The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-11-01
THE LITTLE ANTS.

"Good morning, little Ants"

Noou iHoiulu6, OuCiS hIluuf,
said my little ants.
''Isn't this beautiful weather? Too
good for men to quarrel, yet l am
sure that on such a morning as this
somewhere, men are fighting and per-
haps killing one another. Such
thoughts make one sad"
why do men fight, Uncle Ar
thur" asked May.
Because they are too hasty and
misunderstood one another. II they
would hesitat and look at things
from both sides, much Of our misun-
Outstanding would fade away"
Little Ants, we must look on both
sides OF the shield"
"What shield, Uncle Arthur"
SIS that the shield you spoke about
last week."
eyes little Ants, that is story
that am going to tell you to day.
Perhaps, after you hear 1t and under
stand 1t you will remeber not to quar-
relrel next time you may disagree
with Paul. May, or you, John"
eve don't quarrel very much do
we, Uncle Arthur" asked John.
"No. you do not but let us try
never to quarrel
The Silver Shield.
Long, long ago in far of country,
there lived good, brave men. These
men wore armor and were called
knights. Now armor is suit OF
clothes made of steel to protect the
one, who wears them, in war. There
is a covering like trousers for the
Keystone for the feet-a coat with
coverings for the arms, all of steel,
and wore stu gloves and a hat OF the
same material.
These men rode beautiful arab
horses and carried great heavy
swords for protection.
Sometimes these men rode through
the country to see If any one was bad
ly treated. If they found any one in
such condition they released them
and punished the one who had acted
SO badly.
Il would like to be one of those.
Uncle Arthur" said John.
You are John, although you don't
wear tarmor.'
Well, one day, two of these
Knights met and travelled all day to-
gether, most happily They told one
another about what they had seen
and one in foreign lands. They were
the best of friends.
About dusk, in the evening, thew
came to a place where two roads
crossed one another. In the center of
the crossing was statue of knight
There was tablet or sign on it tel
ling of the good deeds of the man
whose statue it was. For he had been
a crusader.
What is crusader Uncle Ar
thur" asked Paul.
II will tell you about them another
time, Paul"
The two knights rode around the
statue each in the opposite directions.
Both admired the thing very much.
1T is SO much like life," said one.
II like that silver shield" said the
other.
"You mean the gold shield" said
the first knight.
II do not. 1t is silver" the other
answered.
DO you doubt my word?"
Indeed l do If you say it is gold,
for can see 1t is silver"
Thereupon both drew their swords
and fell to fighting one another. For
to doubt mans word at that time
meant fight.
They fought for long time until
both were off their horses and wound
ed, and lying on the ground.
Soon after an old man came by see
ing their sorrowful condition stop
ped to bind up their wounds.
Enquired the cause of their quarrel
''This man has said the shield of yon-
der statue is made of silver while
know it is gold" said one of the
knights. The other was too weak to
answer.
The old man looked at the statue
carefully from both sides.
"Is that the reason you quarrel
ed?" asked he.
Eyes, indeed. No man can doubt |
my word"
well both of you are partly |
right and both partly wrong" said he. |
"For on one side. the shield is silver |
and on the other 1t is gold. Before
you quarrel again look at the cause
of your quarrel from both Sides and
the old man went on.
"Can you see the point of the story,
Little Ants?"