His
spirits rose after the cravings of hunger were satisfied, and he lay down
again by his precious pile of stones.
The days glided into weeks, and still he fed upon the berries and
gathered the golden pebbles. His father had ceased to send messengers to
him, knowing that nothing but a long experience would teach his child
the value of life's many blessings, and that gold _alone_ has no power to
bless us. The father suffered much in knowing and realizing that his
son must learn the truths of life through such severe lessons; but wisdom
told him it could not be otherwise.
The chill air of autumn came, and no longer could the fruits and berries
ripen for him. He saw some laborers one day in a field near by, eating
their meal which they had brought from their homes. Oh; what would he not
now give for some of their meat and bread! "I will go to them," he said,
"and offer some of my golden stores in exchange for just a few morsels."
He did so; and they only smiled at his offer, saying, "What would then
refresh and fit us for the rest of our day's labor? Surely your gold
would not."
"But it would help you to buy more," he replied.
"Yes, to-morrow: but we cannot spare a morsel to-day, for we need
all our supply to strengthen us for our work."
He turned away in deep thought. Was he not losing all of life's joys
and comforts in living thus alone only to amass such quantities of gold?
But as he looked again on the shining treasures his ambition arose with
increased power; and he forgot, for a time, his hunger in his toil.
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