168 MARCH 



THE PEBBLE 



knife frightened scratch quartz 

 edges million 



I am one of the aquarium pebbles. 



My home used to be in a beautiful brook. 



But I like it almost as well in the aquarium. 



For there are plants and animals here, too. 



But one day last week something happened 

 that I did not like. 



I was put on a desk. 



Behind me was a boy with a knife in his 

 hand. 



I was frightened at first. 



But I need not have been. 



For, try as he would, the boy could not even 

 scratch me. 



And I could scratch his knife ! 



The boy said that my name must be Quartz. 



On tjie teacher's desk there was a very large 

 piece of quartz. 



It was not round and smooth. 



After a while the teacher told this story about 

 me : 



