The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-02-18
STORIES FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.
POND OF BEASTS.

I
POND OF BEASTS.
SIN one of LaadEeers's early visits to
Scotland he stopped at q village and
took a great deal of notice of the dogs,
jotting down rapid sketches of them on
bit of paper. Next day, on resuming
his journey, he was horri6ed to find
dogs suspended from the trees in all
directions, or drowning in the rivers
with stones around their necks. He
stopped a weeping uTchin who was hur-
rying off with a pst pup in his arms,
and learned that he was supposed to be
an excise officer who was taking notes
of all the dogs he saw in order to pros
ecute the owners for unpaid taxes.
Another time he went to Portugal, and
! the king sent for him to express his ad-
miration. 'Ah, sir Edwin, said his
majesty, I am glad to see you I'm so
fond Of beasts"
! INFLUENCE OF GOOD WORDS.
When Robert Moffat, the mission
ary, was in England, he told an anus
ing story of poor African, who lived
near one Of the miss onsIy settlements,
and whose dog, by some accident, had
got possession of a Testament in the
native language, and had torn it to
pieces, devouring some Ct the leaves.
This man came to the missionaries in
great dismay. and laid his case bsfore
them. He said that the dog had been
a very useful animal, and had helped to
protect his property by guarding it
| frC M wild beasts, and also in hunting
and destroying them; but he feared it
would now be useless. The missionary
asked him how this was. As for the
injury done, that was but an accident,
and the Testam mt could be replaced
by another copy. That is true said
the poor man, but still am afraid the
dog will be of no further use to me.
The words of the New Testament are
full of love and gentleness, and after
the dog has eaten them, il is not likely
that he will hunt or fight for me any
more"
FROST FAIR.
When Master Jack Frost can get his
OWE way, he proves a great tyrant, and
locks up lakes and rivers In countries
where such performances are least ex-
pecsed. Even old Father Thames, in
the southern part of England, has been
at times shut up by him in a prison of
ice. Once when the river was frozen
over the Londoners held what they
called frost fair.
In the beginning of December, 1868,
frost set in and lasted to the 9TH of
February, upward of two months. The
river was frozen, as an old writer says,
Z" to that degree that another city, as it
were, was erected thereon where by
the great number Of streets and shops,
with their rich furniture, it represented
a great fair, with variety of carriages
| and diversions of all sorts near White
hall, whole OK was roasted on the ice
Bull-baiting, puppet playing, horse-rac-
ing, and other amUsements, were gen
orally INDUCED in and persons OF all
ranks mingled in the new scene of life.
| Large boats, covered with tiIts and dec
GRATED with sails and flags, were used
as sledges, some being drawn by horses,
and others by the wstermen, who were
| frozen out of their usual employment.
Coaches piled up and down the river as
| regularly as on the streets. a double
line of booths formed street, in which
were shops for the sale of refreshments,
draperies, and places for small wares.
Printers set up their presses on the ice,
and earned large sums by printing the
names of people for sixpence each.
But, oh most inglorious Termination
to the fun Master Thaw slipped in
unawares, and off rushed printers,
showmen, and spectators in a great
hurry.
HOW BUDDHA FED AN ARMY.
''There was brazen image of Bud
dha not far from the Poyang lake, and
near the borders of the great river of
China. When in a sitting posture it
was forty feet high, ten feeU IN diane
ter, and twelve feet across the shoul
ders. It was seated in the oriental
position, with the souls OF the feet
| pointing heavenward, and in the hollow
of each foot four men could rest. So
large were the ears that in each a man
could hide himself. This huge image
was made into three parts, all of which
! we're hollow. On one occasion, the
date not being known, some beggars
made an excavation into the back o
this monster Buddha, and stole a gleat
/ 90 -
was quite large enough for any one to
walk into, and beggars were in the habit
of sleeping within and cooking their
meals, even to the number of twenty
men, and yet there was room.
In the seventh year of Heenfung
QS5O, a great general, Tsung-Quo-Fap,
seeing his army deficient in supplies,
/ determined to avail hiEself Of the ma
terisl of which this great idol was made
to meet the v ants of his suffering army.
He at once dispatched two trusiy Off
GERS, with 400 men, with orders to
pound Buddha into pieces and bring it
with them.
When they arrived before the image
and beheld its immense size, they said
How very lofty is Buddha, and how
! difficult it will be for us to fulfill the
orders of our general ? They were at a
loss how to begin. At last they oon-
structed a ladder, and rested it sgainst
the shoulders of Buddhs. Then a rope
was TO be thrown over the head of the
great image, and in this way they hoped
to drag it to the ground. But not
soldier dared ascend this ladder, for
fear took hold of them. A handsome
reward of 10 teels CS13) was then offered
to the man who would ascend the ladder
and throw the rope over the head of