LEARNED A LESSON.

Manawatu Herald, 6 August 1896, Page 4

LEARNED A LESSON.

The JJoy With tho Uznbrella No Longer Wanted to Bo a IJig General. In the middle of the garden stood a littlo boy nuilcr a big umbrella. He always kept it spread, no matter what the weathcjr might be, and winter and summer, day and night, be was always in his place. A fountain fell on the top of the umbrella, which was iron, and all BTonnd the boy, who was iron too. "Oh, dear," thought the boy, "how I hate to carry this old umbrella ! I wish I was the stone general over thero in the park, and then I could always ride on horseback. "Then, instead of this ridiculous old thing, I should have a great long sword In my hand, and I'd hold it right over Jhe people's heads, as if I was going to flght them all !" Yon see, he was a boy, although only an iron one. Meanwhile the air in tho garden was growing more and more sultry, but he did not feel it in the middle of the cool fountain. The people in the hot, dusty street looked longingly at the iron boy in bis snug littlo water house. How they wished that they could change places with him ! At last a- great drop foil, and then another, and then it seemed as if sc.no one was pumping water out of the clouds. Everybody rushed home as fast as posBible. A little schoolboy ran past and looked up at the iron boy. "Wish I was that fellow !" he shouted. "Hullo, lend us your parasol?" But the iron boy only stood still and sulked. "Oh, may I come under your umbrella?" gasped a butterfly, who was caught in her new spring dress. "How wise you are always to carry one!" • Sho sat on his finger and dried her blue aad gold suit. The rain fell in torrents all around them, but it did not touch her. At last the sun came out again and made a great rainbow in tho sky and a little bow in tho fountain. The butterfly said that she must go. "You have saved my life, you kind boy!" she said gratefully. "This dreadful storm would have quite washed away poor little me. "How much nicer to hold an umbrella over such a helpless little thing than to flourish a sword like that big stone doll yonder !" And waving her pretty wing to him away Ehe flew. "Perhaps she is right, " thought the iron boy. And he held tho despised umbrella straight and high as if ho was proud of it, after all. — Youth's Companions.