Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-14
GRANDMOTHER'S TABLE

Bobby ran into Grandmother's room
and, throwing handful of nuts into
her lap said, "See. Grandmother, |
found lot of nuts in the woods
today
Grandmother looked them over. one
by one, saying. This is hickory,
this is a walnut. Here is a chestnut.
And this one is the king of nuts, be-
cause it comes from the king of
trees
What do you mean, Grandmother?
That's an acorn, isn't it?"
yes, Bobby. but don't you know
the proverb that says: Great oaks
from little acorns grow? The acorn
is the nut, or fruit, of the oak tree
and, if you planted it and let it grow
long enough, it would become ii great
tree, like those outside the window
But why did you call the oak the
king Of trees, Grandmother" asked
Bobby.
Because it produces the king of
woods oak. You know that the
strongest wood there is for making
furniture, and all sorts of other
things, is oak My beautiful carved
table over there is oak, Bobby" and
Grandmother looked at it lovingly.
That's the one that Grandfather
made for you, isn't it,"
Yes, many years ago. Bobby. Sup
pose | tell you the story of that ia
BILE. Would you like to hear it,"
Il should say so" said Bobby, pull
ing a stool up beside Grandmother's
chair and settling himself comfort
ably.
We'll, once upon II time that table
was Just little acorn, like the one
you gave me just now. 1t got planted
in some way or another, possibly it
fell off an old oak tree and planted
itself AT any rate, it began to grow
and it sent out little green shoot;
the green shoot became a woody stem
and, as the years passed. the woody
stem grew larger-or. much larger
around, and taller and taller, until
! il had become real oak tree. Each
year added to the size of its trunk
and it me to be one of the largest
and most beautiful oak trees in that
| forest where it grew.
zone day there wandered into the
fOrest a group of men who were look.
Ing for a place to bui]S their homes.
Among these people there was a
young man and his wife, and they
were looking for a place to build
their cabin
And that was you and Grandfather,
wasn't it," said Bobby.
"Yes, that's who it was and, when
we had chosen beautiful spot where
we wanted our home to be, we saw
that the next thing to do was to cut
down some of the trees which were
growing all around. The men went to
work and, before many days, they
had cleared away a large place in The
forest
"Where did you sleep, Grand
mother? You didn't have any house,
did you?'
mo, we slept in the big covered
wagons we had travelled in. But as
soon as the trees were cleared away,
the work of building our cabin was
begun. For this We used the wood OF
the trees which had just been cut,
and the strongest, finest wood OF all
came from the big oak tree ! started
to tell you about II was such beau
tiful wood that Grandfather laid part
OF the big trunk aside, saying that
he wished to make something out Of
it. Not another word would he say
though | leased him to tell me what
he was going to do with II.
well, the weeks flew by and
heightened into months and our cab
ms were all built and the fields OIL
the edge OF the forest planted ant
farmed, before Grandfather had
moment to get at the piece of oak
which was lying near the shed be
hind our cabin. Then, one. day,..a
heard the noise Of saving and THU
continued many days. Whenever
Grandfather had a little spare time
he would work nj that niece of oal,