Show r rv eI r tI dM t JACK THE PREACHER One morning in m very early springtime spring spring- time the big Evergreen Trees began to talk about the part they took InI in ii I telling all the the- woodland flowers that it was spring Wh Why if we were not here said one Evergreen Tree who would awake t these ese sleepy springtime flowers flowers flow flow- ers to their duty I should like you to tell me I You Tuu speak truly brother said another tree We Ve are ever green green and need no awal awakening ening to our duty but for us the woods would be a a sorry looking place in the summer Those lazy crocuses would sleep right on and on Yes and the little violets never would dare show their timid little I heads said another Evergreen Tree when the soft winds begin to run through the woods It Is then we call forth to all sleeping flowers and shrubs and bushes Awake It is time to get up And who would tell the Bee summer summer sum sum- mer was on its way said another tree He lie would never get hrs his work started at all if it were not for us How luck lucky the flowers and all the woodland things are that we ve are here hereto to tell them when to get up So the Evergreens talked and bragged dragged about how they preached Springtime to the woodland folk and andas andas as they talked all the spring flowers awoke and the insects began lazily to stretch their wings nut out it was not because Q oi what the big Evergreen Evergreen Evergreen Ever Ever- green Trees re a saying no it was because they had heard the voice of the little woodland preacher And who was be lie e. e do you think Why no other than the Jack I Pulpit who gives a talk every spring to all the woodland dwellers on just how to bloom and how to buzz and when to do it Every night for for forever ever so long before It is time for the tho crocus or the violet or any early spring flower to bloom when it is the magic hour the fairies come running through the woods and touch Jack on his nodding little head under the dry leaves and up he pops and begins to preach So when the flowers and bees and things heard the big Evergreen Trees talking they nodded to each other and laughed it funny tunny to hear them said a beautiful yellow crocus Those tall trees know nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing about the real truth of things do they Fancy ancy thinking they awaken us said another flower Why they themselves are asleep They get so soused soused I used to winter they stand still all the time but who is to tell them i the truth about our Preacher Jack The Evergreen Trees never bend or sway to one side or the other far farenough farenough enough to see the beauties of our woodland spring They only know what the winds tell them Let them think what they like said a little bug bush h of pretty blossoms I It does not i rt the Pulpit if the Evergreens think they are the I preachers of the woods for fat fors all the spring and summer flowers know that Jack has always been our preacher I and the Evergreens haven't any pulpit pulpit pulpit pul pul- pit to preach from Only they do donot donot donot not know it And so the sleepy old Evergreens thought they were the ones who awakened the flowers and preached to them about their duty and no one ever told them about little Jack-in- Jack the-Pulpit the who always has and al always always al- al ways will wm preach about Ithe the spring and summer to all the woodland dwellers Copyright 1919 1910 by the McClure Newspaper Newspaper Newspaper News- News paper paper Syndicate New York City |