Children Stories - Three Old Tales

Two grandmothers, with their two granddaughters; Two husbands, with their two wives; Two fathers, with their two daughters; Two mothers, with their two sons; Two maidens, with their two mothers; Two sisters, with their two brothers; Yet only si... Read more of Two grandmothers at Free Jokes.ca

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Three Old Tales

from Good Stories For Great Holidays - WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY

BY M. L. WEEMS (ADAPTED)

I. THE CHERRY TREE

When George was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a
hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went
about chopping everything that came his way.

One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his
mother's pea-sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of
which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the
trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.

Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his
favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to
know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody
could tell him anything about it.

Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.

"George," said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful
little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five
guineas for it!"

This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was
staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:--

"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it
with my little hatchet."

The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in
his arms, he said:--

"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me
than a thousand trees! yes, though they were blossomed with silver and
had leaves of the purest gold!"

II. THE APPLE ORCHARD

One fine morning in the autumn Mr. Washington, taking little George by
the hand, walked with him to the apple orchard, promising that he would
show him a fine sight.

On arriving at the orchard they saw a fine sight, indeed! The green
grass under the trees was strewn with red-cheeked apples, and yet the
trees were bending under the weight of fruit that hung thick among the
leaves.

"Now, George," said his father, "look, my son, see all this rich harvest
of fruit! Do you remember when your good cousin brought you a fine,
large apple last spring, how you refused to divide it with your
brothers? And yet I told you then that, if you would be generous, God
would give you plenty of apples this autumn."

Poor George could not answer, but hanging down his head looked quite
confused, while with his little, naked, bare feet he scratched in the
soft ground.

"Now, look up, my son," continued his father, "and see how the blessed
God has richly provided us with these trees loaded with the finest
fruit. See how abundant is the harvest. Some of the trees are bending
beneath their burdens, while the ground is covered with mellow apples,
more than you could eat, my son, in all your lifetime."

George looked in silence on the orchard, he marked the busy, humming
bees, and heard the gay notes of the birds fluttering from tree to tree.
His eyes filled with tears and he answered softly:--

"Truly, father, I never will be selfish any more."

III. THE GARDEN-BED

One day Mr. Washington went into the garden and dug a little bed of
earth and prepared it for seed. He then took a stick and traced on the
bed George's name in full. After this he strewed the tracing thickly
with seeds, and smoothed all over nicely with his roller.

This garden-bed he purposely prepared close to a gooseberry-walk. The
bushes were hung with the ripe fruit, and he knew that George would
visit them every morning.

Not many days had passed away when one morning George came running
into the house, breathless with excitement, and his eyes shining with
happiness.

"Come here! father, come here!" he cried.

"What's the matter, my son?" asked his father.

"O come, father," answered George, "and I'll show you such a sight as
you have never seen in all your lifetime."

Mr. Washington gave the boy his hand, which he seized with great
eagerness. He led his father straight to the garden-bed, whereon in
large letters, in lines of soft green, was written:--

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Next: Young George And The Colt
Previous: The Trial Of Psyche:

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