The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-08
The Stone I'm the Road.

/ Ths Stone I'm the Road.
| A long time ago there lived king
who took great delight in teaching
This people good habits. Bad luck
comes only to the lazy and the care
less, said he; but to the busy
workers God gives the good things
of this life."
one. night he put large stone
| ta the middle OF the road near his
lpalace. and then watched to see what
the people who passed that way
would do.
Early in the morning sturdy old
farmer named Peter came along, with
his heavy OK cart loaded with corn.
"Oh these lazy people!" he cried
driving his oxen to one side of the
road. Here 10 the big stone right
in the middle OF the road. and no.
body will take the trouble to move
lit.
| And he went on mis- way. scolding
about the laziness of other people.
but never thinking of touching the
stone himself
| The came young soldier. singing
merry song as he walked along
! A gay feather was stuck in his hat,
and a big sword hung at his side;
and he was fond of telling great
stories OF what he had done in the
war. He held his head SO high that
he did not see the stone, but Stun
bled over it, and fell fiat into the
dust.
! This put an end to his merry song;
and as he rose to his feet, he began
ito storm at the country people.
Silly drones!" he said. Ito have
no more sense than to leave stone
like that in the middle of the road"
Then he passed on but he did
not sing any more.
An hour later there came down
the road six merchants, with their
goods on pack horses. going to the
fair that was to be held near the
Village. When they reached the
stone. the road WAS SO narrow that
they could hardly drive their horses
between 1t and the wall
did anyone ever see the like?"
they said. There Is that big stone
in the road. and not a man in all
the country but that Is too lazy to
move it,"
| And so the stone lay there for
three weeks: 1t was In everybody's
way. and yet everybody left Is feF
som ebody else to move.
Then the king sent word to all his
people to meet together on GER
tain day near his palace, as he had
something to tell them.
The day came, and great crowd
of men and women gathered in the
road. Old Peter. the farmer, was
There; and so were the merchants
and the young soldier.
81 hope that the king will not
find out what lazy set OF people
he has around him." said Peter.
| And then the sound OF horn
was heard, and the king was seen
leeHaiHg toward them He rode up to
the stone, got down from his horse,
and said
my friends. twas I-who put this.
stone here, three weeks ago. It has
been seen by everyone of you; and
yet every one has left it Just where
1t was. and scolded his neighbor for
not moving 1t out of the .waf."
Then he stopped DOWN. and rolled
the stone over. Underneath the
stone was q round hollow place, in
which was a small iron box. the
king held up the box so that all the
people might see what was written
on a piece OF paper fastened to 1t.
For him who lifts the stone"
He opened the box turned II up
side down; and out OF 1t fell beauti-
full ring and twenty bright coins.
Then every one wished that he had
only thought OF moving the stone In
stead of going around 1t and finding
fault with his neighbor
There are many people still who
lose prizes because they think 1t
easier to find fault than to do the
work which lies before them. Such
people Do not usually ~b!assse SheRa-.
selves. but think 1t is all on account
of bad luck and hard times.--South-