The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-07-13
The Little Folks Column.


One night as Count Olife was
riding through the woods he was
astonished to see a great light
among the trees. where there was
no house. Stopping his horse he
saw the ground open in a vacant
space between two great oak trees.
Steps of stone led down to two
great iron doors. through which
stresmed the light that had first
attracted him. AS he looked q
woman and o man, dressed in
white, came up the steps, holding
baskets, which they kept carefully
covered, The man and woman
looked neither to the right nor
left; neither did they seem to lift
their feet, but came toward Count
Oliffe with a slow. gliding motion.
Count Oliffe was terrible fright
ened. A cold perspiration started
out of him; his knees bent under
him, and, hardly knowing what he
did. he called out in a loud voice,
who are you and what are you
doing here?" asr..,.as
Instantly the figures vanished;
so did the steps, the opening and
the light, Cont Oliff'e rode around
and around the two great oaks,
but the ground showed no trace of
an opening. On the next day he
came again, but saw nothing. He
walked about the oaks, but could
see no place where could be hid
den steps or iron doors. The
birds. seeing him began to clipper
and twitter about him. sai q
"What do you want, Count
Oliffe ?" said saucy young back
bird. - ~ y.
Between these trees" answered
Oliffe, sis flight of steps leading
down to iron DOORS" .lrn ei
mo, that is impossible" said
the blackbird. 81 have lived here
ever since l was out of the egg,
and i haveanever seen any steps or
doors. y ,.. 49,, . -
Eyes, it is quite impossible,
echoed all the birds. "The oldest
bee or bird in the forest has never
heard of such thing. .s ~. ~,
Oliffe went home sad and dis
contented. He could think of
nothing but what he had seen; and
he. used to walk every day, and
ride every night, through the for
est hoping tu see the wonderful
sight again. 70 Ps.F sai h-i0 -hlo
GO One, night, riding home uusuc-
cessful as usual, he met an owl as
late as himself.
"Hal4 comrade p'hcriedsthe owl;
81 meet you every night What
are you hunting-mice or frogs?"
'.Stone steps and iroa doors, I"
answered Oliffe. Laughing, ''are
my mice and frogs."a And he told
the owl what he had seen. g l-aW
The owl listened, looking very
wise, ~ ~ - s-.,i'J 2
s Eyes l. know, said he" "What
you have seen is the palace of
Time. In it are all the treasures
of the earth The man and woman
who came out are Day and Night,
bringing gifts TO men, = - %
"And how shall I see it again 4"
asked Count Oliffe. Il am deter
mined to find and enter it." lad
The owl shook his head. 80
TO fpd it, Count Oliffe,S You
need only wait By the great OAK
tree until theground opens. Then
you ruust wait till Day and Night
come forth. and be careful to say
nothing. After that, go down the
steps boldly; but at the iron doors
there sits giant with the keys.
Beware that you listen to nothing,
and do nothing before selling the
keys"
IF that is all, that is easy
enough" answered Oliffe., 81
"Not SO easy as you think, said
the owl, flying away. @.-sa
Count Oliffe rode to the two oaks
and dismounted. Thereihe waited
many hours till the ground opened,
and the man and woman came
forth as befores He watched them
in silence, and went boldly down
the steps. At the footsof the steps
sat a fat. Jolly giant, smokeing a
Al