C. G. D. Roberts tells of the capture of a great eagle at the
head waters of the St. John River in the Northwest. The eagle
occasionally found its food at the edge of a lake where the
fish came into the shallow water. One morning he found on the
spot a great stone which aroused its suspicions, and perched
on the stump of an old tree to watch matters. Nothing further
happening, it went down and hopped on the stone and breakfasted
as before. It did this for several days, when one morning he
found a stick laid across the stone in a slanting position with
something hanging loosely from the upper end. Further suspicion
led to a closer examination, but, satisfied again, he ate as
before. This he did for several days, becoming more careless and
confident, until one day while enjoying his morning meal on that
stone and hopping about, an Indian hidden in the reeds pulled
two strings, dropping the stick and unloosing the meshes of a
net around the eagle and caught it.
(3189)
* * * * *
A little Jewish newsboy was selling evening papers among the
clerks in a large office in one of our great cities. Unawares,
as he approached the cashier, he found himself right next to
an open cash-drawer overflowing with coin. The little fellow’s
eyes shone at the sight. But, quicker than a wink, he stept
back beyond reach, and nothing would induce him to approach any
nearer, even to sell a paper, until the drawer had been shut.
I happen to know that this little fellow comes from a home
of poverty, where there are many children and little time or
strength is left for parental training of the children, and that
the poor boy often goes hungry, finding it too far to go home
for a bite, and not daring to spend a copper of his hard-earned
treasures for any self-indulgence.
But how many native boys of ten years of age, think you, would
have had the moral perception, the strength of character, and
the quickness to act that was exhibited by this little son of
a poor immigrant family? (Text.)--GEORGE W. COLEMAN,
“Search-lights.”
(3190)
* * * * *
There were two ways in which the ancients kept from yielding to
the music and final destruction of the Sirens. Ulysses fortified
himself with bonds that held him fast to the mast while his
boat carried him, listening, by the seductive strains. The
Argonauts carried Orpheus with them in their boat, and were so
engrossed in listening to his music that they never even heard
the tempting sounds from the shore. (Text.)
(3191)
=Temptation, a Boy’s=--See SLOWNESS.
=Temptation and Desire=--See DESIRES, INORDINATE.