Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-08-25
THE STONEBREAKER

Il wa. daylight. all the time. during all
seasons. under tho rain. the snow or tho
sun lie was always half dead with
fatigue, three-quArters dead from hun.
ger. and was not at all contented with
his fate
"Oh. how I would thank heaven
said he. ''if conld one day 10 but rich
enough 10 .lccp tho whole morning
through and ca, and drink my Gil. II is
.aid there e,i., people. blessed by for
tune. who thus live In ease and comfort.
Stretched upon thick mats before my
| door. my back covered with soft vest.
mcn,s % .ilk. would make . siesta 10
b. broken every quarter % an hour by q
,cryitor who should recall 30 me that
hal nothing to DO and that could sleep
without r-norse."
An angel passing heard iheso words
and snilc'i-"Thy prayer DO granted
poor man. said be.
And suddenly the stonebreak.r. en-
yclo,--i In sump,uous vcstmcnts % silk.
found himself stretched upon some thick
mats. before the door % splendid
dwelling lie w.s no longer hungry OF
thirsty. no longer tired. and all this APP
I-arci 10 him A. agreeable as u was sur
prising
lie tasted during half hour unknown
happinc~s. when the miksdo chanccd 10
pasA The mikaiol That was no small
matter-nol The mikado Is the emperor
Of japan and the emperor of japan was.
a, that time. above all. the mos, power
ful % the cmpcrou % the orient
Prrcc,lei by courier the mikado was
travelling for pleasure. surrounded by
cavaliers all decorated and bciiEcned,
like the grand Turk Of Turkey. followed
by famous warriors. escorted by must
clans. accompanied by women the most
beautiful In the world. who dorei In
their silver howdAhs pcrchei upon white
elephants
The inikado rvposei upon elder down
In n palAnquin oi tine gold studded with
precious stones Ills prime minister had
the unparalleled honor % holding above
his head great tinkling parasol AL
tringvd with little bella
Tho enriched stonebruakcr followed
with an cnyious eye tho imperial cor
tcgr.
II haven't gained much. he aid 10
himself Il am not much happier Tor
the few paliry pleasure. afn enabled 10
give mysclf on. that were the mi
kaloi would travel In grand state.
lolling In golden Ialanquin bla,ins
with precious stones. attended by my
pnmo minister holding great glitter
ing parasol over me. while my second
minister should cool my face with fan
made of pcacock's feathers All! tha, !
could b, the mikador
Your wish l. granted. saii the angel
And Immediately he aw himself
stretched In the palanquin Of fine gold.
starred with precious stones. AMI sur
rounded by his ministers, hts warriors.
hi. womcn aud his slaves, who aid 10
him In Japano-s;
"Mikalo thou art superior to the sun
thou art cteTnal-thou art tnyihcible
All that the spint % man can conceive
thou cans, execute Justice itsslf IA sub
crlinaie To thy will. and God. trembling
awaits thy Counscls
And the sionebrcakcr aid 10 himself,
-Ahi happy dsyl now here arc people
who know my value.
The sun. which bad bccn very herce
Tor solne days. hal parchei tho country
The route was dusty and his glarr
fatigued the eyes of the newInade mi
kalo.
Addressing hi. minister who carried
the tinklins Iarasol. hs saidi
Make known 10 the sun that he
troubles m.. Ills fAmlliantics displeass
me Say to him that the grand emperor
OF Japan commands him 10 retire. Cor
The prime minister coniiiei % a
chamberlain the honor of carrying the
tinkling Iarasol and went away.
lie returned presently with the great
--i CONSERVATION written In his face.
"Grcai empcrori Sovereign VI the
gols and Of mani Il Is past comprchen.
son. The sun pretends no, TO hear and
continues 10 shine on the road.
"Let him t- punishei.'
Certainly III. insolence merits 1t
but how shall ge, At him 10 administer
the punishment
Il am the equal Of the gods-is IL not
soy
"Assurclly. grca, midado-the equal,
TO ssy the least
"You told me but moment since thai
nothing was impossible 10 me. You
have lied 10 me--you have disobeyed me
or you have badly executed my or'ler
give you five minutes In which 10 pu,
on, the sun. or ten in which to commit
hari.kan. Col"
The prime minister went away, but
did not return.
The imperial stonebreaker was purple
with rage.
Upon my woril This Il u fine posi
tiou-this Of emperor. when one u obligci
10 submit 10 the familiarities. the ca
prices. the bru,alities Of moving planet.
II /. no use 10 deny IL. the sun Is more
powerful than I would like TO be the
sun
"You are the sun said the angel
And the little stonebreaker shone In
the high heavens, ali radiant. all Ham
lng. lie took pleasure In scorching tbs
trees, IN drying NJ ths rivers and the
springs. and In covering with sweat the
august visag-s of emperors, no less than
the dusty noses of the stonebreakers, bii
colleagues of the morning
| But cloud came between the earth
and him, and the cloud said:
"IIalt therc! my dear. No ose can
pass" 49,,
"Dy the moon. This IL q little toe
much. A cloud. q poor little cloud,
without form. calls me my dear and
bars the way, Clouds are more power,
ful than l. will be q cloud or ] shai
burst with Jealousy
..Do not burst for 20 little said ths
angel. Away. In attendance. "be cloud
since you wish it, And the new cloud
vested proudly. In his turn. bet5een th'
earth and the resplendent sun.
Never In the memory Of God had Their
fallsp such showers The transformed
stonebrraker took pleasure In pouring
rain and bail upon the earth In q fashior
10 terrible that trees fell down. hndini
only mud In which 10 fasten their roots
Under his aquatic rule Of several hour
streams became rivers, rivers becam'
torrents, seas merged into one anothe
and formidable waterspouts were every
where.
A ro~k meanwhile. held up his beas