The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-01-03

A RECONSTRUCTION Fable


Once upon time snme foxes and bear went
into partnership, and occupied the same cave.
Lhey hVed peacefully for many years, the foxes
finding the bear of great advan,age IN them fow
he contributed more than the foxes did to the
common support, and he did the most Of the
nghlng IN great battle that they once had with
the non. Bot al last there were q family quar-
rel, and II came about in this way: When the
Winter came it WAS the habit Of the hear to stop
work and to spend the whole of the time in the
cave sucking his paws, and in this way he en-
Joyed himself hugely. The foxes, seeing how
well The bear got on without work, and how he
enjoyed himself, commef. .ced sucking their paws,
but some how or other they found that thev
could not ma ke living in that way, as the bear
could, and that on the whole it dSdn't pas; 50
hey had to give it up and go ouI into the cold
and forage for a living as usual Then they be-
gan to envy The bear, because he appeared To en-
joy himself and 10 live so much easier than they
did, and took up viUlent hatred against him
just because he sucked his paws. They passed
law that the sucking of paws should be abol-
ished forever amongst foxes, and then they be-
gan 10 demonstrate with the bear upon the im-
iropriety OF his conduct. and to petition hi--
give up the horrillia I------ 11ut the oeAI saio
L. ..vaId do nO such thing; that it was agreed
upon when they first went into partnership that
he should be allowed 10 suck his paws IN peace;
that he had constitutional right to do 50; that
it was necessary for his comfort and happiness,
and that suck his paws be would do to the end
of time, and the foxes had no right to interfere
with him. Then the foxes got up snti-paw-
sucking societies, which declared that paw
sucking was the sum Of all viIIainies, and they
preached at the bear, and petitioDed him, and
even went so lar as 10 pun his paws cut Of his
mouth at which the bear got into such violent
rage that he declared that he would dissolve
partnership with the foxes and leave the cave
and go and set up business for himself But the
foxes told him that he had no right to leave, and
hat he shDuldn't leave. The bear said he would
rot ask %ibem any odds; that be would whip q
thousand miserable little foxes, and one fine
morning he told the foxes g'Od-bye, and pro-
ceeded to walk out of the cave and leave IL for
ever. But he had hardly got out of the cave be-
! fore the foxes set up tremendous howl and fell
on him, and there was such fight Is was hardly
ever seen before. The bear flung the foxes right
and left, slapped them over, crushed them, and
tore them to pieces, and oflimes thought he had
got rid Of them, hui the more foxes he killed the
more they scemed to increase in numbers, for the
foxes, finding that the bear was getting the better
OF them, and was about TO get OF, sent out and
hired some fdreign foxes to help them, 80 that as
fast as one set Of fuxes were killed other foxes
were put in their place, and the bear had no rest
But he st0od nj bay and kept the foxes OF As fast
as they cam up. Finally. the foxes finding
that they could not whip him in . fair fight, de-
termined tn starve him out, So they surrounded
him complete, 50 that he cUuld get nsthing to
cal or drink. The bear then began to suffer Sc
| verely and To grow Thin and weak, and in his
distress he called upon the eagle and the lion 10
come over and help him, but they told him he
must do his own fighting. At lnss the bear be-
came so completely exhausted by hunger and
fatigue that he could hardly stand up, and the
foxes thinking they might now make y venture
collected together in great numbers and fell upon
the bear and waIIoped him 80 that he stopped
| fighting and cried, enOughr r and said be would
go back into his cave again and carry on business
as betose. But the foxes told him 10 wait awhile,
be must have his disabilities removed. So they
lied him haBd and fpot with strong eDrds. and
muzzlef him, and placed strong guard around
him, and tgan 10 pariey with him and pcsae-
cue him. They told him before they lei him 30
back into Tie cave again he must take sclemn
oath of nIIegiance TO the fox gDvernment The
bear took The prescribed oath, and saids " Now
| let me i'm
But the fixes said: "Notyet you must take an
Other oath that paw-sacking b unconstitutional,
and swear never again to snck yOar pawx" The
bear t1ok this oath alsa, and even wsnt % Car 90
20 declare khai pmw-saeking had been . disad-
vanaage 10 him, and that be was giad thAi he wns
toreed % Etve ap the abs,min6kie pEaesice md
after taking his cath and nlnking ~ eonl
be pnid. = Now iet me IN =
bat the Ioxes said: /. Not yef. ynn mast eai q
litEle aSrt fssir n This de he1F ~ lndlgnant;
be declared thnf Ile hzd never eaisn enT lIgt b ~
ifIe, and .aas i. did MI essrs pilh IN. m t.s
faxs aid No matieE. yaa mnss ezt . NlLle
just Iitfi4, = ard ihe bar malle wIy fhee. nd
took m@afhfhI q dirt and eat III asd sid
Now let me h"
Bm he |la1.s nd !: = Hot ~ ysa nnst e.
mose Dirt md . - eaa nlase ct: snd aRalE
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Bu. De bzes nd: : M yss !; 70 hAxs.'l
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