The Rambles of an Idler 



ture's methods, assumes to he something supe- 

 rior to her. He sets his individual opinion 

 against the matured wisdom of the ages and 

 errs in proportion to the inflexibility of his con- 

 clusions. The drone is a common ideal at life's 

 outset. The worker is looked down upon. But to 

 which belongs the honey! The drone invariably 

 claims a share, but his argument has never 

 proved valid. The worker is not such because 

 the required labor is light and every flower 

 offers honey. If this were true, labor would be 

 only active indolence. It is failure that rouses 

 the inborn energies, self asserts itself, pride is 

 awakened, the real bee knows its strength, and 

 labor is rewarded when the choice flowers are 

 found. Moments of actual joy are worth a life- 

 time of theoretical pleasure. As to Nature, we 

 receive nothing from her for the mere asking. 

 Where man lives on the banana, he does no more 

 than breathe. He is as soulless as the fruit 

 upon which he feeds. To plant, to guard the 

 growing crop, to reap, these are the stimulat- 

 ing efforts that develop and make us conquerors 

 at last. We are free to choose, but no one 

 dwells in a palace who only dreams of marble. 

 That hungry man who sprawled beneath the 



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