Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-05-14
Les In:omprehensihles.
By Victor HnsO.l
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LIS Ans9uPrsoe1SloIes.
By Victor Husol
goCK l.
A man sat ON picket fence.
Picket fences were invented by Charlie
magne and improved upon by Charles
III. of England.
Still the man sat on the fence.
The fence surrounded a tall. gloomy
building The building had shutters at
the window The man was French
man. There were other Frenchmen in
the same neighborhood. They were in
bed. Frenchmen were discovered by
Oliver Cromwell and subsequently patent
ed by the author They are copyrighted.
All Frenchmen not bearing the signature
of the author are spurious.
1t was night. 1t was a dark night.
Darkness IS n shadow that rises from the
ground when the sun goes down.
The man on the fence was thinking.
His name was Lippiatt.
BOOK Ill.
Lppiatt loved Maronette Mnronette
was girl She knew Lippiatt. She did
not know that Lippiatt loved her.
Maronette lived in the gloomy house.
Lippiatt did not tell Maronette that he
loved her He was contented to sit on
the fence in front of her house. He was
n quiet man. Like all Frenchmen he
was the bravest man i'll thirteen countries.
He was u tailor. A tailor is n man who
promises to have your clothes done Satur-
day, and then brings them around week
after next
Lippiatt was poor All heroes are
poor.
Maronette opened window and SHE'D
an old book at Lippiatt.
''Is that you Lippiatt ?"
Yes" said Lippiatt.
Maronette laughed.
MY father says l must marry the man
who will bring him the Norwegian mael-
strom," said Maronette.
Lippiatt got off the fence and walked
away.
BooKv.
Like all tailors in France Lippiatt was
a good sailor He stole a boat and start
ed for the coast of Norway. A fearful
storm came on. The world drew on
heavy CLOAK to protect it from the storm.
The sea opened thousand mouths to
swallow Lippiatt. 1t was hungry for
him. His beard and hair were filled with
salt. Great grasping hands of darkness
reached down to snatch him.
Lippiatt only laughed.
The scene grew wilder Monsters of
water crowded against the boat They
were reaching for Lippiatt. He steered
his boat to avoid them
A wave averages 20 feet i'll height. 1t
contains 400 tons Of water. 1t Is thicker
at the base than at the top. In this re-
spect it Is like pyramid. But 1t Is not
three 1t is oval III shape. A
round wave is a waterspout. A water
spout is thick at the top and bottom and
slender in the middle.
Lippiatt knew this.
He was afraid Of waves. He WAS fear
full of water5pouts
In four DAYS Lippiatt arrived at the
maelstrom
1T is for Maronette, he said.
The maelstrom is shaped like funnel.
The lower end is at the bottom. The
mouth is at the top. 1t is caused by the
tides. The Norwegians suppose II is
caused by u hole in the earth Lippiatt
knew better
He went down iu the maelstrom and
fastened a rope around the lower end. To
this rope he adjusted blocks and pulleys.
Then he climbed out of the pit and fss-
tened the other end of the rope to the
masthead The blocks gave him pur-
chase.
He rested.
Having rested, Lippiatt pulled On the
rope. He pulled the maslstrom inside
out. The bottom WAS then at the top. Ii
spun around like an inverted top.
Lippiatt drove II staple into it and fas-
tened his line. Then he set sail. The
maelstrom followed.
IL shall marry Maronette," he said.
BOOK VIII.
Another man sat on TIE picket iencc.
1t was Goud,nay. Goudenay loved Mar
unettc. Maronette loved Goudenny.
GouIenay saw something coming III
the hurbor
WHATS that?" he asked
1t looked like an inverted funnel. II
WAS 900 feet high.
II don't know" said Muronette
She WAS right She didn't.
BOOK TX.
L.ippiatt disembarkel. He took the
maelstrom on his shoulders. Then he
went to the gloomy house. He hung the
maelstrom Oh the picket fence
"How do you do. Goudenay - he ash
ed
He knew Goulenay He had Iisap
pointed him about some trousers.
II am happy" said Goudenay Il am
going to marry MARQUETTE
Lippiatt looked at Maronette
Yes, ;" she said. 81 marry Gouienny
this morning"
/ Lippiutt went to the wedding
He gave Maronette II silver card re-
ceiycr.
/ Muronctte smiled
Lippintt went back to the picket fence
| lie ute the uiaelstrom up
BOON II.
As the wedding party went home they