Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-08-30

duoed BY the heat Of the day; I. who q
former times uprooted the olive trees
and lashed the waves to frenzy, lie here
wsll.nigh slain by the dog star. sut-
fered myself to be lulled to sleep by the
perfume OF the roses with which was
playing, and 10 here I am. stretched al
most lifeless upon the ground. If you
will raise me o couple Of inches with your
beak and fan me little with your wing.
I shall have the strength to mount yon-
der white clouds which see In the dis
tsnce, where shall receive aid enough
from my. fspily to keep me alive TIL !
gain fresh strength from the next whirl-
wind"
"My lord" answered the spiteful
CoQuerico, syour excellency has more
than once amused himself by playing
tricks at my expense. 1t is not Week
since your lordship glided like traitor
behind me. and diverted himself by open
ing my tail like fan and covering mo
with confusion In the face of nations.
Have patience, therefore, my worthy
friend. Mockers always have their turn.
1t does them good to repent and to learn
to respect those whose birth, wit and
beauty should screen them from the jests
of a fool" And Coquerico, bristling his
plumage, crowed three times In his shrill-
est voice and proudly strutted onward.
A little further on he came to newly
mown field, where the farmers had
piled up the weeds In order to burn them.
Coquerico approached a smoking heap,
hoping to find some stray kernels OF corn,
and saw little flame which was char
ring the green stalks without being able
to set them on fire.
4,In - a-IA Nha f,N
the newcomer, "you are just in time to
save my life; am dying for want Of air.
l cannot imagine what has become OF
my cousin, the wind. who cares for moth
ing but his own amusement Bring me
few dry straws to rekindle my
strength, and you will not have obliged
an migrate"
"Wait a moment" said Coquerico,
"and l will serve you as you deserve, in
solent fellow that dares ask my help"
and behold he leaped on the heap of
dried weeds and trampled 1t down till he
smothered both flame and smoke; after
which he shouted Observation-Disclosures
and tapped his wing, as If he had done
a great deed.
Proudly strutting onward and crow
ing, Coquerico at last arrived at Rome,
he place to which all roads lead.
arcely had he reached the city when
hastened to the great church Of ST.
eter. Grand and beautiful as it was he
id not stop TO admire 1t, but, planting
lmself In front of the main entrance,
where he looked like a fly among the
reat columns, he raised himself on tip
zoe and began to shout, "Cock-a-doo-dle-
loo p only to enrage the saint and dis
obey his mother.
u.N hod mot 1at andaI hiu copu MI
one of the pope's guard, who chanced
to hear him, laid hands on the insolent
wretch who dared thus to insult the
saint, and carried him home in order to
'oast him for supper.
"Quick y said he to his wife on enter.
ng the house, "give me some boilinG
water here is sinner to be punish d
Pardon, pardon, Madam Wat,.: e.
cried Coquerico. ooh, good and gentlo
water, the best and purest thing in the
world, do not scald me, / pray your
"Did you have pity on me when / i'm
pored your aid, ungrateful wretchp" an
.wcred the water, boiling with indigna-
lion
And with a single gush inundated him
from head to foot, and left not bit OF
down on his whole body.
The unhappy Coquerico stripped of all
his feathers, the soldier took and laid hiln
On the gridiron.
"Oh, fire, do not burn me p cried he,
in an agony of terror. "Oh, beautiful
and brilliant fire, the brother of the Sun
and cousin OF the diamond, spare an un
happy creature. Restrain thy ardor,
ans soften thy lame do not roast
men
"Did you have pity on me when l i'm
plored your aid, ungrateful wretch?" an
swered the fire, and liercely blazing witt
anger, in an instant it burned Coquefico
to coal
The soldier. seeing his roast chicken in
this deplorable condition, took him by
the leg and threw him out of the win
dow. The wind bore the unhappy fowl
to a dunghill, where it LEFT him for
mOment.