Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-05-13
A japanese Romance.

Once upon time there was In ,Japau n
poor stone>cutter, q simple workman in the
quarries. His life was rude, he worked much.
gained a little, and was not at all contented
with his fate.
go, if could only be rich enough to rest,
to sleep on thick mating, wrapped in kir-
mon; of soft silk !" Such was the sigh be
breathed to heaven. An angel intercerted it.
cit shall be according to thy desire," said
the angel to him. Aud he at once became
rich, and he rested. slept upon thick msttiny,
and wrapped himself in kirmon of soft silk.
1t happened that the Emperor passed by.
He was preceded by heraldsi on foot and on
horseback, followed by a brilliant escort of
cavaliers, and surrounded by persons who
held over his head an immenee parasol re-
splendent with gold.
"Wbat good does it do me to be rich." mur-
INJURED the man, "as long as 1 have not tho
right to go out with escort and my head
protected by golden parasol7 Why am I
not the Empcror" IL
..Thou shalt be-" said TIE angel.
And, indeed, he became the Emperor
He had an escort of cavaliers before and be-
hind him, and people who held above his head
an immense parasol respepdent with gold.
However. the sun with his ardent beams
dried up the country, and the dusty road,
quivering with his brightness, fatigued the
eyes.
''It is great advantage to be Emperor,g
cried the man, "when the heat of the dayy
cxhausts you, and the sun never ceases n
make you feel its power! But il one could
only he the sunl !"
:. "Behold 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 tho
heritage of the earth aud the face of the
princes upon the earth:
But cloud thrust itself between the earth
and him; it held back the rnys of the sun
and prevented them from falling upon the
earth's surface. D..
"Tbere is strength" cried the sun-'a
cloud capable of resisting my power. 1t
would be better if I were cloud"
every WELL" said the angel. ~. - -,
And the transformation WAS Mt once accom-
plished The new cioud placed itself haughs
tily between the sun and the earth, and SO
thoroughly intercepted the rays of the sun
that it soon saw the earth covered with its
shadow. Then i. caused big drops of rain,
and pouring showers and waterspouts to fall
on the land. SO that the torrents burst their
bounds and the rivers spread and devastated
the fields.
Nothing resisted the force of the inupda,
uoh oniy a rock dehed IL, perfectly notion
less. In vain the believing waters beat it i'd
their fury, the rock yielded not, but the foam
ing waves died at its feet -. .
ga rock, then. is my SUPERIOR" said the
cloud T; "I would rather be in its place"
you shall be-" said the angel. /.
And he was transformed into steep, un-
shaken rock, insensible to the rays of the SUM-
Indifferent to the torrents of rain and the
shock of tumultuous waves.
!. Nevertheless, he distinguished at his feet
man of poor appearance and hardly clothed,
but armed with chisel and hammer; aud
the man :. with the help Of these instruments,
struck of pieces Of the rock, which be dressed
into stones proper for cutting. r
"What is thst?" cried the rock; thas .
man the powerof rendiDg pieces of stone from
my breast? Shall be weaker than he -
Then it is absolutely necessary that should
be that man." =
.'Have your will" said the angel, and he
became again what he had been-a stones
cutter, a simple workman in the quarries,-
His life was rude, he workedmueh and gained
little, but he was contented with his lot.