The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-10-21

wonderful Tall. what KIND would IL Der
Would it be fitted to him without
question, or would he be allowed to
choose? And, il so, what should he
choose? Should it be long or short,
stumpy or tapering, straight or curly,
feathery or compact? AT last he made
up his mind. He would have long,
feathery tail, with graceful curve in it.
Yes, that would suit him best, he was
sure. Then, having made up his mind,
he was quite contented.
"Now, if there was one thing Master
Hyrax hated more than another it was
bad weather. He never went out in the
cold. nor in the rain, but behold when
the great day came 1T was cold and rainy
both. What was Master Hyrax to do?
He thought and thought, and at last he
had bright idea. He lay down at the
door of his house and waited for the
animals to pass by on their way to court.
First came Lord Lion.
"Oh, Lord Lion good Lord Lion 7
cried Master Hyrax, when you go to
get your tail, will you ask for mine, too?
"a fine, feathery one; not too curly,
but just with a graceful curve in it, if
you please. L will give you a bit of my
fur to match, and it won't be much
trouble for you.
"Well, l don't mind said Lord
Lion; your tail won't be much of a
load.
$50 Master Hyrax gnawed a bit of
fur from his breast, and Lord Lion took
it and went his way.
"Just as he was out of sight, Squire
Wolf came along.
80 TIE ,x,a1l 10 Ia on, fba aofo e, IL
thought Master Hyrax; perhaps Lord
Lion may forget.
$50 he asked Squire Wolf, and Squire
Wolf promised, and took a bit of fur to
match, and went off. Then came Mis-
tress Cat and Sir Fox, and Mr.. Rat and
Sir Dog, and CATER Bear and Gammer
Beaver and ever so many others. Every
one of them Master Hyrax stopped, and
to each he gave bit of his fur, and each
promised to bring back tail to match it.
"'I only hope / shall not have so
many tails that shall not know what to
do with them all, said Master Hyrax.
"On the whole, he felt quite comfort
able, although he had given away so
many bits of fur that his breast was
bare.
"'But that doesn't matter he
thoughts it will grow again; and what
fine, useful thing a tail will be. Better
have six than none.
$50. then. Master Hyrax went into
his house, and curled himself up to sleep
until messengers should come back.
"Lord Lion was the first to come, as
he had been the first to go; and Master
Hyrax crawled out to meet him.
"Dear Lord Lion said Master
Hyrax, did you bring my tail ?"
Lord Lion stopped and looked down
at him.
"'Your tail 2 he said 'how could
remember anything about your miserable
little tail? And he sauntered off, lash
ing his own fine, new tail.
"Then came Mistress Cat.
"No, indeed, said Mistress Cat. 1t
is all / can do to carry back the tails for
my six Kittens, who were not big enough
to go for their own.
"Hyrax sighed, but he is MOI dis
couraeed.
"' Did you bring my tail, Sir Fox?'
he asked of the next; but Sir Fox shifted
and said:
81 had work enough to get my own,
without thinking of yours. They wanted
to palm off a miserable, skinny thing on
me. instead of the fine brush that / had
set my heart upon. L got it at last,
though, in spite of them and Mr.. Rat
has the one they ment for me-.
Mr.. Rat, who came next, was in such
bad humor that he would not even an
swer Master Hyrax's question but it
was evident that he had no tail about
him, excepting his own. Master Hyrax
stayed at his post until midnight, but
not an animal had remembered him. Sir
Dog had lost the bit of fur, and had felt
afraid that, il he should bring tail, it
would not match. Gammer Beaver had
had all she could do to carry the broad
article which had fallen to her shape, and
CATER Bear was so indignant when he
found that Master Hyrax had asked all
the rest of the animals, instead of trust
ing to him alone, that he would not even
look at him.
GO Selfish, lazy creatures 7 said Master
Hyrax, as he crept to his bed. THAT is
the way they always serve me. j shall
have to go myself, after all.
"But the next day the court was
closed. The tails had all been given out.
And that is why the hyrax has no tail to
this very day."
Violet laughed at the story, and pitied
the woes of the poor hyrax, but Harold
sat still for while. Then he slipped
down from Uncle Joe's lap.
Come upstairs, Violet" he said,
"and I'll help you bring down the rest
of the things. Or, if you don't want to
go, I'll bring them myself. When we're
through playing, I'll go over to cousin
Clara's and get the book 1 want. I'm
not going to be Master Hyrax any
longer. st Nicholas.
EaohiouohIa Malaria