The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-03-11
KA11DA PUTNAM COUNTY FRIDAY
he brandshed threateningly on high. A
moment more, and as it seemed, they
would be smashed into q ieilY.


moment more, and as it seemed, they
would be smashed into a jelly.
.Sob, rascals! this is the way you pay
me fpr my milk and corn," cried their
host. "Come, lie, me see which shall
killfrst. Ia! this is the fattest." And,
with one hand, lie seized Ulnc by the
waist, and turned him round carelessly
in the air, as one would turn rat After
satisfying himself as TO his victims con-
dltion, he tossed him gently down and
saiat Now, villain! strip and be quick.
I caA't roast you with these rags on
But, first, have you anything to say why
you should not die? | will give you a
fair trial. You have two minutes to
make your defence.
Uric s,ammered out some unintel-
ligible words in his extremity; but in the
end he gave in, and answered simply,
"Notbing."
"Well," said the giant, "that is good
at least. And you?" he asked, address
ing himself to PIatow, who replied,
81 had your child i'll my power, ant
Il did not kill her."
"Kill hel?" echoed the other. "Wba,
kill child! Is that what they teach ye
TO d1 in your country"
"WelI, then, saved her from DEATH >
"That's betler," returned the other,
"and FOR tha,-mark! | will spare you.'
Sand my companion, too?" said Pla
tow.
"No; he must die"
"Spnre him for my sake," urged
Pla,ow, again.
The giant looked gravely, but kindly
upon him, and said: "For yonf salcs@-
WeIl,l will spare him too. And now
knew, men, that have listened to YOU
talk. You have never been out of my
grasp;-no, moi for moment. Had you
harmed my poor, sickly child, death
Instantly, shonld have been your fate
But one of you was merciful-and mercy
bege,s mercy. A good deed should be
returned Two, fold. And it is thus that
endeavor to repay one. Strangers! we
are poor and wild people; but we have
heads and hearts, fashioned after the
same model as your own. And we wish,
when you return TO your rich and pleusan,
coupsry, that you should be able TO say,
that there is no spot however savage
where men may not learn something =
no spot where human gratitude does no
flourish, and where the wisdom Of kind
ness may hot be taught"
a few evenings afterwards, as the two
soldiers, well supplied with food, were
travelling quietly towards their home.
Uric observed an unusual silence. AT
length, he said to his companion, 81 have
been thinking that the giants heart
perhaps his mind-was almost as large
as hip body"
"Ihave thought so all along," replied
the other.
By this time they had reached their
native land; and when they arrived a,
The gates of the principal city, Ssplenza.
they parted; each taking his way TO his
own home. 1t is said that the seeds
sown by the mountain giant were moi
thrown away, even on the rocky bosom
of Uric. lie became wiser and better
man. In Plaiow they produced less
obvious benefit, the change within him
being less; but the events Of his journey
we're ever afterwards gratefully remem.
bered And when, in later years, his
children clustered round him, he woulc
often amuse and instruct them, on sum
mer evenings, by relating TO them 'h'
fruitful lesson OF wisdom which, in hi
youth, he had heard amongst the baneI
mountains.
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