Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-02-23
TO BE CONTINUED
AN EASTERN TALE.

Eastward from Cathay and Japan there
dwelt King, whose dominions extended from
sea to sea- and from the Island of the Gram
ges to the Crystal Lakes Prosperity and
happiness were the lot of his subjects, such
as were not equaled throug hout all the East.
Famine was unknown in that land, and Trea--
son was an unheard of crime. The Fountain
of Youth was said to flow in its eastern for
ests, and the City of Ell Dorado stood on its
western Shore
He was a wise and prudent monarch with
al. Each of his thirty-one sons, sovereig ns.
though they were, were bred up to some USE
full handicraft. One wrought in iron and
coal, another piled the loom, another made
and guided boats upon the rivers and anoth-
er tended hocks and herds upon the mountains
There was one region of the Kingdom that
was fruitful and fair to look upon, beyond all
the rest 1t lay at the head of valley, cal
led the Valley of the Fathers of Rivers, and
stretched far away westward to the Mountains
of Perpetual Snow 1t was land for thu
culture Of Corn and Wine and Oil, cad i
was called III Nebraska, or The Refuge. Thu
the King had set apart for an inheritasce y
his children when they should arrive at mans
estate. A line of scntinels was stationed
along its confines. to keep off marauders.--
The scntincls were $3.50 in number, and stir.
red not from their posts, night nor day.
AS the King was sleeping, one day, in his
council chamber, he had strange and peg
picking vision. He dreamed that a Beggar,
came and knelt before him, whose aspect was
like the aspect of the most hideous Of the
Jim. He was deformed, and Scared and
lame, and had but single eye In his hand
he held whip of bulls hide, which he vaipd
ly endeavored to conceal among his tattered
garments Humbling himself before the
King, he said, 20 King live forever! II is
not [ who am to blame for being here to.
curse thy dominions, but my father, wicked
Englishman, who brought me and laia' at
thy gate while | was yet an infant and then
deserted me. am nearly dead with hunger
and cold. Give me, | pray thee spot of
ground wherein | may work and earn my
, livelihood, so that may be no more trou-
BILE to thee"
So the King took compassion on him and
babe him 60 down into the Fields of Tobacco
and Rice and work there with his sons. And
the beggar went. But no sooner was he out
of the Kings sight than he despoiled the
Kings sons Of the lands and squandered their
substance in idleness and proHigacy. Finally
he came again and stood before the King, in
more pitable plight than ever.
40 King" said he, alive forever! The
Tobacco fields thou gavest me are worthless.
and Improbable, and the Rice patch is MOTH
ing but an infected swamp. Give me, pray
thee, another spot of ground, whereon / may
work and earn my livelihood, that may be
no more trouble to thee"
And the King took compassion on him and
gave him the Cane Brakes and -TE..6iAssf
Cotton. And he departed again. he
wasted their substance also, and lived RIB
ly. He took the children and the womaAhat
lived there and sold them for silver to esHain.
Merchants who were going with the cara
vans to the City of the Crescent. At last,
when the silver was spent, he came aldstood
before the King third time.
May the King" said he, Give brewer +,
But the Cane Brakes thou gavest me are
small and well nigh exhausted; andas for
the Cotton Fields, I can not nick enough
from them to make my own clothes More
over, my neighbor, Mejico of the Mics, has
fallen upon me without provocation and NAL
treated me- Help me, therefore, | pr;v thee.
to remove westward, out of his reach and I
will promise that will be no more trouble
to thee"
Then the King distrusted him. But to
avoid controversy, he did as he desired. He
beat MEXICO Of the the Mines, and took his
house and lands and gave them to the Beg
gar. And he gave him also, all the Vine.
yard OF the Sea-coast, and all the Plains Of
the Buffaloes, away up the Great Lake of
Salt.
All this while the Kings sons were toilpg
in the workshops, and on the rivers, aud in
the fields earning their bread, and the Beg.
gars too, BY the sweat Of their brovs. Bu,
as for the Beggar, he went down and toasted
at their expense. Worse than all, he actual.
ly accused them of conspiring to destroy their
father, and pretended that what he had re.
ceived was reward for saving the Kings
life from them, in certain garden called
, the Garden of the Castle!
II Three years passed and then the Begga,