St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-11-08

and they thought tho way to got one was to
pray.
And SO one warm spring night,
Beginning at twilight.
dhey all of one accord began to ChiT-r-rS
They made the air resound,
And all the people round
laughed saying: Hear them pray TO Jupi-
teri
On high Olympus peak
Joye heard them croak and creak,
And, being in merry mood. he gaily CRIED:
The race of simpletons!
Even If listened once
They'd be no better pleased or satisfied
But from his mighty throne
He tossed huge log down,
And Numbered; Here, send you this for
King!"
All, how it plunged and plashedl
And how the water dashed!
And old and young, the frogs fled shuddering
sprawling and awed they fed,
Pell NELL, heels over head,
Under the roots and weeds; in every place
Where frog could hide they hid:
The safest things they did,
But with higher regard for speed than
grace,
The huge log helpless lay,
Floated little WY,
And then lay still upon The pools still breast;
No regal order gave
TO weed or frog orswave,
But silent was, and silent took its rest
AT length, as hour by hour
Passed, and no evil power
Was by this Monarch to his people shown.
They peeped from their hiding places
With bIg-eyed, curious faces.
And crawled out one by one, more trustfui
grown
Crawled out from rush and reed;
And a most daring deed
Was done by one, than all his neighbors
With Stroke of pompous pride
He swan to tun Monarch's side,
49, :, 1T IC Oh
Then such vaulting, skipping,
AS they began there! dripping
And sWarming up they came. till the great
Held one continuous row
OF nixieS-such show!
On every inch of bark there sat- frog!
they capered ana they danced;
Turned summersets and pranced;
Stood on their heads, and flung their heels in
Polka and waltz and jig
They Joined in, little and big,
With all their hearts as If no King were there.
With SO much play, they cried;
IS What is a King for If he can not ruler
Give us, oh. Father Joye,
a Sovereign who will prove
Worthy our honor, fit for this fair pool
Enraged was Joye at this;
He murmured: SO it's!
Never eontentl always for something new!
Some fault IN all-some wrong!
al send u Stork to them. that's what I'll do! :
Forthwith from a far height
a bird came into sight,
white, borne upon its great wings easily,
Like rainless summer cloud:
And they behold and bowed
And bent before him each plant knee.
Hislong neck long red bill,
And. his legs longer still,
shod with red sandals touched their frogly
AS beautiful beyond
All else within the pond,
hero they with awe might reverence.
"Long live the Kingi' he heard
On ali sides trilled and chirred,
And what did he? He cast sdelong eye
Down at tho nearest bog,
Where a little fat green frog
WAS quavering praises TO him, shriH and high.
All, what dill h. bat pick
ltup in his bill SO autck
THAT the iittlefreckieI fellow never knew;
Then, with a turn OF his head.
That bill so long and red
Gobbed at one fell mouthtul NUMBER Two.
Not only two but three
Were swallowed instantly
His appetite was good, without lack;
Twas sad road to take
Down that long path OF neck,
For none who entered there ever came back
And so, from day to day
This ruler ate his way
Right through their ranks, big, middle-sized
and small; ea#e
Hop as they would. fee. spring, A
This greedy. graceful King
Could far out-Walk, out-reach. out-eat them
all.
Tt must be manifest
That such a relish and zest
AS this he showed for frogs was a fearful
thing; s
So they i'm fright implored5
The log might be restorep,
Or even they I'd gladly do without King
tsAh, friends! " groaned one old chief,
How have we come to grief
One simple humble truth we should nave
known:
IT'S best to leave the state
OF greatness to the great;
And. weilto-do, let well enough alone!
This was long, long ago
How long do not know.
Is And did the Stork eat all the frogss you
say.
Per6aps-uniess some one
Glanced that way with gun,
And scared his hungry Majesty away
- Clara bOtg Bates, IN ttfde Aa0dfe.
FAITHFULNESSs
Ralph Warner and Joe Curtis we're
next door neighbors. The doors were
not very near, for both lived on farms,
and the two houses were the eighth Of
q mile apart. The farm on Which