Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-10-07
THE STORY OF A FOSSIL.


and faced a beautiful world. Warmed
by the sun. fed by the rain, 1t grew
dainty and fair as those you and
i5love to gather in the woods. But
no eager hand reached down to pluck
Little Fern. for in all the great love-
sly earth there were no people to en-
Joy its beauty. The signing of the
wind in the trees, the music Of
brook near by. were the only sounds
10 be heard.
One day, a great storm came. Louder
and louder blew the wind, through the
tree tops. Day after day the rain
fell, wider and wider grew the little
brook. Could this raging. roaring tor
rent have been the sweet musician of
the forest but a week ago? AT last
the rushing waters came SO near that
frail Little Fern was caught by the
streams and whirled away
Over and over. round and round,
down to the bottom, up to the top
not a moments rest for Little Fern!
Flung against stones, hurled against
floating branches; tossed amid leaves
and twigs, bruised by sand and grav-
ell; for the brook in Its haste car.
ried along everything in its reach.
For days Little Fern was borne
swiftly on until they came to the
quiet waters Of a lake. Then, togeth-
sers with the leaves and sand and
gravel. Little Fern sank to the bot
tom. S-'
Every day the stream brought more
sand and gravel, and they were buried
deeper and deeper; and 1t seemed
quite certain the sun would never
shine upon Little Fern. Year after
year, hundreds and hundreds of years
passed. and Little Fern was buried
under many feet Of earth. Gradually
the tiny fern once So fragile that
baby's hand might easily have crush
led 1t. became harder. until It turned
70 stone: The sand and gravel, too,
became solid rock.
You must remember that by this
time they were pressed under tons
and tons OF earth. Great forest trees
had been added to the weight over
them: Tor while Little Fern was quiet-
sly. sleeping, wonderful things had hap
spened in the bright world outside.
Where the lake had been a wider
marsh appeared. then forest. But
even ground in which they grew sank
lower. lower; snd the forest became
covered with water.
And so change after change came,
until again the surface far above lit.
tie Fern was covered with dense for.
ssts, The world was no longer silent.
Fieet.footed deer sped through the
trees, chased by the arrows OF the
Indians sand the air was filled with
the song OF birds. The woods We're
full of. life. ~
Then came the white man With his
AK, telling the trees, building houses
and towns. digging far into the earth
for the wealth hidden below. Down.
down, deep in the mines went the
brave miners. searching for the coal
that long years ago had. been forest
trees and beautiful plants.
There came day when the s..clang,s
clang!'. Of the pickax reached the
quiet resting place Of Little Fern.
Nearer and nearer drew the sound,
Until finally there was a burst OF
light. blow from a tool that shat.
tered the surrounding rocks; and LIT
tie Fern fell at the feet Of man.
Such a cold, stiff little fern. ali made
OF stone! The pretty green color was
gone, but the leaves were there, and
even the veins, just as they had been
thousands ofssears before, when Lit.
tie Fern was fresh and young.
Look here Harry. said the min
;er, picking up the piece of stone. and
handing It to his companion. "Your
little boy will be interested in this
fossil
So once more the bright sun shone
upon Little Fern, as It was carried
to tho miners home Loving fingers
touched the shining, dark leaves, and
bright eyes gazed in wonder as the
story OF Little Fern was told to the
children. After It's calm, happy life
In the woods, after its long. perilous
Journey. after being shut away from
the day and night for ages Little Fern
has now become household treas.
Primary Education.
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