The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-12

The could get his breath he would
hurry down after 1t and start up
again.
II could hear him as he went down
the hill repeating to himself that
cheerful coupiet his mother had
taught him when he was a child about
what he must do IL at first he didn't
succeed. And he would try, try again.
Nothing but a stone could look on at
such q spectacle and not try to lend q
hand. and presently picked up 2
while he pulled. But the moment he
saw the stick he let go and hurried
away.
"'You little rascal said. don't be
coward.
| And then I felt ashamed Of my
self. for 1t occurred to mo that II
should see q great black log q thous-
and times bigger than I am coming
down toward me out Of tho sky,
should decide that discretion was tho
better part of valor, and l should be
pretty quick about 1t. I threw away
my stick and thought I would use
my little finger instead.
| Perhaps I said. II he has tho
sense / think he has. he viii realise
that this is something warm and
tender and loving But he ran away
| from my finger as promptly a. no had
| run from my stick. That set me 70
thinking again. / said to myself: II
should see hand q million times
bigger than my fist reaching down
from heaven toward me. would be
likely to ask whether It was warm
and tender and lovingg
still was determined to help that
ant If / could, and tried everything
could think OF: but I couldn't make
the little feilow--sensible as he was
! hat
almost made me cry.
what a pity l said, that such .
grand little hero, with such wonder
| full talents should be confined to sueh
n narrow shell and in such a narrow
world! What wouldn't l give X
and make him understand me, and
gradually develops that wonderful
| little soul and lift him up to higher
sphere Suppose / could lift him up
to my own sphere-what a wonder
full man he would make! George
Washington couldn't touch htm!'
II took off my hat and leaned back
against the old oak to think Ii over.
The air was warm and full OF the
drawsy hum OF insects. Presently
heard voice just behind me:
Don't you hear the little ant CALI
ing for heip?'
II sprang up and turned quickly
said aloud, ] must have been dream
ing l sat down and presently l heard
the voice again.
~ don't know who you are said:
but will you be good enough to tell
me how I am going to help that little
fellow when I can't make him under
stand me?'
Simple enough said the voice.
Become an ant yourself, then you can
show him what Is in your heart and
he Will not be afraid
Thanks replied. ] prefer to be
man.
But those little ants are men
also said the voice quickly.
u rubbed my eyes, What do YOU
mean" | asked. l had been reading
some nonsense the day before about
the transmigration OF souls / had
laughed over it, but now my heart
was In my throat
Simply that those little ants are
as human az you are said the voice.
and had body like your own And
some of them you know
Again l sprang up, Then / knelt
down close by the little ant who Was
still tugging away with his great load
and watched him closely. My heart
brighten him away. AS ! looked the
little fellow gradually grew larger and
II could see every movement or his little
body. lie continued to grow and soon
appeared To he no longer a crawling
insect hut u tiny human being. bent
almost double in his desperate efforts
Ito pull his load Presently he made
la gesture--a familiar fes,ure that
sent a horrible sensation through my
whole body.
My God, I cried. springing TO my
feet, its my boy"
Just then the voice came again.
Are you willing TO become an ant
to rescue the soul OF your boy from
his poor narrow SHELF
"'Yes.' | cried. 'Ycsl thousand
times yest'
When I awoke I was trembling
from head to foot. The next instant
the great dceps of my heart broke up
and / fell upon my face and cried like
"a child. BY and by ] grew quiet and
turned to look for my little hero
again. and suddenly the wonderful
truth---the most wonderful of all
trilths-broke in upon my mind Ii
was like a burst OF sunlight through
a. rift in the clouds after a great
storm. Bob. il I should live thous-
and years I'd never forget that mo-
ment when / put myself in Gods place
and imagined my children struggling
down here in the dark. unwilling for
me to help them because they couldn't
understand me. OF course God sent
His Son into tho world! How could
He help It?
/ And do you know" he added,
when that wonderful truth: burst
upon me all the confusion that has tor
tuned my mind through these long
years vanished like--but. Bob, you
understand"
For the light of heaven was play
Ing in hts eyes as j have seen sun
beams dancing in the dewy grass in
May.--Epworth Herald.