The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-09-15

cnanceu tnat lie arrived at the mOmeuJ
when Jupiter, becoming tired with the
never-ceasing complaints of the human
race concerning the unequal distribution
OF happiness, and Disguised with their
perpetual envy of each others lot, had
determined to punish them in a most
exemplary manner, by granting their
prayers and permitting them to ex-
change lots with those whose situation
in life they considered most happy.
Accordingly he had commanded the
goddess Fame to proclaim by sound of
trumpet to the uttermost ends of the
earth, that oil those who were discon-
tented with their lot, or envied that of
others, should come together at the
foot of Olympus, bringing their cares,
anxieties, misfortunes and sufferings in
sack, for the purpose of exchanging
with those whom they most envied.
Quick as thought, and ere the echoes
of the trumpet had ceased to reverbe-
rate among the recesses of Olympus, it
seemed to Hakim as if the entire human
race was in motion. Myriads on myriads
came rushing upward, treading on each
others heels and striving to get fore
most, that they might have the first
choice among the mountains of packs
that soon rose almost as high as the seat
of Jove. Amid the dim obscurity of
vision it was impossible for Hakim to re-
member the vast diversity of cases that
presented themselves, or what infinite
modes and forms of real or imaginary
sufferings occasioned by an abuse of the
blessings bestowed by Providence, were
huddled together in the mighty mass.
A few only were afterward distinctly re-
membered by him, and when there
seemed to be no more coming the god
dess again sounded her trumpet, pro-
claiming that all those who at the expi-
ration of year became dissatisfied with
their exchange of lots, might return to
that which they had discarded.
The first who deposited their packs,
according to the recollection of Hakim,
were q master and his slave, who, by the
sovereign will of Jove, exchanged lots
with each other, and both went their
way rejoicing. Then came married
man and q bachelor /; next q single and
married woman after them childless
couple, and one bearing large family !;
next q king and beggar, followed by a
rich glutton and poor laborer and
then philosopher and a fool. All these,
and millions more, exchanged lots, and
tripped away delighted with their new
burdens.
Last of all came venerable old man,
with long white beard flowing down
upon his breast, and pale face SCARED
with the deep lines of thought, as well
as the still deeper burrows of age. Even
Jupiter appeared struck with his ap-
pearance, and questioned him as to the
purport of his visit.
"Oh mighty Jove," exclaimed the
old man in fattering accents, Il have
passed my whole life in study and
travel. 1 know all the past. have
seen all the present, but of the future /
am as ignorant as the child unborn.
Make me, beseech thee, as wise as the
dead-let me know what is to come here
after"
ooh foolish and presumptuous NOR
tai, thou art ignorant, with all thy wis
dom and experience, of what thou ask
est. Knowest thou not that all things
are ordained by fate, and that thy
knowledge will only make thee more
wretched, by showing thee thousand
evils thou canst not avoid and rendering
thee incapable of enjoying the pres
ent, in the dread of the future 2 But,
take thy wish go, and become as wise
as the dead"
At that moment the old man shud-
dered, and ran away as fast as his feeble
limbs would permit, looking behind
with glaring eyes, as if chased by a
thousand fends.
When the prescribed period had
passed, which seemed to Hakim but a
moment, the trumpet was again sound
ed, and, to his astonishment, not only
the crowd was as great as before, but
constituted the very same persons. The
goddess greeted them with significant
smile, and, looking wistfully at Jove,
who gave gracious nod, asked, one
by one, what they desired. The first
that came were the master and his
slave, the former of whom answered as
follows:
"To exchange lots again. am tired
OF having 10 will of my own."
"And j, said the other, shave learned
that it is much more trouble to govern
than to be governed. Give me my pack
again."
Next came the bachelor and the mar
ried man. The former, on being inter-
rogated by the goddess, replied:
Beneficent lady, / come for my old
pack. Be pleased to understand, how
ever, that admire such beautiful god
desses as you are, and reverence the
highly respectable institution of matri-
mony. Yet inasmuch as the colt which
is expected to be obedient under the
saddle must be bridled betimes, so, may
it please your divinity, should the bache-
lor be broke in early, or he will, perad-
venture, kick up incontinently. With
this, he eagerly seized his old pack, and
hied away, paying compliment to a
beautiful damsel as he passed.
The married man who had exchanged
his pack with the bachelor hereupon
eagerly seized that he hsd just discard
ed, and was making off with it, when
the goddess demanded what reason he
had to be dissatisfied with the lot he had
chosen.
"May it please your goddesship, y
replied he, "the moment regained my
freedom i did not know what to do with