Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-08-21
THE ST0NEBREAKER

remote That savauts hardly dare speak Of
ia poor little stonebreaker who was
employed upon the highways.
lie worked upon tile highways, while
It was daylight, an the time during an
seasons. under the rain. The snow OF the
sun He was always half dead with
fatigue. three-quarters dead from hun
ger, and was not al all contented with
bis fate.
.Oh. how would thank heaven
said he, IF ! could one day be but rich
enough TO sleep the whole morning
through and eat and drink my dll. II is
said there exist people. blessed by for
tune. who thus I've in ease and comfort.
Stretched upon thick mats before my
door. my back covered with soft vest.
ments Of silk I would make a siesta to
be broken every quarter Of an hour by a
serv.tor who should recall to me that
bad nothing to do aud that could sleep
without rcmorse."
An angel passing heard these words
and amiled-Ih y prayer be granted
poor man. said be.
And suddenly the s~tonebrealzer, en-
valOped ia sulnptuous vestments Of silk,
found himself stretched upon some thick
mats, before the door Of q splendid
dwelling He was no longer hungry or
thirsty. no longer tired, and all this APP
poared to him as agreeable as it was sur
prising.
He tasted during n half hour unknown
happiness, whsu the mikado CHANGED to
pass. The mikadol That was no small
matter-nol The mikado is the emperor
Of Japan and the emperor Of Japan was,
at that time, above ell, the most power.
iul Of the enperors of the orient.
Preceded Icy couriers the mikado was
travelling for pleasure, surrounded by
cavaliers all decorated and bedizened,
Ike the grand Turk Of Turkey, followed
by famous warriors. escorted by musi-
clans, accompanied by women the most
beautiful IN the world, who dozed in
their silver howdahs perched upon white
elephants.
The mikado reposed upon elder down
IA a %palanquin Of fine gold studded with
precious stones. His prime minister had
the unparalleled honor of holding aboye
his head a great tinkling parasol all
iringed with little bells.
The enriched stonebreaker followed
with an envious eye The imperial cor.
tege.
II haven't gained much" he said to
himself. 81 am not much happier for
the few paltry pleasures / am enabled to
give myself. Oh, that / were the mi
kadol I would travel IN grand state,
lolling in a golden palanquin blazing
with precious stones. attended by my
prime minister holding a great glitter
ing parasol over me, while my second
minister should cool my face with q fan
made OF p~eacock's feathers. ALL that ]
could be the mikadoi'
Your wish IS granted, said the angel
And Immediately be saw himself
stretched in the palanquin Of fine gold,
starred with precious stones, and sur
rounded by his ministers, his warriors,
his women and his slaves, who said to
him in japanese;
"Mikado, thou art superior TO the sun
thou art eternal-thou art invincible.
All that the spirit Of man can conceive
thou canst execute. Justice itself is sub
ordinate to thy Will, aud God, trembling
awaits thy counsels.'
And the stonebreaker said to himself.
"Ahl happy dayl now here are people
who know my value.
The sun. which had been very fierce
for some days. had parched the country.
The route was dusty and his glare
fatigued the eyes Of the newmeds mi
kado.
Addressing his minister who carried
the tinlding parasol. he said;
"Make known 10 the sun that he
troubles me. Ills familiarities displease
me Say to him that tie grand emperor
Of Japan commands him TO retire. Cor
The prize minister confded to q
chamberlain the honor OF carrying the
tinkling parasol and went away.
He returned presently with the great
est CONSERVATION written in his face.
"Great emperor Sovereign Of the
gods and of mani It il past %comprehen-
sion. Thesun pretends not TO hear aud
continues 10 shine on the road
LET him be punished.
"Certainlyl His insolence merits it,
but how shall got ut him to administer
the punishment
81 am the equal Of the gods-is it not
sog
"Assuredly, great midado-tho equal,
10 say the least
"You told me but q moment since that
nothing was impossible to me. You
have lied 70 me-you nave disobeyed re.
or you have badly executed my orders.
give You i've minutes in which to put
out the sun, OF teu Ia which to commit
hari-kan Cor
The prime minister went away, bat
did not return.
The imperial etonebreaser was purple
with rage.
Upon my wordi This Is q lne posi-
tion-this Of emperor. when one is obliged
to submit to the familiarities, the IL
prices, the brutalities Of q moving planet.
1t ia 40 use to deny Il. the sun is more
powerful than 1 ] would like TO be the
sun"
you are the sun, - said the angel.
And the little n.onebreaker sbone in
The high heavens. an radiant, an lam
iag. he took pleasure in ~scorching the
hees. IN drying up the rivers and fhc
springs, and hi cOyeFlns with sweat the
nugdst yisa0ss 81 eihperors, no less han
the dusts lSel8 Of the st~Oncbfcakefs lis