Smyrna times., 1882-11-08
The House on the Shore.
AN ALLEGORY.

AN ALLEGORY.
Two simple minded men, who had
dwelt all their lives in country far
inland, at last undertook Il long jour
ney together. Wolfgang and Athvl-
stane-so our pilgrims were called
walked on over downs and heaths, and |
through the vast forests of oak which
then overspread the land, till at last
after a tOilsome march they came, in
| the early dawn, to spot which seemed |
to them the strangest they had ever |
| visited. Walls of rock shut out any
distant view, but Immediately before
them on a gentle declivity there stood
a structure, much larger than the hum
bic cottages which Wolfgang and Ath-
elstane had inhabited, and of a singu-
larly different form. Instead of
pointed roof of thatch or tiles, there
was on the top Il flat floor of boards
while beneath, where there should
have been a solid, square foundation,
there was long thin wedge, almost
like roof which had been reversed
and turned downward. Also, through
the floor rose up two loHE slender tree
like erections, with all the branches
carefully smoothed away. Crossbars
were slung on these poles, and ropes
connected them together; while great
roll of coarse woven stuff, like sack
cloth, lay folded up beside them. At
one end, and outside of the wooden
structure hung huge beam, standing
as it seemed, in some unaccountable
relation to the rest of the fabric, and
connected to it by machinery passing
into the interior.
"What can it mean?" said Wolfgang.
"What did the buildcr-whoever he
can have been-intend by such man
sion as this ?"
"It is clear enough" answered Ath-
elstane, thoughtfully, st that it is the
work of some very ingenious hand.
How soundly and skilfully it is all fit
ted tOgether!"
True" replied his comrade, land
yet ought we. to say it is we'll made
before we can tell for what purpose il
is constructed? TO me it seems that
our own old huts of wattled willow anC
turf were, after all, of a better shape
for house to stand on the ground"
Do you think this is house, only;
house?" said Athelstane, suddenl!
looking up.
We'll, if it be not house, what els
can it be?" said Wo'fgang. Let IL
try to look inside of it, and examine
more closely" The two men soon con
trived to enter the cdifice which so pu2
. zled them, and presently WOlfgang eX
claimed triumphantly:
See! there can be no question NOR
on the matter. This is only house
Here are seats and tables, for men t
; sit at, and beds for them to sleep in
and here is fireplace, and a great iro
l pot to cook food. Now, you can haV
! no hesitation. 1t is just woode
: house, and rather stupidity planned
( Il have no doubt" said Athelstan
4 "that it is intended for a habitatiOr
= but is it not inexplicable that build
who can work so cleverly should col
struct it SO unsuitable for a cOmmC
house? Why is it not made to staI
squarely and steadily on the ground
5 What is the sense of these long, sOariI
d poles standing up through the midd
! with the coils of ropes and bales
: sacking? And this? This is the me
Il mysterious thing of all" said Ath'
= stane, placing his hand on a whC
10 which instantly stirred the great bea
~ at the back.
lQ "They are strange, certainly"
at pied WoIfgang, very strange and III
n less things, / should say, about hor
which would be much more conf
table, and answer its purpose bet
r without them. | cannot agree WI
Va YOU that the builder was really
oI clever man, or knew what he v
n; about, else he would never hg
Ol, erected those poles or made that sen
d less, upsIdc-down roof, instead of
,lf foundation; or, above all, have c
&c. structed that totally unmeaning app
:. atus behind the whole structure"
~ II differ from you" said Athelsta
WI after some moments more of refiecti
X II think it is we who are not clever
re ingenious, and who cannot find
il? what the carpenter who made
for building intends to do with it. l
t. not believe that singular form bene
c (so little fit for building only inten
Vi for house), nor those poles and re
and vast sheets of woven stuff
vet that mysterious great beam-v
all added to mere house for moth
no purpose whatever. think, "
gang"-and Athelstane laid his h
,tno, on his friends arm earnestly" Il
here what we are looking at is sometl
more than house. think it is moi
tended to stand alicays rhere we sec
"You are dreaming, Athelsta
said Wolfgang, with q short Ia
"Where on earth should house 9
it is not to stand always where
builtP Who would want to move
e.! structure . as ,!nn,'' .hlsr, ;, said A,h.,.,
n humbly. 81 do not profess to Ill
- stand the mystery of it; only see
Is High -, ,or,o,,tor ,ybo built II
Blood the masper cul P0"'0i ""O ' ~
he farm have been a very great carpente
- deed; and cannot believe that h
ma, Del. made all these things in vain or Fl
can be -. .-...-.os Tf ba xvantad
n A 1mDOrIAQI DuTDOSCs ~ hC W0hSSN