Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-10-02

that nothing was impossible to me.
You have lied to me-you have disc
beyed Inc, or you have badly executed
my orders. | give you five minutes in
which to put out the sun, or ten in
which to commit hari-kari. Go -
The prime minister went away, but
did not return.
The imperial stonebreaker was pur
pie with rage.
Upon my word This is a fine 20
sition-this of emperor. when one Is
obliged TO submit TO the familiarities,
the caprices, the brutalities of a NOV
ing planet. 1t isno use TO deny it. the
sun is more powerful than |. | would
like to be the sun"
You are the sun, said the angel
And the little stonebreaker shone in
the high heavens, all radiant, all
homing He took pleasure in scorch-
ing the trees, in drying up the rivers
and the springs, and in covering with
sweat the august visages Of emperors,
no less than the dusty noses of the
stonebreakers. his colleagues OF the
morning
But a cloud came between the earth
and him, and the cloud said
Halt IL ere my dear. No one can
pass.
by the moon This is little too
much \ cloud, poor little cloud,
without form, calls me my dear, and
bars the way Clouds are more pow
erful than l. | will be a cloud or
shall burst with jealousy.
DO not burst for so little, said the
angel, always in attendance, be a
cloud, since you wish it," And the
new cloud rested proudly, in his turn,
between the earth and the resplend
ent sun.
Never in the memory Of God had
there fallen such showers. The trans
formed st0nebreaker took pleasure in
pouring rain and hail up the earth in
a fashion 50 terrible that trees fell
down, finding only mud in which to
fasten their roots. Under his aquatic
rule Of several hours streams became
rivers. rivers became torrents, sea:
Ia. nj e., len
bic waterspouts were everywhere.
A rock, meanwhile, held up his head
in the storm. In face of all he re
manned impassive. Upon his flank,
of granite the waves dashed, cover
ing with froth the waterspouts break
ing at his feet; and the thunder made
him laugh each time that it tickled
his sides
Il am at my wits ends - said the
cloud. This rock ignores my power
He resists me, and | envy him"
Said the angel, Take his place, and
let us see if you will ut last be salts
fled
The transformed cloud at length felt
at ease. lmpervious, inaccessible, i'm
passive. under the burning caresses OF
the sun and under the fury Of the
thunder, he believed himself master
of the world.
But 10, at his feet little soft ham
mering drew his attention. He leaned
over and saw a poor creature, Gov
cred with rags-thin and pale as he
himself had been in the time Of his
greatest misery who, with n mallet
in his hand, Clipped the granite into
pieces TO repair the neighboring road
way.
What is this?' cried the superb
rock, "a poor wretch. miserable among
the most miserable, mutilates me and
cannot defend myself am pro
foundly humilated. am reduced to
envying the state of this creature
Take his place said the angel,
smiling.
And the Unsuitable parsonage be
came that which he was beiore-a
poor little breaker Of stones.
As in the past he worked upon the
roads while there was light all the
time. in all seasons, under the rain,
the snow, or the sun.
He was always half dead from hun
ger, and three-quarters dead from ia
tieue-all OF which did not hinder him
from being perfectly contented With
b;S lnt