1.This story was told by a gentleman,who said that he owed all his success in life to a simple lesson taught him by his father.
2.“One day when I was a lad,”said he,“a party of boys and girls from our school was going into the country to pick berries.I got my basket,and was going out of the gate,when my father called me back.
“He took hold of my hand,and said very kindly to me,’Harry,my boy,what are you going for-to pick berries,or to play?‘“’To pick berries,‘I replied.
3.”’Then,Harry,‘said he,’I want to tell you one thing.It is this:when you find a good bush,don‘t leave it to try to find a better one.The other boys and girls will run about,picking one or two berries here,and one or two there,wasting a great deal of time,but getting very few berries.If you do as they do,you will come back with an almost empty basket.If you want to get berries,the thing for you to do is to stick to your bush.’
4.“I went with the party,”said the gentleman,“and we had a splendidtime.But it was just as my father had said.No sooner had one of the boys found a good bush than he called to his companions,and they would leave their places and run off to see what he had found.
5.”But my father‘s words kept ringing in my ears,and I stuck to my bush.When I had done with one I went to another,and finished that;and then I took another.When night came,I had a large basketful of nice berries,more than all the others put together;and I was not half so tired as they were.
6.“I went home very happy that night,and when father looked at my basketful of ripe berries,he said,’Well done,Harry.You see it was just as I told you.Always stick to your bush.‘7.”Not long after that,my father died,and then I had to make my own way in the world as best I could.But I never forgot the lesson taught me by that day’s berry-picking.I always stuck to my bush.
8.“When I had a good place,and was getting onwell,I was not willing to leave it and spend days or weeks in trying to find a better place.When other young men would say,‘Come with us,and we will find you something better to do,’I shook my head,and stuck to my bush.
9.”After a while,my employers took me into partnership
with them in their business.The habit ofsticking to my business led to my success.I owe all I have to the lesson my father taught me when he said,‘Stick to your bush.’“10.“One step,and then another.
And the longest walk is ended;One stitch,and then another,And the largest rentis mended;
One brick upon another,And the highest wall is made;One flake upon another,And the deepest snow is laid.”