A ROSE LEAF. 



" Thus thou, sweet Rose-bud, young and gay. 

 Shall beauteous blaze upon the day. 

 And bless the parent's evening ray. 

 That watched thy early morning." 



A ROSE LEAF. — I am never importunate. 



At Amadan, there was a school of philosophers, whose 

 statutes prescribed that, *' the Academicians should think 

 much, write little, and speak as little as possible." Dr. Zeb, 

 famous throughout the East, learnt that there was a vacancy 

 in the academy, and hastened to seek it, but, unfortunately, 

 arrived too late. The members were extremely sorry. They 

 had just accorded to influence that which was due to merit. 

 The president, not knowing how to express a refusal which 

 caused the assembly to blUsh with shame, had a cup brought 

 to him, which he filled so full of water that one drop more 

 would have made it run over the brim. The learned can- 

 didate understood by this that they had not now room 

 for him. He was withdrawing, sadly disappointed, when he 

 saw a Rose Leaf at his feet. On this his courage revived. He 

 took up the leaf and placed it so lightly upon the surface of 

 the water in the cup, that not a single drop was displaced. 

 At this display of his ingenuity, the whole assembly clapped 

 their, hands, and the doctor was received, by acclamation, 

 among the number of the silent Academicians. 



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