Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-12-29


Caru,hsr. poured on, a glass Of the ruby
LIQUID ,hs, .p.rklrd in the ea,-slAss de-
c.nier on the table =, hi. side, and slipped
li slosly
Thea. With but partially recovered
equanimiiy. he leaned back and galed up
At the Sls,ins Madonna on the wall b.
fore him
The air Of the room had grown very
close and warm. and the cushions OF bis
chair seemed 20 wax softer and softer TO
hi. yielding frame and s,ill he "a, With
eye. ~ide open. looking up abs'ras,edly
At the ditinsly beautiful face above him
The slender Egyptian ufns on the
man,el appeared 10 grow smaller and
smaller. The tick of the Ssis. clock
.ounded farther and farther away. and
il seemed TO Mr Csruiher' as II he wr
ja., abou, 10 sink in dreamy delicious
dore, when a .ligh, moyemen, a. his
elbos caused him TO turn.
The ruby wine in the costly decAn'er
.iill .pukl,d on. The cigars rePosei
peacefully on the ,eua-eoi,A tray. ba,
where va. the little bronze frog
Mr.. Caruiher. did not have far 10 look.
There. perehsd on the ,oPuo', bar Of
the silver CRATE. ~i,h form .~elled 10 five
time. is original size. needless Of the
f,rid heat, 81, the creature. with a ma
liciou, CLEAN sparkling IN !" small
green eye.
80 YOU Won, allow your daughter TO
marry Frank Rsm.on." !, eroaked in q
voice a. hoar.e as voice could very well
be. "And he's a rascal, because be
hasn't made q fortune while his hair i
70, un,urasd and hi. year. number le.s
than ,Liry! Why, you were not worth
50 very much on = time yoarself' old
man {"
Mr.. CA.tle,on Cara,her. drew himself
up to hi. fall height. and bis outraged
dignity va. something impossible % con-
template.
"Come now" said the frog. turning a
.omsrsauli into the FIRE and landins on
the silver bar again. "yol doai remem-
ber a little cabin Ia eoun,ry lane. do
YOU , and = bArefoo,ed boy With an uniidy
tow head, who used 20 roam around
helpins himself freely 10 the eonienis Of
fruit orchards. and whom the pes,ered
villagers used TO call little Bal Ca.
ruther -
The form in The chair sof,enei iis
dihniaed AsPee, little. aud an actual
smile hovered around IL. lips. Al. no
day. could ever be like the childish days
Of yore
"Good" eroakel the frog. mos
behold the Wild urchin. grown = 'hy
awksArd lad. starting on, iaio the world
TO carve hi, own fouuae. he come. 10
a grea, city. begin. ~ork IN an Office
and, by pa,isn, Application. advances
step by step 10 elerk.hiP. and wins the
eonf fience Of bis wealthy employer by
hi. honest integrity And foe business
esPsbili'y."
The smile faded from Mr.. Caru,her.s
face. and a loos Of gra,ihsd pride shone
there instead.
"One day he j. thrown into the com.
pany Of hi. employers daughter, and he
love. her. She i rieh he comparatively
poor, but advancing. lie goes Like a
true man 10 her father and states bis
case. whs, does the Paren, say lie
says;
civilian CAruihers. money is good
thing, bat i, will sometime. take % itself
wing. and Ny away. You have honest
hsnd. and . good business head. and the
possession of those !. squivalen, 20 any
fortune. Take her and be happy.
Tbs, old man. jadsmen, ~as correct
"Oa the death Of his employer. ths
once clerk became head Of the trm. end
took hi. wife. maiden name Of Ca',le'or
to precede hi. osn, and years wen, on.
Mr.. Csru,hers leaned forward and
gard into the small green eyes befoi'
him. as II completely fascinated.
"Ba, success. marred the nature Of ihi'
mAn instead Of elevA,ins Il. and be be-
came de.pol over small kingdom Ant
is subject. consisted of tso delicate
women and q couple Of hslf.grosn boy.
These he ,yr.nniied over u hi. heart
content. ill hi. presence, instead Of beins
welcomed, came 20 be feared and
dreaded"
All the hoarscness suddenly died ou
Of the creature. voice. and !, took on
stern accusing tone.
"And What IL the result
The wife. who gave up wealth sn'
position 10 marry a poor man. not know
ing that she would regain both In 'h'
future. !. q timld. shrinking woman
starting q, the very sound Of her lord
au,ocf.iic voice.
His only daughter knows nothing o
q fathers sympathy. and the lal. ar
beginning to bate the elegsn, home wher
no boyi.h freedom Is allo~ed them
"rm sure" ,ismmered Mr.. Csruthers
shrinking to half bis size, d
"Silence. sir y
The tone ~N 40 exact an imitation o
bis o~n that he actually s,srteG.
"why." he repeated. i
Don't you dare contradict me. sir !!
The frog turned one Of bis fsvoriu
somersaults into the FIRE.
"Ho~ long would you remain IN
home. IL you, high. spirited lad, ~er
spoken TO like that by father ?
Mr.. Csrutters 50, with q shsmed lool
on hi. face and wisely ssid-noihing.
sadJenly the frog disappeared. leavin
nothing ba, the bed Of glowing Goals.
"Lis,en," said q voice 50 sweet an
ssd that the dreamer thought Il must b
q messenger from the spin, world. "Som
day there will lie in the stately parlof
below . van face whittier than the sa'i
pillov that Il rests against
"And Cas,leton Caru,hers. strong ma
a. be is. will weep to think that .
loving word tha, he can utter nov vi
ever penetrate those dulled ears tbs
} listened 90 eagerly for such words IN III
and listened in vain. And the hae lsd
will turn Away from him and 20 out Inf
ths cav world again. and in pleasure On