The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-10-31

to grow rich"
What then you are not satsGed?'
exclaimed the stranger. Midas shook
his head.
"And pray what would satisfy you?
Merely for the curiosity of the thing,
| should like to know" said the
stranger.
Midas paused and meditatel. He
felt confident that the stranger, with
such golden lustre in his good
humorcd smile, had come hithcr
with both the power and tao will to
crafty his utmost wishes, that now
was the fortunate moment when he
had but to speak and get whatever
he chose to ask, and SO he thought
and thought. At last Il bright idea
occurred to him. and, raising his
head, he locked the lustrous stranger
in the face.
dwell, Midas, l see that you have
at length hit upon something that
will satisfy you, Tell me your wish. "
at is only this" replied Midas {:
81 am weary Of collecting my trea-
suros with so 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 satisfyyou?"
"IIow could it fail p? said Midas,
"And will you never regret the
possession of it,
"Why should II" asked Midas. |
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,
dqzzled, shut his eyes. On opening
them again, he Eeheld only the yel-
low sunshine in the room. King
Midas hardly closed his eyes that
night, in his anxiety for the 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. lie was griey-
ously disappointed to see that they
remained exactly us before, and he
lay in very disconsolato mood, |
thinking over tho promise OF the
d ranger, he now feared would not
come true, until u bright sunbeam
shone through and gilded the ceiling
overhead.
And he thought the sunbeam re-
nected Queerley on the white cover
lit of the bed, looking closely at it,
what was his astoniShmont and de-
light to find that this linen cloth
had changed into what seemed II
woven texture OF the purcst aud
brightest gold The Golden Touch
had come to him with the first sun
beam.
Midas started up in IL kind of joy
full frenzy, and ran about the room,
grasping at everything, He seized
one of the bedposts, and it immo-
diately became Il column of huted
gold. He took up a book, and on
running his fingers through the
leaves, behold it was Il bundle OF
thin golden plates. He put on his
clothes, and vas enraptured to see
himself in Il magnificent suit Of gold
cloth, winch retained its tieXibillty.
Midas now took his spectacles from
his pocket and put them on his nose,
but discovered he could not sec
through them; taking them oft, he
found the glass TO be plates Of thin
gold, and of course worthless as
spectacles. This last annoyed Midas,
but he said, "It is no great matter
after all; we cannot expect any great
good without some small neon
yenience with it.
Wise King Midas was so exalted
with his good fortune that the palace
seemed not spacious enough to hold
him. He therefore went down
stairs into the garden. Here he
found a great number Of beautiful
flowers in full bloom and Others in
bud. Very. delicious was their fra
graRce, but Midas knew way to
make them more precious, and 50 he
took great pains to go froa bush to
bush and touch each flower and bud,
and soon every one of them, and
even the little worms and insects on
them, were changed to glittering
metal.
Midas then went into breakfast,
and as the morning air and his early
walk had given him an appetite, he
was ready for hearty meal. Little
Marygold had not yet made her ap,
pearance, so telling a servant to cill
her, he sat down to the table to be-
Gin his own breakfast. 1t was not
long before he heard his little daugh-
ter coming along the hall, crying
bitterly. Tins surprised him, for
Marygold was one of those delight.
ful children who are always cheerful
and happy, and her father did not
know what to think.
AS 1Iarygold opened the door,
sobbing AS if her heart would break,
her father said, "How now, my little
daughter. Pray what is the matter
this fine morning." Marygold, with
out totino ber aaron from her eyes. |