Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-28


that he had better keep quiet and resign
himself to his fate. About half an hour
elapsed, when suddenly the boat stopped.
The three men pulled their oars into the
boat. One of them unloosened Robert, then
the three took hold of him and lifted him
out of the boat on to shore. The next min
ute they pushed off again and Robert was
left alone.
He looked around and found that he was
standing on solid gold. At first he could
hardly believe his eyes. He stopped down
and examined the ground. "True enough!'
he exclaimed, call pure gold!'
Then he went along to see whether it was
everywhere the same. The result of his in
Vestigatlon proved this: Robert was on
an island about two miles square, composed
of solid gold. The surface was as smooth
as a table. Not tree grew anywhere. In
fact Robert saw nothing but the sky above
him, gold beneath him. He walked some
what farther into the island when he came
to house, which was built of golden coins
of all the countries of the world. He
noticed the corner beams were all made out
$50 gol5 pieces. The walls were made of
English sovereigns, the window sills Of
German 20-mark pieces and the sashes of
10 and 20 francs The roof consisted of
golden shingles and the panes in the win
dows were of transparent gold. Robert was
amazed. He opened the door of the house.
In the first room ne ound a table, chairs
sofa, all made out of golden coins from Rus
sia, Spain and Italy. Then he walked into
another room. Here was a table of gold
again, covered with the most delicious
viands, venison, vegetables, in fact anything
to please the most dainty palate. Wines
and other liquors of various kinds and
brands were there, from ginger ale to the
best champagne. All these things were
real. There was no gold on them, although
they were on golden dishes.
"Well, now !" cried Robert, 'sthis is not
so bad. 1 guess I will try these things"
Then he sat down and enjoyed himself in
true epicurean style. When he was thor
oughly satisfied he got up and examined
the rest of the house. He found gold every
where; in every room and cupboard, moth
ing but gold, Even the bed was golden,
and he found it pretty hard to lie on.
Robert, for day or two, thought himself
in Paradise. He had plenty to eat-and
good things to eat-and he had loads of
money. What else did he want?
After a week, however, he became already
tired of his life He had nobody to talk to.
He had nothing to spend the time with,
and eating he could not always be at To
occupy himself he began one day to walk
around the island and see how many steps
it would take. But that soon became
monotonous, too. Then he remained in his
house. He now counted how many gold
coins there were in each corner beam of the
house. But that did not take him long,
and again he had nothing to do. He racked
his brains to think of something to occupy
himself with. At night, while laying on
the hard bed, he could not sleep, because he
had eaten too much. In the morning he
got up wretched and miserable After a
month he was almost crazy, and he resolved
to jump into the water which surrounded
the island. So he did. But as soon as he
made jump into the water the waves re-
ceded, and Robert lit with his back on the
hard bottom of the sea. He hurt himself
awfully, and as he could not drown him
self, he went limping back to his golden
house.
''Oh, that I were back home again" he
cried one day. 81 would work with nv
father on the farm as hard as any laboring
man.
No sooner had he said so than the boat
man of the lake stood before him.
"Well, how do you like a life of ease
with lots of money? 1 suppose you are
happy now?"
"No; not at all, /" replied Robert ''I wish
had something to do to spend my time. 1
do not care fig for all the gold in the
world"
"All right, my fine man, come along with
me and will give you job.
He took the young man back to the river,
where a boat awaited them. They rowed
back to the country where the boatman
lived. Arrived there he said to Robert:
"Now, 1 will see whether you are really
fond of work. If you are will reward you
we'll. Come along. We have had battle
here, and there are ], 900 bodies lying near
here on a battlefield. If you will promise
me to bury them all, will make you not
only -lch but also happy man."
Robert promised, and he went at once to
work on the battlefield to dig graves for the
fallen warriors. 1t took him long time to
do it, aud it was hard work, but still he was
more satisfied with himself now than he was
when he lived on the golden island
When his task was accomplished, the old
boatman shook Robert joyfully by the hand.
Gan right. my boy, now come with me and
receive your reward" He led him to the
boat in which they first rowed together on
the lake, and in a few seconds they were
back again on the smooth waters Robert
did not know how it had happened, and he
did not care. When the boat got ashore,
the boatman gave Robert three trees.
when you get home plant them in your
fathers garden. They will all bloom and
bear fruit. One will give you happiness,
the other long life and the third competency.
That Is all a man wants in this life."
Then the boatman disappeared, and
Robert went home, where he planted the
three trees, and found everything as he had
been promised.