Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-16
oun sAFURBaA NIsnE.
EoR ToUze HEs.

mMaA AAAf ~ N E ~
Others mysterious powers to ena-
bic them to accomplish most extra.
Ordinary things. Those who have
read Of Aladdin and his wonderful
lamp know what we mean. Now,
we see no reason why We should
not have a little fairy tale Of our
own for this SATURDAY NIGHT, II
for no other reason than just for a
change.
This fairy tale Of ours Is as true
as other fairy tales-and, perhaps,
it 10 even more so. But here it is.
Passing by one of those enter
prising establishments where your
choice Of the goods and wares Is
permitted you for a quarter Of a
dollar, we paid the price aud se-
lected q ring, and why we did so
would have remained a mystery to
this day but for what happened,
showing that some mysterious
spirit possessed us and guided our
actions IN the matter.
At any rate we bought tie ring
and after reaching our mental
workshop, sat down TO study out
some use for such q purchase. AS
we thoughtfully turned the article
of jewelry about to admire the in.
tense brilIiancy of its brassy hues
we gave il an involuntary rubbing
on the worn sleeve Of our coat as
If to zee II It were possible TO make
II more beautiful. But, by all that
d strange aud wonderful, what was
our astoni shment TO sec a tiny bit
Of a gossamer-iike creature stand
ing before US, who, in the sweetest
Of bird notes, informed us that by
means Of that apparently worth
less ring we possessed a power to
read the very thoughts OF men and
women and she hoped we would
use the power granted us with re-
spectful caution because there were
many things hidden in human
hearts which are sacred alone TO
such hearts and must not be dis.
played to the worlds rude gaze,
but If We chose to use the means in
our hands 10 learn more than we
knew Of human nature such a use
would be a legitimate and proper
one.
with this the delicate little
sprite sprang upon our chin, kissed
our lips and flew away with one of
the longest hairs in our mOustache,
of which, we opine, she intended
TO make a chignon.
After her departure, we rubbed
our eyes and asked ourself If II
were all real, or O delusion. So Ia
test It, We thought we would com.
mence at once. In the very nexI
room, we heard the noise of merry
voices of young men, whom we
knew, and full of eager curiosity
and a wish to try our mighty pow.
er, we joined their company. Our
presence seemed TO make no inter
ruptiOn to their merriment, ant
giving the ring a rub or two to our
complete astonishment, in spite o
the fairy's prophecy, we read tn
secrets Of each breast like the page
of q book, but this was hardly
more wonderful than the fact tina
what we saw within those heart
was not only unexpected, but Of
similar character in each of them
We will briefly epitomise.
We saw there a dislike for suCI
} frivolous gaities as they were then
engaged in. We saw a love o
something nobler and more eleva
ted written on those hearts. W,
saw an ambition to take ranl
among their f~ellow-men, to be look
ed up to and to be treated every
where with a respect aud courtes.
which had been achieved by ener
gy, labor and self denial. True
their present occupation did no
indicate that such thoughts weru
written within their hearts, anC
they seemed bent upon a down
ward, rather than upward course
But let us learn by this not always
TO judge by externals or to make
what may be the result of the force
Of circumstances, the test of any
mans purpose or character. Well
we will go on with our story. No.
only were these praiseworthy
thoughts to be seen but they were
engraved firmly as If it were a de.
termined purpose to carry then
into execution.
Alas! that ii should be that such
wise determinations sometimes be.
come obsolete, like the tracings in
the sea sands, by the waves of evil
communications that sweep over
the heart!