The Holly chieftain., 1899-08-25
Front THE AGpRM
rev . Wsss 1ssAanaa
xangas . DssAs9fal


10 a aae3ens, essus BsaAnaa was
grandson born. Full Of Joy At the b3ess-
ing which Aad again AappeAed to his
house. ~ said: II will 20 eut he0ce nd
thank the great spirit and father Of "a
turc. who has blessed us. Perhaps hs
may give me opportunity to honor him.
even through one good dessi."
Do spoke the Brahman and went. The
blossom Of pure joy is gratitude and IL
fruit benevolencs.
With the lively feeling Of hososing the
great and bene6ccnt spirit. the old man
stepped into the fields. and. In the shade
of the trees. each Of his thoughts wns 4
prayer. Still sparkled the drops OF q
freshly fallen shower ON stalks blossoms
and leaves.
Although he had already seen the
| spring 70 times. nature seemed to him
agnin mnde young md faircr than ever.
for she grows not old to him who re-
veres her creator and recognizes III the
figure the benevolent sculptor.
The old man set on his way forward,
and on the beaten path he found al
acorn. The rain had already. through its
fertilizing power. sent the germ forth.
and the shell burst usunder. but 1t could
not take root on the ulrl. bare path. He
stopped. took it up and suid:
How charming IL is tn be- brought thus
far on my way, for easily hadst thou
been trodden in pieces by the foot Of the
wanderer or withered by the solar rays.
Happy shall ! be II I can here do a good
work and. by deed. fulfill my inward SEN
timent and the aim of wise nature adj
vance. who with each brath shows q
bcneht-even the smallest thankfulness
is sweet duty"
tree and who had caught up the words
Of the Brahman stepped forward and
jeeringly smiled.
why smilest thour' asked the old
man.
The youngster answered. "At thy child.
ish thought. my elder. that thou canst
rejoice at having rescued the life Of an
acorn!'
"Youngster." said the Brnhman, '.how
art thou able to know my thoughts. since
today is the FIRST time thou hast seen mel
And why dost thou jeer at the small
service which intend to perform to ma
ture? To her is the acorn worth a. much
as the tree. and without that this were
not. Even virtue. my son. begins with
the little and from this mounts upward
to the great. but the nearer she ap-
proaches to the completion OF the original
even % much the more she herself In
clines to humility and simplicity. and
then to her 10 worth the smallest -
much ~ ths Highest. Sends not Brahma.
TOO. his ray and dew on the blads eS
grass % well a. on the palm tresr
Thus spoke the old man With friendly
serioasnssa. The youngster silently with.
drew himself. full Of vsnsration. He had
| seen the noble old man In bis dignity.
and he wished to be like him. for frivoi-
ity itself must in Its heart revere virtue.
The Brahman set forward on his way to
| hill which was overxrown round about
with thorns. He met peddler. who ask
ed: ''Thinkest thou that out Of an acorn
thou canst rear tree for thyseif7 Thou
| wilt indeed scarcely have the 10y q its
shade"
The old man answered: "Msat one at
the planting think only % the shade Of
| the tree and on oneself7 Does nature
no? My son. he who has not planted
earlier than and before yesterday Anda
In the planting itself bis motive and hls
JOY"
He came to the hili. on the peak OF
which. among the thorns. he buried the
acorn and covered II carefully over with
earth and moss.
why plantest thou among thornsr'
called ont herdsman opposite to him.
''Thou carest badly for thy nursling."
"Friend." replied the Brahman. 80
long a. the little plant Is tender and small
the thorns will shelter II from raw winds
and injury. and when II Crews up It will
work q way through for itself. for II 10
an oak. My son. have obtained this os
nature. The good mother considers equal.
ly the tenderness and strength Of her fos-
ter children"
After the old man had completed his
work ne trod gayly on the way back to
his homestead. As he drew near to his
hut his grandsons and Ersat-grandsona
sprang toward him and asked. "Whers
hast thou been SO long?"
But he assembled them around him and
recounted all which had happened to him,
and the little children cnressed the old
man while he spoke. The elder ones. how.
ever. hung on his lips and harkened to
him.
"Oh." said the old man when be had
finished. there Ia certainly no place fair
er than In the lap of nature. whom the
father loves his offspring and In the quiet
circle Of his family Ii beloved BY his chill
dren. Yes. love abounding Brahmaw
cried he. and glanced upward to heaven,
''in thp quiet circle Of nature and Of do
mestic peace stands thy holy templer
The new planted oak soon grew forth
out Of the germ and raised itself nm
above the thorna aud became spreading,
shady tree. There died the old man. and
his loved ones buried him On the hill. aud
whenever they saw the tree and heard its
rustlings they were mindful of the life
and wise sayings Of thr Brahman. even to
the latest tiuies. and recited from him
and sought to become like him, for the