The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-10-10
FROM THE ACORN.

blessing which had again happened 10
his house. be said: II Will 60 out hence
and thank the Great Spirit and Father
OF Nature. who has blessed us. Per-
haps he may give me opportunity 10
honor him. even through one good
deed"
So spoke the Brahman aud went.
The blossom OF pure JOY Is gratitude
and its fruit benevolence.
With the lively feeling OF honorlng
the great and benehcent spirit the old
man stepped Into the fields, and In the
shade OF the trees each OF HIS thoughts
was prayer. still sparkled the drops
OF a freshly fallen shower on stalks,
blossoms and leaves.
Although he had already seen the
spring ninety times. Nature seemed 10
him again made young and falrer than
ever, for she grows not old TO him who
reyeres her Creator and recognizes In
the figure the benevolent sculptor
The old man set ON his way forward,
and on. the beaten path he found an
I acorn. The rain had already through
its fertllizlng power sent the germ
forth. and the shell burst asunder, but
II could not take root on the hard. bare
/ path. He stopped. took IT up and said:
How charming II Is 10 be brought
thus far on my way for easily hadst
thou been trodden In pieces by the
I foot Of the wanderer or wlthered by
the solar rays. Happy shall / be IL
T n D. r...I
fulfill my inward sentiment and the
aim Of wise nature advance. who with
each breath shows a beneft-even the
smallest thanxfulness Is n sweet duty"
A youngster who stood behind the
oak tree and who had caught up the
words Of the Brahman stepped for
ward and jeeringly smiled.
"Why smilest thou?" asked the old
man.
The youngster answered, eat thy
childish thought, my elder, that thou
canst rejoice ut having rescued the
| life OF an acorn"'
"Youngster," said the Brahman, "how
art thou able to know my thoughts,
since today Is the first time thou. hast
Il DCSh nlts anu WY uoot tnOu JttI NJ
the small service which intend to
perform to Nature? To her is the
acorn worth as 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 approaches
to the completion OF the original even
4 -. -. a.
10 humility and simplicity. and then
| 20 her Is worth the smallest as much
/ as the highest. Sends not Brahma
\ too, his ray and dew on the blade OF
grass as well as on the palm tree?"
! Thus spoke the old man with friend
ly seriousness. The youngster silent
I ly withdrew himself, full OF venera-
In his dignity, and he wished TO be
like him, for frivolity itself must In
It's heart revere virtue.
The Brahman set forward on his way
TO a hill which was overgrown round
about with thorns He met peddler
who asked: "rhinkest thou that out
Of an acorn thou canst rear a tree for
have the JOY of its shade"
The old man answered: "Must one at
the planting think only on the shade
Of the tree and on oneself? Does Ma
ture so? My son, he who has not
planted earlier than and before yester-
day finds In the planting itself his mo-
tive and his joy"
He came to the hill, 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 thornsT
called out herdsman opposite 10 him.
Thou carcst badly for thy nursing"
! Friend" replied the Brahman. so
long as the little plant IL tender and
small the thorns will shelter II from
raw winds and injury, and when IL
grows up II will work n way through
for itself. for II Is an oak. My son,
have obtained this OF Nature. The
good mother considers equally the ten
derness and strength OF her foster chill
dren."
! After the old man had completed his
work be trod gayly on the why back
20 bis homestead. AS he drew near 10
his hut his grandsons and greatgrand-
sons sprIpg toward him and asked.
where hast thou been no longT'
4 But he assembled them around him
and recounted all which had happened
to him. and the little children carcssed
the old man while he spoke The elder
ones. however. hung on his lips and
hardened 10 him.
4 'Oh." said the old man when he had
finished. there is certainly no place
fairer than In the lap OF Nature, when
the father loves his offspring and In
the quiet circle Of his family is be-
loved by his children. Yes, love abound
Ing Brahma," cried he and glanced
upward TO heaven. I'm the quiet circle
Of Nature and OF domestic peace stands
thy holy templeg'
The new planted oak soon grew forth
out 81 the germ and raised itself up
uhs.sc fE. fI.rxu. "A ., a ttaaa... a arrraA.