The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-04-07
A. SATISFIED MAN.
The Chinaman Polliwog and His
Queer Motion"

Tt was warm weather, and little
Opening Olive was sick. His grand
mother said he was feeling his teeth,
and the learned Dr. Ho Hum said:
"His febrile condition is occasioned by
an absence of the moisture necessary to
maintain the nicely adjusted equilibrium
of nature in the vital functions of his
physicat cosmos. Take him, without
delay, to the cool retreat of Bubbling
fountain When Filootsi, Opening
Olives father, heard this learned
speech, he gave orders that his family
should get ready to start down the Min
without delay. "Ah," said he, SORROW
fully, to Sing Flu, his Oldest son, a fine
lad of ten or Whereabouts, ''of what
avail is it to be Viceroy of Fuh-kien and
Che-kian if / can not save my baby
from disease and death?" But the
Viceroy's position did do something for
the baby; for, that very afternoon, Sc
ma, the venerable poet, sent Filootsi an
invitation to make his delightful coun-
try house his own: and this courtesy
he would not have extended to any one
else.
Bubbling fountain is a spring upon
the Drum mountain. which, as perhaps
YOU know, overlooks the beautiful Min,
the Hudson of China, and Se-ma's
house was the most beautiful and well
appointed there. His invitation was at
once accepted, and early in the morn
inc, the family left Fuh Chau. Opening
Olive went with his mamma in a
palanquin, and after them came his
grandmother also in ralanquin. His
grandfather, who was unhappy when
separated from his wife, followed in a
sedan chair, and after him came the
nurses and maid servants in odd wheel
barrows provided with sails. The
family doctor was borne in front of
Opening Olive in sedan chair, and be-
fore him went Sing Flu and his tutor,
Shing TIE, on horseback; so you see it
was long procession, though the Vice
roy could not accompany it. Banyan
trees shut in the grounds that surround
ed Se-ma's house, save just in front of
it. There was wide view of the BEAU
tiful valley, with its green rice fields,
and apricot orchards and the shining
river.
Soma and his TWO grandsOnS well
coined the gentlemen at the front door,
and his pretty daughter welcomed the
ladies at the side verandah. Sing Flu,
his grandfather, and his tutor, We're led
into small sitting room. But great
round doorway led into a second apart
ment, and as the crimson curtain was
swung one side, there was a delightsul
impression of space and GOODNESS.
Around the circular doorway was this
sentence, in golden letters: ''Vast
chasms may be filled, but the heart of
man is never satisfied"
Tea was brought IN, and circular
trays, which were divided into little
boxes, in which were different kinds of
canded fruits, which the boys and the
grandfather enjoyed, but at which Soma
and Single could only look.
"Ah," said the old poet, lifting his
teacup while Shing- TIE lifted his-for peo-
pie drink tea together, slipping in con-
cert in China-''a scholar must always
remember that his stomach can ruin his
brain; he must minister to the higher
wants, and let the lower starve." E.
"Well, well, distinguished song
writer" cried the grandfather. whats
a man who eats nothingP He dies soon,
let me tell you. AS for me, hate a nib
bier. Give me a man who is solid on his
legs. Good brains in weakly body are
like cart without wheels -
And the boys, fearing, perhaps, to
have weakly bodies, fell at the sweets
with such zest they had the trays empty
in q twinkling.
The next morning Sing Flu was awak-
ened by the songs of innumerable birds.
Swallows twittered, thrushes whistled
and larks warbled; and as he opened his
eyes he saw, just opposite his bed, a
pretty picture of little house, with
trees, and fields, and men at work, all
made out of the tiny, shining feathers of
the kng-fisher. He heard his grand
father go by, whispering to his parrot,
and, after rubbing his eyes and stretch
ing himself to make himself grow, he
soon slipped out to join him. But there
were twenty acres of garden; Sing Fu's
attention was distracted and the
grandfather was not in sight The
paths were full of quaint mosaics made
OF shells and colored pebbles. At some
distance from the house was a large
pond, fed by three mountain brooks,
which had been led into it. Nearly half
OF its surface was covered with the lotus,
and the large, tulip-like flowers were
just opening.
On went Sing Flu from one delightful
surprise to another, and he soon found
that on the further side of the pond,
there were a carefully constructed series
OF dams, which let the water into an
other pond, where swans sailed; and on
The pebbly beach was pretty boat.
When he reached the second pond the
swans came up, expecting cake; but,
getting none, they Kissed at him spite
1aliy, and sailed away. Sing Flu then
climbed into the boat, after pushing it
almost into the water, for he thought he
Gould overtake them. But there was
strong bamboo rope securely tied to the
stern. and to dragon tree not far
away: and after he had rocked the boat
ihto deep water it stopped.
II can't catch those Kissing swans,
! might catch a fish, if / had q fish