Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-26

But the young husband and viii
resolved to hide their misfortune
and the better to accomplish this
they prayed God to send them al
other son. In another year this pray
er was granted.
They took good care to ignore tn
magician at the baptismal fete Of thi
second child. The boy was straigh,
as well as strong and beautiful. H
had also the lovely hair of colder
tut, with the sapphire eyes and pear
!y teeth OF his unlucky brother. Thu
he was received with welcome a
warm as the one that had greeted tn,
heir. he soon became the most i'm
portant parsonage in the chateau
Everybody waited Oh his looks. obey
ed his commands, humored his capri
ces. The defOrmed boy was givel
entirely to the care Of an old servant
who fortunately was devoted to him
SO he grew apace in his poor, crook
ed way.
Sometimes the beautiful, prout
mother. moved by All impulse of ma
tural affection, came on tip-toe to tn,
door of the boys chamber, prayins
God to give her courage to embrac,
her son, but whom she saw the littl,
fellow with the terrible hump OH hi
BACK, creuched in corner, she al
ways sprang back, murm1ring, eva.
thera ever anything 80 dreadful
cannot, cannot kiss him! %
"Who is the lady who looks in Al
my door z" once asked the boy of the
old servant.
"?our msther," was the reply.
| And what IS mother ?"
"She who brought you into thil
world, my boy"
"Why, then, does she not love m.
it am her child? 1t seems to IN.
that she should care for her own fest
and blood"
"She does not caro- for you because
you are hunchbacked
ut is wrong then for me to carry
this humpY"
"No, but is o misfortune, and
wrong.dolng is psrdoned oftener than
misfortune"
"Then because my back is round
instead of straight, an not to be
loved ?'' " "
Ut seems so, my poor child" 3
1at ..1 you love me though"
Yes, with all my heart"
"But why" aa
1ust because you are unfortunate. II
and why do you, 4 stranger, love
me Tor that which causes my NC ther,
who should care for me most, to hate
the sight of me p
The world IL SO made, nv boy,"
"Then the world is like me. i'll
made" replied Herman with a sad
smile,
AS the boy grew, his infirmity also
increased, until he was frightiully
deformed. while his brother sprany
up into beautiful lad, 80 beautiful
that they called him Phoebus. This
young gentleman was quite aware of
his good looks, and passed whole
hours in marching up and down be-
fore mirror admiring himself.
The little hunchback also looked
In his mirror, but only to laugh at
MS poor plight. One day he saw
some children playing in the court of
the castle, aud said: 81 should like
to play, too"
''Go down then," said the old SER
Want. The child ran off eagerly, but
few minutes after he came back
his eyes full of tears.
"What has happened" demanded
the old man.
"They made fun of me, aud threw
stones. You see am wounded. but
that is nothing. Aud then they cali
ed me a bad name-sEsop.' What
does it mean?''
"Esop is the name of a man,
"Of a wicked man. Is it not p,
mo, Master Herman, Esop was
very good man."
why then did they call me Esop ?"
you" "N0
"And his hump did not prevent his
ono"
"But what did he do 2"
HE wrote fables, in which the man
Who was physically deformed made
moral deformity ridiculous"
he was right. And was he born
rich ?"
"No, he was a slave"
why then should 1 complain. l
who am free and rich? l want to
'ead these fables, it will amuse me
more than playing with children who
throw stones at me-"
The old servant started off tn find
he book of fables. The boy was 80
delighted with "Esop" that for sew.
'rsl nights he hardly slept. Then he |
req TO explain to his companion
1hst ne understood of the meaning
II the fables, and the servant found |
hat his ideas were very good.
so, said Herman, "ny hump does
iot prevent my understanding what
ms great man meant"
''No; indeed"
Are there more books like this?
,uew 2" ''0
nore."
You will bring me some, then ?m
well, what snail bring p"
NO matter SO that they are good:
nd mind you must always call me
Gsop."
Inc servant obeyed, and little bv
lttie Esop, as he was thenceferward
allied, read through his father's IL
'rary. He was content with his
tudent life, until one dav, when he
appsned to see a handsome Young
might, splendidly mounted, gallon.
lg across the country. "Who is that
hevalier who sits his horse so GAL
antly."
"lt is the Chevalier Phebus."
"And who is heI
"4our brother"
but l have never seen my BROTH
r."
" HE don't want to see you"
"And why?''
Because you are hunchback.n
,'Ah had forgotten. Aud where
he coming from?''
"From the chateau that YOU see
'om the window"
land what was he doing thcre?"
"He went there to make himself |
!reeable to the young girl whom he ,
ishes to marry"
"And che loves him ?"
"She will certainly love him, for he |
SO handsome, aud he rides so splen-
idly" ,
"And he is wise?" :
mot OVerInucb iudaed he kuows