Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-11-02


himself, chow | am to get any break
fast; this is little too much Of a
good thing" He took up one olthe
smoking cakes; it became Il heap Of
yellow gold. Almost in despair lie
helped himself to Il boiled egg and it
was at once like one of those the
famous goose in story-book was in
the habit of laying. "Well, this is a
quandary, such costly breakfast
and nothingto eat, )" thought he, lean
ing bacI: in his chair aud looking
quite enviously at little Marygold,
who was eating her bread and milk
with great satisfaction. Already he
was hungry what would he be din
ner time ? and how ravenously hun,
cry by supper How many days
could he stand it.
Here, SO great was his hunger that
he groaned aloud, and pretty little
Marygold started from her chair and
running to Midas threw her arms
aiIectionately about his knees. lie
bent down and kissed her; he fvlf
that his little daughters love was
worth thousand times more than
the gold he had gained by the Gold
en- Touch
"My precious, precious Marygold, !"
said he But Marygold made no
answer. Alas, what had h3 done {?
How fatal was the gift the stranger
had bestowed The minute the lips
of Midas touched the forehead Of his
little daughter a change had taken
place. Her sweet rosy face, so full
Of love "a it had been, assumed gilt
tenng yellow color with yellow tear
drops congealing on her cheeks, Her
beautiful brown 2urls became spirals
Of gold flagree. Her soft and hexi-
bic form became hard and rigid in
her father embrace. Oh frightful
misfortune. The victim of his in.
satiable desire for wealth, Little Ma
rygOld was human child no longer,
but Il golden statue.
Yes, there she was, with the ques-
tioning look OF love and pity harden
ed into her face. 1t was the pretti-
est and most woeful sight that ever
mortal beheld, and poor Midas, in
his grief and horror, felt how infinite
ly warm and tender heart that low
ed him exceeded in value ali the
wealth that could be piled up be-
tween the earth and sky.
Poor Midas, in the very fullness Of
all his gratiied wishes, began to
wiring his bands and bemoau him
self he could not bear to look at
Marygold, nor vet to look away from
her. All the features and token OF
his child we're there even the little
dimplo in her golden chin. But the
more perfect the resemblance the
greater the fathers agony at behold.
ing IN this golden image all that was
left him of his little darling pet
Alas too well has his wish been
granted SO Midas had only tC
wiring his hands and wish that he
was the poorest man in the world, il
the loss of all his wealth would only
bring back the life into his dear lit
tie child.
While he was in this tumult 0.
despair he suddenly beheld Il strang
er standing near the door Midas
bent down his head without speak
ing, for he recognized the same fig
ure which had appeared to him th'
day before, in the treasure room, ans
bestowed on him the Golden Touch
"Well, friend Midas said tn,
stranger, "pray how do you succeed
with the Golden Touch ?"
Midas wruDg his hands. 81 an
very miserable" said he. Over,
miserable, indeedw exclaimed tn,
stranger, "and how happens that
Have 1 not faithfully kept my prom
ise to you? Have yon not every
thing your heart desired? p
"Gold is not everything" reptile,
Midas "and ] have lost everything
my heart really cared for"
"Ah SO you havo made that dis
covery. Let us sec, then. WhicI
of these things do you really thin
worth the most-the Gift Of tn
, Golden Touch, or one cup Of cleal
, cold water p
90, blessed water" exclaimed Nj
das. at will never moisten m
parched lips again"
t "The Golden Touch" continue
the stranger, cor II crust of bread.
! "a piece of bread is worth all tn
r gold on earth, replied poor hear
: broken Midas.
"The Golden Touch" asked tn
t stranger, cor your own little Mar.
gold, warm, soft and loving, as 81
) was an hour age p
, ooh, my child, my darling child
e said poor Midas, wringing his hand
r II would not give that one smo
= dimple in her chin for the power
J, changing this whole earth into OF
e solid lump of gold"
j. "You are wiser than you wer
King Midas. You now see that Il
g commonest things, such as lie with
| eyerybody's grasp, are more yalu
Q bic than the riches for which
Il many mortals sigh and struggl
d Tell me now, do you sincerely wi'
t, to rid yourself of this Gold'
II Touch p
s. at is hateful to me- repliC
IS Midas.
d go then and plunge into Il
t. river that glides past the bottom
your garden. Take, likewise, va
3 of the same water, and sprink
y it over any object that you may d
IS sire to change back again from go
/. to its former substance. II you
d this in earnest sincerity, it may pc