The Democratic advocate., 1870-03-17

of the lawyer, Twistwcll, suited the
fools taste to charm; for there he
could wander in undisturbed solitude,
in idiot meditation, fancy free" un
conscious Of the wealth of which he
had been robbed by his uncle. One
little hut alone stood on it, aud that
served for his home and his bodily
wants were supplied by such of the
neighbors as obt incd their fuel from
his farm.
"Thc Lord will never prosper him
who steals his treasure from fool"
said one of these neighbors to her hus-
band.
lie shrugged his shoulders with a
"humph! :! for he was conscious of hav.
ing repeatedly drawn more wood than
he had bargained for from the FOOLS
farm, aud was unwilling to believe in
Heavens anger thereat.
Heaven helps those who help them.
selves, he dryly replied, casting an eye
out at the mammoth pile of brush. wood,
for which lie paid but triae in barter.
His wife seemed to understand the
look, bat she sighed as she pokcd the
fire on the hearth.
Poor Daniel! she exclaimed 81
hope he will never suffer from cold or
hunger; but he seems to be in fair
way for it, with his uncle on one side
and a selfish world on the other. His
half was little enough as it was, and all
that is good upon it is fast dwindling
away. What will he do when the wood
is all gomez
ave had better be thinking Of our
own circumstances" said the husband,
snappishly, land let the town take care
Of the fools. As for Daniel, no doubt
he is happier now than many wiser
people"
Happier than his uncle, III be
bound" said the woman, swell. off in
worldly goods though he be- Old Mos.
gar always looks Neutrality-suspicious.
and timid-as if he thought all the
neighbors despised him for taking ad.
vantage of his nephew. And SO they
do. And though everything looks well
for him in worldly way, there will
come some change yet, depend upon it. +"
Perhaps so, and perhaps not" re.
piled the husband, indifTerently. but
get the pudding ready, at any rate, for
I'm in hurry to be off"
So they smothered their sympathy
with pudding and forgot the fool.
Some one talked with Daniel about
his farm, and found him satisfied.
"What will l do with my rocks ?"
said he, with a vacant, self.satisfied
smile. "Pile them up. Make walls
and forts, they will last longer than
wood, and never burn up"
But you have got no cattle, Daniel,
nor crops"
IL couldn't take care of them, if |
had; | can get enough meal and milk
to eat, and l don't want to work. |
want to play with the children and walk
about. Uncle Robert can't do it. l
am much better off than he is"
"Your wood will all be gone soon.-
Then what will you do? You've got
no money"
at will be time enough for me then
to pull up my rocks and plant sced,'
said he looking wise. "And I'll do il
all myself, SO that the seed will know
me when it comes up, and bow to me in
the morning, when | walk in the fields.
U, don't care for anything or anybody,
with my farmw he chuckled, flinging
himself upon the ground, and turning
somersets in his torn clothes. "Hal
ha! hal But I'm'not proud, he added,
rising and looking grave. "That's the
reason | lay with the dogs; and the
boys aud the ducks and the geese laugh
when roll in the straw"
The idiot seemed so coutented that
none cared to dwell upon the great wrong
he had suffered aud so his Uncle Rob.
ert was left in uudisturbed possession
of what he had frauduleutly acquired
Pity for the friendless fool was not deep
enough to arouse opposition against the
influential uncle.
But it was not long ere Daniels wood
was thoroughly swept away, leaving him
but the barren surface of the rocks on
which to rest his hopes of support /; aud
now hunger compelled him to beg at the
doors of his ueighborS, for his uncle
forbade him to cross his threshold
ayerse to the presence Of such a stand
ing reproach to his iniquity, and think
ing to drive him upon the pauper main
tainance of the town.
Alas the lord of the farm was a
pitiable sight to see, as he wandered.