The Hattiesburg news., 1915-03-09
Bedtime Stories
For Lille Folks
THE QUARREL.


talk. The blotter," said the ink,
thinks it is very wise, when really all
it knowssit gets from me-
That Is true" said the bottle.
What would it do if we did not first
put on paper the things he absorbs?"
You, my dear bottle" said the ink,
what do you have to do with the
things | put on paper? All you have
TO do is to hold me; you do not have
any knowledge of the great thoughts
that | put down. You are taking great
liberties with my friendship for you.
Your friendship for me-" laughed
the bottle. Rather l should say my
friendship for you. Where would you
be if | did not hold you? Why you
would run all over the desk and be
come nothing but a big spot"
What are you two quaTelin1
about?' asked the pen. Neither OF
You could do thing without me-
put down the wise things on paper
The ink, of course, helps, but the hot
tie has. nothing to do with it, and if it
Aheld paint could put down my
thoughts just as well with that an
the one who is master here and the
cnef to be looked upon as being great
is that so?" said the penholder
who holds you so you can put your
great thoughts on paper, l should like
to know? Little use you would be if
were not here to guide you, and |
should think all of you could easily
1 see that | am the one OF greatest I'M
rortance on this desk"
what is all this talk about?" asked
the writing paper. who holds sway
/ here if not L? Little use all of you
would be if l were not here Who
shows up your thoughts and carries
them out into the world, should like
to know. Why, | am older than any
of you and of much more Importance.
1t is | who am to be looked upon as
! greatest among you
! You are a conceited old thing" re-
piled the pen, "and if | could get at
you | would scratch you so no one
would be able to read anything you
had put on your white surface. The
very idea of saying you are more i'm
portant than ami"
That we are, you mean my dear?"
said the penholder.
mo, | do not" said the pen Il
mean that l am greatest here"
Prove it, then" said the holder
dropping the pen and rolling off the
desk on to the main floor.
The pen lay on it's back, beside the
paper, who now saw that the pen was
unable to be of use, as it was also,
and began to see that its surface
would be blank without the help C
the pen.
Il guess you all will soon see that |
am the one after all" said the ink
AaH my 5Cll oCCu WiluOut LuS
aid of the paper or the pen. l am
sure | could get on without either of
you"
You mean that we could do great
things" said the bottle. you viii
always need me-" my dear you know
to ho,d you but we can get ON with
out the paper or the pen
Il mean nothing OF the sort" said
the ink; you add nothing to my
greatness, and l wish you would not
speak to me aagin.'
I'VE will see about that" said the
bottle. swapping with anger, and out
ran the ink all over the desk and
spoiled the writing paper.
There they all lay, perfectly useless
the bottle broken, the ink wasted, th(
paper spoiled, and the>pen broken.
The b otter, about which all the
trouble began, had said not word
and quietly listened to all that was
said and when it was ended ABSORBED
ali the ink it could and lay with the
others, useless.
When the maid came in the morn
ing to put the desk in order she picked
up the holder, threw away the oil
pen and put In new one. Then she
threw away the broken ink bottle an
put fresh ink in another bottle.
The paper was thrown into the
waste basket, and even the b.otter