Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1906-07-28
r r u T II.

cause she ndu grown III ulHerenJ Ill |
rection and her tendrils were reaching
forward instead of backward
Occasionally a rough foot trod over |
her little body, but the bruise always |
brought sweet perfume from the |
vine which would cause the stranger
to pause end regretfully behold the
work he had done.
Once stranger, who had likewise
bruised the vine, stopped and admired
the little thing. 1t was a rare speci.
men; Linnaeus himself would have
valued it highly. But the sojourner
hesitated to remove it for fear trans
planting would suddenly end its seem.
ingly brief existence, and he said aft
er examining the leaves: Poor little
thing; it is bruised badly, but perhaps
| it will live" The vine heard many
similar remarks about her frailty, her
doubtful growth, etc, and she longed
| for a friend in whom she could find
| consolation and sympathy. A robin
perched on the slender branch of a
pine tree, sang her a song of cheer
and she took courage and smiled. Now
it happened that an oak tree grew in
this same forest near the little vine
He saw her struggle for existence and
pitied her, for he recognized that she
was one of Flora's choicest offsprings,
which Nature in one of her strange
| freaks. had left in the wrong place.
The vine admired the oak with its
broad branches and protecting leaves
and looked upon him as the king of
the forests.
Day after day a mutual affection
| o. hntWann thnnn "Cnma IN
me, little princess" exclaimed the oak
one day. Creep up my strong trunk
and l will shield you from being fur
Their bruised by careless feet, as long
as life lasts"
Gladly the vine turned to the
friendly voice and they both mar
veled that two so widely different as
they should understand each other so
well.
Your very frailty possesses me
with a strong desire to protect you"
exclaimed the oak, and he rustled his
leaves soothingly in the passing
, breeze.
at is your noble MEN," whispered
the vine, which inspires me with
reverence for you" and she twined
her little arms around the great oak s
DOuy, ike llTeu Cullu VIII SScho
=. comfort in the arms of its mother at
4 twilight.
The oak tree was very learned. He
had lived in the forest many years
! and had seen many things, and was
able to impart to the little vine his
broader knowledge and gather from
9 her refined taste, culture for his
world worn mind. They talked on all
scientific subjects, the different in
r sects of the forests, the pebbles in the
. shallow brook, the flowers and the
stars Thus their companionship was
source of pleasure to both the oak
and the vine, and when the vine ca
: ressed the oak with her delicate ten
: drills. he would say, "Oh, my lovely
princess, there is magic in your
touch. have felt so young since
have known you. You are a comfort
: in my old age, and time to me is but
| one endless day of gladness."
O Many people who passed through
the forest were tempted to take the
vine away, but when they saw how
a closely she had grown to the oaks
S strong trunk, they would pass 1t by
reluctantly and not disturb 1t.
But one day great storm swept
over the forest and in its merciless
y fury struck the kingly oak to the
4 ground; yet in dying he was able to
b1accin0c the vine