Article March 11, 1944 ISSUE

Follow Your Leader

ANNA STANTON LAY

Toward evening of a late autumn afternoon, the cries of wild geese were heard from the northern sky. Presently a large flock came into view, winging southward. The sun had vanished, but its rays still made bright the airy path of the high-flying birds. Like a living arrow shot from the bow of a heartfelt purpose flew the leader. She seemed the embodiment of adherence to duly.

But there was one unusual feature in the picture: some birds were flying to and fro, from side to side, not far behind their single-minded leader and the advance guard. These restless ones so increased their own labor and so disturbed the forward movement of those near them that the flock was losing its speed and falling behind their steadily advancing leader. Onward she kept her course. Unswervingly followed the advance guard. Presently their complete devotion to the law of flight won the reluctant obedience of the restless ones, who sought and again found places in the line. Before the flock vanished in the pale reaches of the southern sky, two long straight lines of birds were winging onward.

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