought down to the kitchen,
where it jostled against its humble rela-
tive.
Apologies followed, and brisk conversa-
tion was entered into. The silver spoon
painted its gay life in such glowing colors
that the wooden spoon felt "A twinge of en-
Wy and longed for those unknown pleas
ures.
"Alasp it sighed, "why should be
doomed TO stay forever in this humble
place when you spend yourlife in the midst
of such elegant surroundings? We are
about the same in size and general appear
ance, except that you are brighter and
more polished than !, which comes of course
from your contact with well bred people
Do ask the butler if he cannot give me
chance to see the world and improve my
self"
The silver spoon promised, and the butler
was persuaded to listen to the entreaties of
1,a hrtt hn fol-
and frankly that no amount of friction with
the up stairs people would ever bring it up
to the standard.
"Your appearance is against you," said
the butler; ''you can never shine with the
family plate"
"Can nothing be DONE" inquired the am
bilious spoon, ito remedy the defect? Can
not get something to put on that will
make make me appear all right?"
"Well, you might be plated, suppose"
said the now interested butler, "but that
would only make you look like the Others
You can never be the genuine article, you
know"
"Oh, please make me like the Others"
cried the silly thing; "that will be all | shall
ask"
Sothespoon was sent to the silversmith's,
whence it emerged bright and shining
altogether too bright and shining, in
fact-and though it felt very important in
its new position the servants who had
charge of the silver knew 1t was the wooden
spoon plated over because it looked so new,
and sighted 1t by forgetting to take it to
the table
Once more it appealed to its friends, who
proposed that it retire to the serving room
for time, where use would rub off some
of it's pristine freshness.
The advice was followed, and after time
the plated spoon made its appearance in the
dining hall along with the family plate.
But the lord of the castle would pick it up
and say:
"What makes this spoon so lightp Surely
it is not one of our belongings" And at
length he ordered it not to be brought to the
table.
And so the servants refused to take it in,
as they could detect it at once by its light
weight.
"Well, we'll" said the butler, there is
but one thing to do; you must be made
heavier, and that can only be done by pour
ing lead into your handle. Are you willing
to submit to the operation?"
"Oh, yes, anything" answered the up
start spoon. "Now that | have gone thus
x.
So another visit was made to the silver.
smiths that it might be brought up to the
standard weight Of the family plate But
evidently he did not understand the anat-
omy of wooden spoons, though thoroughly
posted about silver ones, for he made such
deep incision that the lead penetrated to
the bowl, just where the heart of the poor
spoon was located.
1t looked all right now, and the weight
made it pass muster with both master and
servants. 1t was only occasionally that one
of the old pieces of plate recognized it and
drew slightly away. 1t had achieved its
ambition, but what did it avail with a
lump of lead in its hearth The laughter and
jests seemed like mockery to the poor
thing, always heavy hearted. 1t could not
ask for sympathy without revealing its
true position, which would never do.
After time it implored the butler tc
send it back to it's old place in the kitchen
But here it was Stunned as an upstart-
too fine to be useful and too pretentious tt
be taken back into the confidence of former
friends. One day, the butler coming neal
where it lay apart from the others, it i'm
| plored him to strip it of It's snowy meta
and make it a wooden spoon again.
"That cannot be-" answered the butler
you would never survive the fiery ordeal
and even if you did you would still hav,
the lead in your heart. Nothing can re
move that. Better come up stairs ant
make the best of it."
So it went and heard the jests, and tn,
laughter, and the light talk, but as i
thought less of itself and became more OBJ
servant of others it saw that it was mo-
alone in keeping up appearances. Its hear
was heavy, but it was not the only one il
the gay throng.-Pittsburg Dispatch.
The First American Book