By the RoadsideYates, Katherine M. (Katherine Merritte)
General
By the Roadside
Yates, Katherine M. (Katherine Merritte)
Conduct of life -- Juvenile literature
The Dream pointed up the long hill in front of them; and away, almost at
the top, she saw a little girl lifting a basket from the roadside, where
she had set it while she was resting. It was a large, heavy basket with
a handle at each end, and so it was awkward for one to carry alone.
Marjorie started forward impulsively; but the Dream did not stir.
"Wait," he said, "you cannot catch up with her now, before she reaches
the top of the hill; it is only a little way farther."
"But," cried Marjorie, "I can help her then! That basket must be hard to
carry, even on level ground."
"She lives at the top of the hill," said the Dream, quietly. "She has no
farther to carry it."
Marjorie bit her lip. "And she was right here when you first spoke?"
"Yes," said the Dream, "she was right here."
"But I didn't see her," protested Marjorie.
"You weren't looking for her," said the Dream.
"I'm sorry," said Marjorie, "but--but--" searching vainly for an excuse;
and then a little virtuous tone coming into her voice; "--as likely as
not she is better off for having carried it alone,--stronger, you
know,--more experienced,--" this last rather lamely, for the Dream was
looking at her fixedly. "Don't you think so?" she asked presently, as
the Dream made no reply.
"I think," he said at last, "that there was Some One, a long time ago,
who spent His entire life helping others, wisely."
"And I suppose you think that I ought to have taken the whole basket and
lugged it up the hill for her, and let her walk along and carry her
hands!" exclaimed Marjorie, angrily.
"No," said the Dream, "not unless, for some reason, you thought that you
ought to. You are not arguing honestly. You are not called upon to do
one thing more than you think, _honestly_, that you ought to. No more
than that is your work."
"But I could _make_ myself think--" began Marjorie.
"I said _honestly_," said the Dream. "It isn't honest to _make_ yourself
think anything."
"But mustn't I study about it, and try--"
"Cer-tain-ly! Study about it carefully; but do it fairly. Don't take
what some one else says that you 'ought' to do, and try to shave
yourself down to fit it. Study it out and think it out for yourself; and
then if the other fellow's opinion seems wise, follow it;--and if it
doesn't, follow a better one of your own."
"But suppose that some one has a right to tell me what to do?"
"That's different. If you have given some one the right to tell you what
to do, it must be because you believe that person understands better
than you do. If you believe that, be obedient; if you don't, say so and
go your own way. Be honest, that's all,--be honest with you."
"With _me_?"
"Yes, with you. If you are honest with yourself, you are square with the
world."
"I see," said Marjorie. "Oh, dear, that is the third stone I've stumbled
over in two minutes! I wonder why some one doesn't roll them out of the
road,--they are not so very large."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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