ily felt ashamed of herself and could get 

 no rest until she gave some expression to 

 this feeling. She began by snuggling 

 closer down among the clods and trying 

 to make them feel that she was glad to 

 be among them. 



Then she whispered to them softly : "I 

 am so- sorry for the rude, impatient, an- 

 gry words I spoke yesterday when I first 

 came among you. Can you forgive 

 me?" 



''Certainly we will," said the big clod 

 that the seed had accused of mashing her. 

 "1 know we are rough looking compan- 

 ions for a tiny seed and oftimes we are 

 forced, by influences from without, to act 

 rudely. But Mother Nature knows our 

 needs and will send water to soften our 

 natures and men will lift and stir us about 

 so that we can do our very best work in 

 helping you and other seeds to perform 

 life's obligations." 



"Yes," replied the seed, 'T now re- 

 member how my mother used to praise 

 you and tell us children that the nice 

 juicy food she brought for us to eat came 

 from the soil surrounding her roots." 



''I am glad you can remember us so 

 kindly," responded the clod. ''Though 

 we are the lowest of God's creation, we 

 are also the oldest, and He has most gra- 

 ciously used us as an instrument in per- 

 forming His higher works. We hold a 

 very humble place, and are trodden upon 

 by all of His creatures, yet we are happy 

 in realizing that we, too, have a direct 

 commission from him and a part to per- 

 form in the creation of the great living 

 world above us. Our most extensive and 

 immediate work is helping Mother Na- 

 ture to produce the vegetable kingdom, 

 to which you belong, and we want you to 

 feel," continued the clod, that you are 

 among friends who are waiting and anx- 

 ious to serye you." 



"Thank you," replied the seed ; "you 

 are very, very kind, and I am sure I shall 

 learn to love you dearly." Saying this 

 she crept down closer into the warm lit- 

 tle crevice and the clod, absorbing the 

 water that had been turned into the fur- 

 row, melted around her and gave her 

 protection, moisture and food. 



The next night did not seem so cold to 

 the seeds. They had become licttcr ac- 

 f|uaintcd with the soil and through the 

 influence of the sun and water were 



clasped more warmly and tenderly in his 

 arms. There they lay and waited until 

 the little germ within them began to stir 

 and knock for egress. The kind soil had 

 by his own virtues softened their walls 

 so that it was not difficult for the swell- 

 ing germs to make an opening through 

 which they stretched tiny white hands and 

 laid them lovingly into the strong ones 

 of their benefactor. In these handclasps 

 were pledged mutual co-operation, sym- 

 pathy and love throughout life. "Useless 

 each without the other." 



No sooner had these little hands made 

 sure of their hold upon the soil than there 

 came an irrepressible longing in the heart 

 bud to reach up and to know another 

 world. In obedience to this call the little 

 bud peeped out of its own hull and crept 

 softly through the soil, up to the sunshine 

 and air. There it unfolded two tiny 

 leaves in thankfulness and praise to One 

 who had made possible this new life. As 

 the fullness of the higher world was com- 

 prehended, other leaves were thrown out 

 until the little plant became a whorl of 

 praise and gladness. 



At this juncture new difficulties arose. 

 These little leaves forgot their higher 

 mission of love and praise and began to 

 crowd and push each other, each striving 

 to grow tallest and command the great- 

 est space. As seeds number One and 

 Two lay very near each other it was not 

 long before their leaves came together in 

 the air world. They had been so busy 

 growing that they had talked but little 

 to each other since the first night. Seed 

 number One had grown so happy, gentle 

 and meek that she was fast gaining 

 friends on all sides. Every one regretted 

 that they had so harshly condemned her. 

 But now this new trial was a severe test 

 to her genuine heart goodness. At first 

 she made some show of patience, for 

 seed number Two, her closest neighbor, 

 was so unselfish and gentle in all that she 

 did that there was little excuse to be oth- 

 erwise. But no sooner did other leaves 

 come into the space she considered her 

 own than her leaves began to rustle and 

 complain and to say: "It is no use for 

 nie to try to grow, crowded up like this. 

 T wish I had been planted somewhere all 

 l)y myself." 



Then seed number Two gently whis- 

 pered : "He who took you from your 



102 



