By the Roadside | Page 3

in the road, when it would take only a few moments to clear them
away. Now run along and don't worry,--you couldn't help it."
So Marjorie turned and walked sorrowfully away beside the Dream.
"I don't see why it didn't come out right," she said at last. "I really
wanted to help,--I was honest."
"Were you, truly?" asked the Dream.
"Why, yes," said Marjorie, "I--" then she hesitated.
"You saw the need of moving the stones, didn't you?"
"Yes," said Marjorie.
"And you were able to do it?"
"Oh, yes."
"And the people were really bringing the wagon up the hill quite easily,
there were so many of them?"
"Yes," admitted Marjorie.
"Then, honestly, why did you leave the stones in order to go and pull
on the rope?"
Marjorie stood still and thought, very soberly. "Well," she said at last,
"I guess it was because it looked more interesting."
"It wasn't because you actually thought that they needed your help?"
"No-o," admitted Marjorie. "But then, I didn't stop to think of it that
way,--I just wanted to do it."
"But you didn't ask yourself why you wanted to do it,--or if it were
wise?"

"No-o. It just looked like helping, and I--I wanted to be in with the
shouting."
"Yes," said the Dream, "you are not the only one who wants to 'be in
with the shouting.' But just let me tell you something:--if you want to
be honest with yourself, carry a great big WHY around with you all the
time,--and when you have an impulse to do anything, look at that first.
Don't just glance at it,--look at it squarely, if for only a moment. When
you have answered that honestly, you will know what to do."
The two walked on in silence for quite a distance. By and by Marjorie
heaved a little sigh. "I wish that I could find a big work," she said. "I
wish that it would be very, very big,--very, very big and very
wonderful."
"Why?" asked the Dream.
"Oh!" cried Marjorie, clasping her hands, "so that years and years from
now, people would look at it and say that I did it,--and would
remember me for it."
"'M-hm," said the Dream.
"Wouldn't that be grand?" went on Marjorie, enthusiastically.
"'M-hm," said the Dream.
Marjorie looked hard at him. "Isn't it right to want to do great and
wonderful things?" she asked.
"Yes," said the Dream.
"Then what--" Marjorie stopped.
"When you look at it fairly and squarely," said the Dream, "what do
you think of your reason for wanting to do something great?"
Marjorie bit her lip.

"Be honest," said the Dream.
"Well," said Marjorie, at last, "I suppose the reason is just about as
small and selfish and useless as a reason could possibly be."
"It is," said the Dream. "Now I'll tell you something. Those who have
come to be known for their work are those who have worked for the
love that was in them,--not for the name. To really work, is only to help;
and those who are helped will see to it that the work and the worker are
never separated; for while the work lives, the worker is in and of it. Do
you see?"
"Yes, I see," said Marjorie, softly. "I am not honest enough, nor
unselfish enough for a great work yet; but the little things will get me
into practice, so I must love to do them, and perhaps the other will
come when I am ready for it."
They had reached the top of the hill and passed a little school-house
before either of them spoke again, and then the Dream broke the silence.
"Why did you do that?" he asked; for Marjorie had jumped across the
little ditch and was walking in the grass and weeds along the roadside.
"The road isn't dusty," he added, "so it is no pleasanter walking there."
"Well, you see," explained Marjorie, "I noticed that some people had
walked along here and made a little path, and it will be much better to
walk on a path by and by when the road is dusty."
"But your walking there this once can't help much."
"It will help some," said Marjorie, "and it is only a little hard for me;
and walking in the dust will be very hard for ever so many after a while,
and the weeds and grass would be grown quite high by that time. You
see, my walking here presses the grass down and makes it look easier,
so that some one else will do the same and help to wear the way.
There," pointing backward, "do you see? All of those schoolchildren
have come over on to the path because they saw me, and that will help
ever so much."

"I guess you're