Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-03
OUR YOUNG FOLKS


dancing feathers, so light and soft,
they fell by the thousand, until all the
air was thick and white. Among the
falling fakes was one who was very
proud Of her spotiess purity.
Child" said the tranipled, sciled
Snow, which lay in the road, 'don't be
80 prond. was once as clean as you
are now. and see what has become of
my purify
But ! viii remain white all my life
long" said the Snowflake. Il will not
let myself be trampled under foot"
THAT Is a brave child" laughed
croakiDgly an old, worldly wise crow.
"Plan your life to suit yourself; THAT
Is the privilege OF youth, and | have
often seen il done before"
But the Snowflake was too young
and too innocent to understand his
irony.
The Wind. who felt kindly toward
her, lifted her gently on to u hawthorn
hedge. Here you can keep your
purity. dear Snowflake. Here no foot
OF man or beast can tread upon you;
and when the ihaw comes. YOU will
into unsightly slllsh.''
Does flat suit you better, my little
saiMy crcaked the crow But the
Snowflake did not answer linn. She
looked curiously about her, and took Il
good view of her surroundings.
rs this the earthT' she asked of an
old Apple Tree of much experience,
who stretched his gnaried and knotty
arms over the hawthorn hedge.
YES; and Il pleasant. friendly little
corner OF the earth. too answered the
Apple Tree. with the conviction of an
old man who has seen much ana
knows what pleases him best.
"lf this is the incest part Of the
world said the Snowflake. diSappoint-
ed what must it be i'm other places,
White and black: fiat and dead! Did
you call thar pleasant and friendly"
Well returned the Apple Tree. lit
Is true that just now it is not very
pleasant. But when the spring comes.
and the shining sun hangs like gold
en bal in The blue heaven. then all the
branches and twigs Of tlse trees are
adorned with iuttcring green leaves.
Then the fields are green with grass
and grain, and men and animals go 10y
10 work all day in the fields. Then
also don my gala dress of rosy bios
SONS till J. look like giant bouquet"
How sorry | am that ! cannot see
all that" sighed the Snowflake.
And that black. prckly hawthorn
hedge is then arrayed in glimmeriifg
green and in white and rose blossoms.
which smell so overpowerlngly sweet
that ali the butterflies seek their honey
and all hands are stretched out for
tham.'
Watcher or not the Old Apple Tree
took an ungenerous pleasure in telling
her of delights she could never know.
the Snowflake became discontinued be-
cause she must lie all her days upon
| prickly thorn hedge. and long after the
beauty OF Il season which she would
never live TO see.
II am not happy but | will remain
pure she thought Mt last, and found
comfort in the thought.
The sun. which had been invisible
all day. set rayless and red in Il chill,
gray. winter mist. 1t became bitter
cold and fcarfully dark. and the little
Snowflake was frightened. The talk
alive Apple Tree ceased his chatter.
AMI went quietly to sleep. The Snow
fake remained awake. and the frost
hardened her into a precious diamond.
| sparkling in the starlight.
oh. how long 1t was before rhc morn
| ing broke! Tie night spent in sleep
| less pain seemed eternal. Soft rs Il
covering Of white wool. the snow lay
| over the field and wood. Pierced 10y
| the cruel thoIns. the little Snowflake
asked herself If ID were worth all this
| pain TO remain pure: Was she wiser
| than her sisters, who quietly and pain
| lessly awaited what the end Of their
| existence SHOULD be?
While she questioned the clouds
were torn asunder like IA curtain. and
| through the pure blue air streamed the
red gold winter sun. The Snowflake.
| no longer a crystal diamond. but a
| great round water drop, looked thank
fully up TO the clear sky, to the old.
true good sun. who. rs II in answer to
| her doubts. sent her messenger, Il
| Slender golden sunbeam.
"Oh. dear Sunbeam begged the
| Snowflake. II feel that now my hour
has come, and that must die without
knowing anything about this earthly
| life except pain and disappointment:
| but hear my last prayer. DO not let
me become like my lost sisters. who
melt into slush: do not let me slide
from my hawthorn hedge: but take me
| TO the sun-palace on high"
| Il am come to take you." replied the
| Sunbeam. Your probation Is ut an
| end. Now trust in the eternal, true
| love of the true All-Father who
knows what is best for you
As he spoke. he kissed the dying
| Snowflake, who flCated upward rs Il
thin vapor. and was received INFO the
| silver hall OF the sun-palace. where
| the clouds are made. Not to live there
in happy self Indulgence. hut to fall
| again and again upon the earth; to sor-
row and remain pure in a world which
| so gladly treads each snowflake In un-
| signify slush.-AIrs. ii. III. Gushing in
| The Waterman.
! THE WIT OF THE COCKROACH.