Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-10-13
PARABLE.
Continued from last week

said in a cross tone: please allow me
to manage my own affairs and let me
alone. When l want you assistance
l will call for it, as l told you before.
Don't you suppose l have any sense at
allY What a fuss you are making
about a little bit of moss. think
see myself getting 80 much that | can't
manage it! shall stop before I get to
that point" And it turned its head
quite away from the kindly breeze,
aud was naughty all day.
Il feel very warm. somehow
thought the little tree to itself a few
days after. This thing is rather heavy,
and seem to feel a little dizzy and
sick. suppose it is became l am not
accustomed to it, but shall soon get
over it.n
The days went by, and more warn
ings came to the naughty little tree,
but 1t shook its glossy leaves and said:
"See therel Do l look as if that bit
OF moss was hurting mep" But away
down underneath, where it wasn't
noticed much, some of the leaves
looked pale and yellow. The tree didn't
notice, and no one else looked 80 low,
until n morning a sharp eyed worm
glanced that way and remarked upon
the yellow, pinched look of some of the
leaves.
"Fiddlesticks said the tree. Leaves
always turn yellow toward fall"
And the worm crawled on.
Fall came on fast, and the little tree,
like many another, shook of its worn
out dress of leaves, closed its eyes and
went to sleep for the short winter.
Now" said the moss-"now is nv
time!' 1t called together other Bit Z
moss from near and from far; they
worked very hard and fast, and cover.
ed that poor little tree all up.
The spring came on with its soft air,
and the little tree was walked by the
familiar notes of the knocking birds
singing their spring songs, and tried to
open its eyes, and found them all over
grown, and 1t tried to put forth it's new
little leaves, and it couldn't get them
out, and it cried in its little mufled
voice for help, but the wind didn't
hear, and If it had it couldn't have
helped any, and after waiting and
waiting, and choking more and more
all the time for lack of sunlight. it
sighed its little sigh and died, remem
bering that the wind had said it would
be so. and feeling, oh, so sorry that it
had not taken the advice.
There it stands, year after year, all
dried up; good for nothing but to
stand there where a tree once was, and
ought to have been yet, and show
what it had come to so that others
might take warning. But they won't.
Not so very many miles from that
tree there lives a boy. A nice boy he
is, tall for his age, and straight, very
straight, with face as bright and win.
ming as any boy you ever saw. He is
SO full OF life and frolic, and SO bright
and pleasant in all his ways that he
Just seems to delight in living for the
very pleasure OF it.
But one day he went with a pentle
man whom he admired very much. to
a dinner, where he saw all the men
drluking wine, and he thought he
would like the pretty sparkling stuff,
so he had his glass filled, though one
of the men said:
Take carel Aren't you rather young
for that?n .
he only shook his head and smacked
his lips, and said it was good, and the
men laughed, aud passed his glass for
more; and after dinner the gentlemen
all had cigars, and the boy thought it
must be very manly to smoke when
such splendid men did it, and so he de.
termined in his heart that he would
learn to smoke as soon as he got the
chance, and the chance came o o
enough, you may be sure.
On, he had warnings enough. A
pretty girl-his Sunday School teacher
she was-met him on the street one
day when he vas smoking, and said:
"Oh, what would your mother say If
she could see you now?"
He only tossed his handsome head
and laughed, and said:
There's no harm in smoking once in
a while. Every one does it, and it
doesn't do any harm"
"Yes, it does,'' che answered quickly.
Look at Harry Harmon. He has
smoked until there is nothing left of
him but a shadow, and they say he
can't live long"
oh, but | don't intend to get as
far as that, only smoke once In a
while for fun, and I can stop when
ever want to-" he answered, and
passed her gaily by.
He has had warnings, too, about the
danger OF drinking wine, but still he
drinks it, and says he likes it, and only
does it when he wants, to and can stop
whenever he chooses, and the habit lie
fixing itself more firmly upon him
every day, and the beautiful boy is
going merrily on, safe in the convic-
ton that he can stop when there is
danger ia sight, and the danger is
already upon him and no does not
know.
II you should see him, won't you tell
him about my treep--for God meant
him to be a man.-Mr. Grace Living