The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-08-29


Corrado how it was.
cone wing and one leg! cried the host,
and looking closer he saw that his guest
was right "Send the cook here, he said
to the servants who waited at table. II
must know what that foolish fellow means,
for very sure [ am that the crane had his
two wings and two legs when | brought
him home this morning.
When Quinquibio heard that he was
summoned to the supper room he was des
perately frightened.
"Oh, woe for me, cried he, 'that ever
[ suffered Brunetta to enter my kitchen.
But no excuse could avail him now to
escape from close questioning, and the
trembling man stood before his master with
sinking heart
He was, however, a Venetian, and it is
said that a Venetian never shrinks from
any lie that will serve his turn. Quin-
quibio assured the company then that there
was nothing at all to be surprised at;
crane never had more than one leg and
one wing.
Now this obstinacy reused Signor Cor
radios anger, but as his friends were shout
ing with laughter, and it was not the mo-
ment for reproying a servant, he had to
content himself with saying but little.
"Begone, rascal r he exclaimed, turning
his flashing eyes full upon the cook; "and,
as you are so mighty clever, you shall cen
90 out with me tomorrow and show me
some of your wonderful one-legged cranes.
1t will be the worse for you if you are
not able to point them out, let me tell you
Quinquibio retired to the kitchen well
pleased with himself.
"Methinks l got out of the difficulty
rather cleverly," he reflected. "The mas
ter was very angry, certainly, but by to-
morrow he will have forgotten all about the
matter"
But it so happened that Corrado was
very far from letting the subject of the
crane slip from his mind. 1t caused him
rather sleepless night, and he rose at
break of day determined to clear up the
mystery and punish his cook severely for
his audaeity. Calling for his horse to be
saddled and bridled, he forced Quinquibio
to mount another and ride behind him to-
ward the stream, on the bank of which he
had taken the crane that had figured so
remarkably on the supper table.
1--WE shall see, said he, as they went
along; eve shall soon see if you are right
or wrong, my fine fellow"
The Venetian perceived that he was in
deed in difficult case, and that his master
was far too angry to accept any excuse he
could make, or to pardon him if he con-
fessed what he had DONE He looked
around him to see if there was any chance
of escape, but Corrado kept sharp eye on
him and would not suffer him to lag behind
so much as a yard or two
Every object they passed seemed to his
excited fancy to be a crane well poised on
two legs; what, then, could he find to say
to his infuriated master?
But as they reined in their horses at the
stream Quinquibio was the first to observe
several cranes there, and each was standing
on one leg.
"See, master he cried, in great glee,
''it is just as I told you yesterday, and you
would not believe me. Look for yourself
the cranes have only one leg and one wing
apiece"
"You stupid IDIOT shouted Corrado,
II will soon show you whether they have
two legs or not, and then he cried, aHoup,
houp-holloa p so Justify that, as might
be supposed, the frightened birds stretched
forth both legs and ran away out of sight
and hearing
"Now tell me, said the master, turn
ing sharply on his servant, "do your eyes
serve you, or are you blind as well as stupid
What have you to say for yourself now
have the cranes one leg or two ?"
"Sir," answered Quinquibio humbly, but
bethinking him of an answer which might
turn the current of Corrado's wrath ''you
did not cry, 'Houp, houp-holloa ? at the
crane last night. If you had done this,
who knows but it might have put its other
leg to the ground and run away as these
have done ?"
This reply amused Signor Corrado vastly,
and he burst into fit of hearty laughter
"In truth you are not such simpleton
as men think you, said he, "for you know
how to get out of difficulty by the help
of ready tongue There, l forgive you
this time but let there be no more tricks
played with my supper"
Thus by his ready wit Quinquibio kept
his place in Corrados kitchen, and from
that time was better thought of not only
by his master, but by his fellow-servants.
APPEARANCES ARE DECEITFUL.
The Signor de Rabata could not have