Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-05-29
A JAPANESE ROMANCE.

Once upon time there was in Japar
poor stone cutter, a simple workman
in the quarries. His life was rude he
worked much, gained a little, and was
| not at all contented with his fate.
20, If l could only be rich enough
to rest, to sleep on thick mating, wrap
ped in kirmon of soft sikh" Such
was the sigh be breathed to heaven
An angel intercepted it.
eft shall be according to thy desire,
said the angel to him. And he al
once became rich, and he rested, slept
upon thick mating, and wrapped him
self in kirmon of soft silk.
| 1t happened that the Emperor passed
fby. He was proceeded by heralds or
foot and on horseback, followed by 8
! brilliant escort Of cavaliers, and sur
rounded by persons who held over his
head an immense parasol resplenden,
with gold
"What good does it do me to be
rich, murmured the man, Gas long as
l have not the right to go out with
an escort and my head protected by 8
golden .parasola Why am I not the
Emperor
''Thou shalt BE-" said the angel
':And, indeed, he became the EN-
perer.-He had an escort of cavaliers
before an behind him, and people who
| held above his head an immense para
sol Respondent with gold. a7a
However, the sun with his ardent
beams dried up the country, and the
dusty road quivoring with his bright
ness, fatigued the eyes.
sit is great advantage to be EN-
peror," cried the man, "when the heat
Of the day e1hausts you, and the sur
never ceases to make you feel its pow
err! But if one could only DO the
sum-"
'tBehold! Are you satisfied 2" the
angel asked. For he had become the
sun, and he darted his rays up and
down; right and left, and all around
him. And he scorched the heritage OF
the earth and the face of the princes
upon the earth.
But cloud thrust itself between the
earth and him; it held back the rays Of
the sun and prevented them from fall
ing upon the earth's surface.
ssThere is strength" cried tho sun
IA cloud capable of resisting my pow
sr. 1t would be better if I were o
cloud"
every WE'LL" said the angel.
And the transformation was at once
accomplished: The new cloud placed
itself haughtily between the sun and
the earth, and so thoroughly intercept
ed the rays of the sur that it soon saw
the earth covered with its shadow
Then it caused big drops Of rain, and
pouring showers and waterspouts to
fall on the land, so that the torrents
burst theit bouhds and the rivers spread
and devastated the fields.
Nothing resisted the force OF the in
undation; only rock defed it perfect
ly motionless. III vain the believing
waters beat it in thoir fury the rock
yielded not, but the foaming waves
died at its feet.
"a rock, then, is my SUPERIOR sale
the cloud; II would rather be III it,
place
'sYou shall be-" said the angel.
And he was transformed into steep
| mistaken rock, insensible to the rays
of the sun, Indifferent to the torrents
of rain and the shock Of tuuiultuouil
waves.
Nevertheless, he distinguished at hi
feet a itian Of poor appearance ant
hardly clothed; but armed with chise
and hammer; and the man, with the
help of these instruments, struck Of
pieces of tic rock, which. he dressed
into stones proper for cutting.
ssWhat is that?" cried the rock; cha:
| a man the power of rending pieces O
stone frem my breast ! Shall be weaker
than he ?"-Then it Is absolutely nee
| essary that should be that man."
"Have your WILL" said the angel
and he became again WHIST he had beer
"a stouecutter, q SIMPLE workman in
the quarries.-I1is life was rude, he
worked much and gained little, but he
was contented With his lot. .
A Matrimonial serenade:
Bill stoker resided IN the tswn o.
c., on the coast ofMaine. He was