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

crafty his utmost wishes, that now
was the fortunate moment when be
had but to speak and get whatever
he chose to ask, and SO he thought
and thought, At last 4 bright idea
occurred to him, and, raising his
head, he locked the lustrous stranger
in the face.
DWELL, Midas, / see that you have
at length hit upon something that
will satisfy you Tell me your wish. !"
ut is only this" replied Midas :;
81 am weary Of collecting my trea-
sures with 50 much trouble. | wish
everything touch to be changed to
gold.'
"The Golden Touch /" exclaimed
the stranger "You certainly deserve
credit, Friend Midas, for your am
bilious wish. But are you quite
sure this will satisfy you?"
GLOW could it fail said Midas.
"And will you never regret the
possession of IT,
"Why should II" asked Midas. l
ask nothing else to render me per
fectly happy"
"Be it as you wish, then" replied
the stranger, moving his hand in
token of farewell, "to-morrow at
sunrise You will find yourself gifted
with the Golden Touch"
The figure of the stranger then be-
came exceedingly bright, and Midas,
dazzled, shut his eyes. On opening
them again, he beheld only the yell
low sunshine in the room. King
Midas hardly closed bis eyes that
night, in his anxiety for tho morn
ing, and the day-god had hardly
peeped over the hills, when he was
broad awake, and began to touch the
objects within reach. He was griey-
ously disappointed to see that they
remained exactly as before, and he
lay in n very disconsolate mood,
thinking over the promise Of the
stranger, he now feared would not
come true, until II bright sunbeam
shone through and Silded the ceiling
overhead.
And he thought the sunbeam re-
hected queerley on the white cover.
lit of the bed, looking closely at it
what was his astonishment and de.
light to find that this linen cloth
had changed into what seemed 4
woven texture of the purest and
brightest gold. The Golden Touch
had come to him with the first sun
beam.
Midas started up in kind of JOY
ful frenzy, and ran about the room
grooping at everything. He, selzed
one Of the bedposts, and it imme
dlately became II column Of hu'oe
gold. He took up a book, and OF
running his fingers through the
leaves, behold it was a bundle o
thin golden plates lie put ON hit
clothes, and vas enraptured to see
himself in magnificent suit of golC
cloth, which retained its fexibihty
Midas now took his spectacles from
his pocket and put them on his nose
but discovered he could not see
through them; taking them off, 1t
found the glass to be plates of thin
gold, and of course worthless al
spectacles This last annoyed Midas
but he said, at is no great matte.
after all, we cannot expect any groa
good without some small incon
veuience with it.
Wise King Midas was so exalte'
with his good fortune that the palac
seemed not spacious enough to hol'
him, He therefore went dowl
stairs into the garden. Here h
found great number OF beautiful
flowers in full bloom and others i
bud. Very delicious was their fra
GRANGE, but Midas knew y way t.
make them more precious, and so h
: took great pains to go FROM bush t
bush and touch each flower and buc
and soon every one of them, an
, even the little worms and insects o
them, were changed to glltterin
metal
Midas then went into breakfas
and as the morning air and his earl
t walk had given him an appetite, /
was ready for a hearty meal. Lift
} Marygold had not yet made her al
pearance, so telling servant to c.
Q her, he sat down to the table to bt
e gin his own breakfast. 1t was NJ
, long before he heard his little dauSl
e ter coming along the hall, cryir
bitterly. THIS surprised him, #
4 Marygold was one of those dehgh
t full children who are always cheerl
It and happy, and her father dill n
e know what to think.
J As MarygoId opened the doc
o sobbing as if her heart woald brea
her father said, GLOW now, my lit
n daughter Pray what is the matt
" this fine morning?" Marygold, wit
d out taking her apron from her eye
d held ont her hand, in which was oI
g of the roses, which Midas had 80 1
u Gently changed to gold.
d "Ah, dear father" sobbed t
II child, cas- soon as,I was dressed
g ran into the garden to gather sor
d roses for you, because | know y
1t like them, especially when gather
a. for You by your little daughter. b
A, oh dear, dear me? what do y
Vi think has happened? Such n m
is fortune! All the beautiful ros
that smelled so sweet are blight
ID and spoilt. What can be the mi
Ot ter with them?
III "Poohl pooh my little girl,
We piled her father. "You can cas-
exchange one of those golden ro'
by for hundred of the ordinary XII
n Sit down and eat your bread q