The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-12-08
BEDTIME STORIES
FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
THE LOCUST TREE AND THE OAK

THE LOCUST TREE AND THE OAK.
Once upon a time there was a tiny
acorn lying in the soft earth in a for
est Just tiny, yellow acorn that no
one would ever notice, that the wind
blew off the branch when it shook the
tree.
Plump. 1t fell down on the sod and
there it lay buried under the leaves
with the SHOWS above it Tor a cover
ing during the long winter Then at
last spring came, the sun came out
brightly and the ground felt warm to
the little acorn nestled down in the
roots of the grass. The gentle rains
dripped down on it till it grew soft
and swelled and swelled and swelled
till at last II burst and wee shoot of
green peeped up through the soil.
How beautiful everything isl" whis-
pered the little acorn. $50 green and
the sky so blue! How lovely, how
lovely"
Just above the tiny acorn shoot was
a tree full of big white blossoms. They
hung in great clusters of fieecy foam,
the petals like snow-hakes; and the
sweetness from their perfume made
the air as a rose garden. 1t was To-
cuct +roo in fun IIopp,
You say everything is beautiful"
said the locust tree. THAT is true,
but am the most beautiful of all. See
my great punches of feathery blossoms
with their delicious odor.
The timid little shoot looked meek
Iy up at the big locust-yes, it was a
magnificent tree.
Il am the sweetest and prettiest tree
in the woods" continued the proud
locust. And pray, what use are you
in the wOrld?"
The little shoot hung its head. What
could it do? Would it ever grow into
a big, strong, pretty tree? 1t did not
know Still it thought it would do its
best and that was all it could do.
q am very small" it said, "and | do
not yet know about what | shall be
able to do But what ever is my duty
that | will do to the best of my power"
SO the tiny shoot grew and grew.
The sun warmed it. the rain made the
earth soft and the wind tossed it about
to give it exercise. In winter it kept
still, but every spring it would begin
to climb and at last it was quite a big
tree.
Il see you are going to be some
thing after ALL" said the locust, jeal-
ously But you will never get to
I look as pretty or be Of use in the world
like me-"
Maybe not" sang out the young oak
for it was now an Oak-"but [ am
going to do my best as long as | grow
So it kept on growing. The trunk
went up straight, the bark got thick,
the branches reached out wide and
were covered with handsome leaves.
The birds and squirrels seemed to love
the friendly tree and made their homes
in its shade.
But the locust did not grow. Ii was
getting old and its scraggy limbs broke
off and Uttered the ground One day
the farmer came into the woods with
an axe.
This old locust never was any
good he exclaimed. "All it did was
to have a few blossoms and then there
was a lot of dead limbs dropping all
about. 1t was just a silly thing en-
numbering the ground But it will
make fine fire for the kitchen stove"
After a while two more men came
with a big saw This is a fine oak, !"
said the farmer, "and we will make it
into timber for masts of ships II
grows tall. straight and strong with
OuI q ldN
Then the great oak, which had once
been tiny acorn, was glad-glad it
kept on growing, glad it was to be of !
use in the world. 1t would be made |
into tall masts that would hold sails |
and help the boats speed over the
water; it would see far-off lands and |
strange people. 1t would race on
through the suns and storms, through |
the moonlight and SHOWS, over the |
dancing waves bearing great freights !
from one land to another
So the great, strong oak--the oak |
Which had once been a wee, tiny acorn, |
was glad and proud that at last. when |
it had done its best, it was of use in |
the world
Ar