The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-08-24


rs our fathers aud grandnihcrs were the same,
We conclude It must be owing to something that
cant De changed; 'or instance the air or water
oi our town. so set your heart at rest and come
along with Us, and well take care o. You
well, rcioued the stranger, Il am very cFld
indeed 10 hear what you say OF your own town +;
for, to be candid with you, It's exactly what /
heard OF you all as | came along, and this made
me think that n place where all were mischief
makers and busy bodies already, I crll have
nothing todo bat (ior once IN my ilcy live in
peace However, don't tTst Tnc--that's all |
have to -ay-aua If any evil arise, from my yi--
H. turn me out and I'll seek q home elsewhere"
An old Bra'min had come IN in tim, 10 hear
tins ayowaL "Is very stmnge," said the wise
man. This fellow is surely magician, and may
set all The rochs Of Shorapoor dancing and tlnb-
ing abont our cars, some day. Turn him in
stahtly away, or it may be worse for Us al'
"No no" shouted the multitude. "That would
be inhospitable. Let him REMAIN and we shall
soon see what he can do"
The little active man now came forward again,
ana SAID, silly, "Sir, if you really are such mis-
chlefmakcr a. you describe yourself 10 be. sup
pose you were to give usa little specimen Of your
poWer--Ju't some tniling matter to judge BY
hiati nan sad the stranger.
Aye aorP exclaimed all and the sooner
the better"
well be it So" said he "lct me put up my
things and come along " And with tbs he arose,
packed MP, girded on his sword, and strobe ma
Jt,tcaiy forward, followed 10y a crowd contuu-
ally increasing as they advanced further into the
town.
Now don't push or press upon me so much"
% 4f nl,,ft ..l 1
watch the consequences" So they let him pro-
coed, and as he advanced, they soon perceived
that he was forming some deep plan, particularly
a. he paused every row and then with his fore
finger between his teeth, and Eolded aud wag-
gcd his head, as much as to say, Il have it," Up
on which lie made straight for Il shop kept bv a
'nDn who sold flour and such like things, md.
accnsting tie dealer, inquired with great ciyihtv
whether he had any hoarPh THAT have, SIR,
'ep!.ed The shopkeeper, plenty, fresh from the
comb only taste 1t, and ! am sure you'll buy
lioro, Sir look at this beautiful jar, full Of the lin
est honey that was ever seen in Shoraooor"
II looks we'll replied the strange, dipping bis
hand m, aud does not taste amiss: saying which
he gave his finger n careless kind of shake; but
he knew night well what he was about, as a little
lump stacl, on tic outer wall.
1T really ia good" said the mischcfmakcr.
Give me IL small pot Of it that | may take II
home 10 my Children
While the shopkccpcr was filling small now
pot, over which he tied fresh green Leaf. the peo
pie WHO had been following came ~ and Said
SF You are only making game Of US you are
giur" rs no proof Of what you said. What mis-
chief Is there in buying little pot Of honey'
lie quiet, my good people, and contcnt YOU.
selves for couple Of minutes, while | ret my
change and put my purchase in safe place, and
You will soon see something here and I'll
be back to you directly The mischief maker
vanished IN an instant!
Now it happened that tbs shop was a mere
shed Of a place, projecting into the street, from
the wall on which the honey had been thrown
nor had the tempting bait been long there before
It was smelt out by a large hungry fly, which
had been spending many iruitless honrs buzziug
about the dealers jar so carefully was it always
covered. Here was a glorious opportunity for q
fine supper and down he came upon it with ca
ger appetite, without looking about him as he
ought--ior over his head, under the cover Of the
wall among old chinks and cobwcbs, there dwelt
n willy, dustcolorcd lizard, who cuioycd tlv be.
yond everything else in the world. and had been
particularly unsuccessful in tiy-catchng all dav
Watching, therefore, till the ilv had buried his
mining apparatus pretty deep in the honey, hc
crept down quietly looking ~ Ike bit Of old
plaster as possible, but for those bright ewes Of
his. which in his cagerncss for the captuIc, were
ntortly fixed upon the ly Unlucky wight
Little did he think that those very ewes had at
tracted the attention ola fine tabby cat. who but
a few minutes before, with blinking eyes, pre-.
scntcd perfect picture of contontmeut, but now
reused by sudden temptation was croucliin.
stcalthily down rs She behcll the lizard for whom
she had so often watched in~vain Down stole
the lzard-on stole the cat so that here at the
same time were three creatures so bent upon IN.
diligence that they never even thought of Looking
about item, But were these three all the par.
ties to be engaged Alas no. There was
sworn enemy Of the cats approaching also un.
Der cover Of large basket, in the shape of n
mischevous white doc, kept by very quarrel
some man ON the other side Of the street This
dog was the terror Of all the cats in the neigh.
borhood, and most Of all the -four dealers: 50
often had he chased her and SO often experienced
the bitter disappointment ofsccing her climbing
up the posts Of the shop and then splitting at
him trcrl tie top Of the she'd
infatuated lizard Wratchcd fly BETRAYED
pussy She hccdcduot the sly creep octhc doc,
SO intent was she upon the successful issue Of
her sp' iHr upon the lizard. The ly was gorgin,
'AiN'h VIVA ''''' A'N N'I'N l'tlNNh lNlN W ilC
intense anxiety THE lizard, the eat and the dog
lie partook enly or-honCyi
The crisis at length arrived The lizard made
its nimLlc pouncc at the hy. The eat sprang at
the lizard. Tho lizard missed Is footing in con
sequence, and would have 5ocl the cats portion
fly, honey and all--but for the dogs sudden at.
tack upon puss. Here was sccncl The lizard
falling TO the ground was al nUcc involved in the
consequences Of the quarrel between the dog and
cat. What were fly or honey to him at the mo.
mcnt, when in state between life and death, he
Crcpt back sore and wounded to his chnls aud
cobwebs The fly might Or might not have cs.
capped, Not so the cat, now solciy wooricd 10y
the dog, in spite Of all her outcrcs aud all She
could do in the way of biting aud clav Hg for it /,
was an old score the dog vas paying h1ro oN, ard /
that would soon have cost her her life il her mas.
ter had not rushed out Of his shop with broom /.
stick, with which he began to bclabor the dog.
Now the owner Of the dog had been as long ut |
enmity with the man of -four and honey rs the |
dog had been at enmity with the cat ard prora, |
oly longer. OF course therefore, when ne heard
his animals cries and saw the punishment inflct.
ing, he armed himself with hroomstici also, and, /
rushing across the street. gave the flour dealer
such cracl, upon his head us knocked him down
rs fiat n pancake,
Take that, you villain" said he, Tor It's dott I
I've long owed you!'
81