Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-02-01

cipal food of the inhabitants, con-
sisted of a larger grain, which had de,
cidcdly better flavor. So fine it was
in fact. that one grain nicely boiled
and served was enough to provide a
dinner of sufficient size to satisfy the
hunger of full-grown man or two
children; while the merit of the people
was such that never had they to weary
themselves nigh to death by toiling
beneath the scorching sun to gather
the rice When it was ripe and ready
for picking, it simply fell gently down
from the stalk on which it grew. rolled
steadily towards the village, and snug
ly enscOnced itself in the granaries
that We're waiting to receive it, taking
care as it did so that no man might
think himself more favored than an
other by becoming the recipient of one
scrap more than was necessary for the
consumption of himself and his fam
ily
And this delightful way of living
would have gone on existing, aye,
unto this very day, had not one greedy
person, through a desire to crafty her
own avidity, spolt everything by her
cOvctous wish to secure more than her
fair share of these privileges.
In one of the villages that pr0fited
greatly by the thoughtful behavior of
the rice, there dwelt, in a small hut a
widow woman called Chum Paw and
her two daughters, both of whom were
lONeliness.
. One evening, as the three of them
stood at the Threshold of their door.
and watched the large, well-ripcned
grain come trundling along the street
and hop into the granary that belonged
to them, tile eyes of the widow became
small and cunning looking, and she
tightly pursed her lips together as she
considered the idea that had just en-.
tered into her crafty brain.
"Alack! alack.' she cried, beating
her bands together in despair. "IIow |
grieve when | look upon that small
granary that belongs to us"
What is amiss with it, demanded
the eldest daughter. 1T is clean, and
as we'll built as those of our neighbors
better. indeed, than somc.'
That may be" responded her mother.
But how fortunate might we consider
ourselves if we possessed building
double the size
But the two girls shook their heads
I'VE have more than enough now,"
they said. Let us be content"
This advice. although very sound
was worse than useless to offer to
CEum Paw, who continued to fret her.
self upon this one subject. 1--WE cannot
tell, she argued. how long we shall
be permitted to enjoy these benefits
W hen the change comes, and come il
Will, we shall make Il fortune If we.
possessing more than enough grain for
our own use, could sell the surplus to
our less thrifty neighbors. Before the
rice ripens again we will pull down the
little granary that has stood on this
spot for so many generations, and erect
far larger one in its stead"
And the widow was as good as her
word, Though her two daughters, fear.
ing they would give offcnse to the
Rice Queen, begged their mother to
think on more about the scheme she
had in her head. she would not heed
them. and very soon the little building
was demolished, and in its place there
appeared huge structure capable of
holding sufficient grain to supply the
entire village, let alone three women,
each with small appetite. The
widow was too parsimonious to hire
men to do the work. so for many hours
daily, beneath the fierce sun, she and