The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-02-04
Well, what is it2"
" Yon give me permission2"

Theos seemed to turn over in his mind
all possible things that might complete
the happiness of the child. Everybody
was silent. Then turning toward the
frail creature, the magician said: "Thou
wilt be brave and love thy parents, long
years will be thine, and great strene tin
and riches, and great beauty shall not
be wanting, but )" The magi-
clan paused.
But WHAT" asked the whole circle
of listeners, whose curiosity was raised
to the highest pitch.
But thou Wilt be hunchback," was
the sad answer.
Iseult cried out, while her husband
grew pale with anger.
so it must be-" sold the magician,
spreading his hand toward the child.
Yseult snatched up her baby-but it
was too late-its little back was already
deformed. The knight was beside him
self with rage and horror. "Traitor and
migrated" he cried, "thy death shall
avenge the misfortune of my son." And
drawing his sword he plunged it into the
breast OF Theos. But to the establishment
gerd nor fell. Such things are of little
account to a great magician. He quietly
drew out the sword, saying, at is
stained with the blood of an honest
man." And so, with forgiving smile,
he disappeared, no one knew whittier.
For many years he was unheard of.
Some thought that the wound had killed
him. and served him right.
The rest of the company soon departed
in no very gaymood; but, as you may sup
pose, none of them bearing the burden
of sorrow that weighed down the hearts
of the young parents. Their Joy changed
into grief, their happiness turned to
shame, their only son a hunchback!
But the young husband and wife re-
solved to hide their misfortune and the
better to accomplish this, they prayed
God to send them another son. In
another year this prayer was granted.
They took good care to ignore the ma
gican at the baptismal fete of this second
child. The boy was straight, as well as
strong and beautiful. He had also the
lovely hair of golden tint, with the sap
phire eyes and pearly teeth of his I'M
lucky brother. Thus he was received
with welcome as warm as the one that
had greeted the heir. He soon became
the most important parsonage in the
chateau. Everybody waited on his looks,
obeyed his commands, humored his ca
prices. The deformed boy was given en-
tirely to the care of an old servant, who
fortunately was devoted to HIM so he
grew apace in his poor, crooked way.
Sometimes the beautiful, proud moth
er, moved by an impulse of natural af-
lection, came on tip toe to the door of
the boys chamber, praying God to give
her courage to embrace her son, but
when she saw the little fellow with the
terrible hump on his back, crouched in
a corner, she always sprang back, muir
muring, "Was there ever anything so
dreadful cannot, cannot kiss him. q"
"Who is the lady who looks in at my
door 2" once asked the boy of the old
servant.
"Your mother" was the reply.
"And what is a mother ?"
"She who brought you into the world
my boy"
"Why, then, does she not love me if
l am her child? 1t seems to me that
she should care for her own flesh and
blood"
"She does not care for you because
you are hunchbacked.
" Is it wrong, then, for me to carry
this hump"
No, but is misfortune, and wrong
doing is pardoned oftener than misfor-
tune"
"Then because my back is round in
stead OF straight, L am not loved2"
" 1t seems so, my poor child.
=" But you love me, thought"
I" Yes, with all my heart"
&C. But why p
" just because you are unfortunate"
-" And why do you, a stranger, love me
for that which causes my mother, who
should care for me most, to hate the
sight of me 2"
The world is made 80, my boy"
"Then the world is like me, lily
made" replied Herman, with sad
smile.
A the boy grew, his infrmity also in
creased, until he was frightfully de-
formed, while his brother sprang up into
a beautiful lad, so beautiful that they
called him Phebus. This young gen
tleman was quite aware of his good
looks, and passed whole hours in march
ing up and down before mirror admir-
ing himself.
The little hunchback also looked in
his mirror, but only to laugh a. his poor
plight. One day he saw some children
playing in the court of the castle, and
said " l should like to play, too"
eco down, then," said the old serv-
ant. The child ran Off eagerly, bat
few minutes after, lie came back, his
eyes full of tears.
What has happened?" demanded
the old man. They made fun of me
and threw stones. You see I an wound.
ed, but that is nothing. And then they
called me bad name Esop.' What
does it mean"
"Esop is the name of man.
"Of wicked man. Is it noti"
No, Master Herman, Esop was very
good man."
Why then did they call me Esop ?"
"Because lie was hunchback like
you"
"And his hump dill not prevent his
growing TO be a great man p
NO"
"But what did he do ?"
II II = A.