The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-29
THE POETS SUIT.

THE POETS SUIT.
In a great city by the Northern sea there
iivad a man Who all of = sudAon became
nossessed Of enormous wealth. Whssc the
money came from NO n knew. but every
hodv said IL was nome OF their businsss-so
no questions were ever naked. Inc people
were content to enjoy the hospitality OF the
Rich Man, and the fame Of his wealth spread
throughout tho empire. Now. the h'ch
Man had a daughter who was as nenr per-
fection az it was possible for a girl to be.
which il mighty near-aometimes. This
maiden-vhose name was Marguerite-dld
not care for the glitter and mnRnihoene OF
her fathers palace ~ much as she cared
for a poor struggling poet. who wrote beau
tiful verses and never had enough money
60 INV a new hat or get his hair out Ana
what 10 more, the Poet loved the hieo
Mans charming daughter. Livery verse ne
wrote was meant for her eyes, n she
knew IL too. leoause her name never ap-
,eared in them, and that was II sure sign.
Thev had met only ones, but that was
.nonch. and each was faithful TO the other.
Marguerite subscribed TO every newspaper
and magazine in the empire ard spent all
her time in looking for and reading the
Poets -erses. Sometimes they ma''e her
ory tnsy were 80 sad. and again she
with delight at some sweet fancy OK the
POETS, OF other suitors she had scores,
but Marguerite never gave them a WORD OK
encouragement. bat thought alone OK the
Poet.
ate and called at the palace. He wnsshown
into the mighty library where the hich man
vAs seated at his desk writing checks,
ss the Poet ente, cd he looked Mp with "
frown.
way that nil Poets have. II snoulo ike 10
marry your daughter" 400 .
sWhatv' ahrieked the Rich Man. You!
A roo, Poet? AstruoglinR. poverty-stricken
Poet. Who has TO 60 without his dinner In
order to buy writing paper? No. s'r!'
With these words the Rich Man ordered
The mage to show the Poet out. and as he
valked down the marble corridor the Poet
composed q verse 80 sad that it made him
weep as be thought Of IL. Az soon as he
reached the tiny garrett where ne Ilveo. the
Poet wrote eighteen odes. all different, but
each addressed to Marguerite. in which he
said that be was going away for siI montns,
and would then return ana claim her. For
the Poet this time had an inspiration that
seemed to promise happiness. When the
poems were done. he sent them to various
editors, and the next week Marguerite read
the dozen md a half appeals to her. and re-
solved to remain true to his memory.
Meantime, however. the Poet had started
off 10 visit a Sage. who resided in n distant
mountain, and to whom he had a letter of
introduction. !.
The Sscs received him kindly and asked
him what he wanted.
II should like to take q short course in
magic" replied the youth.
lis it for a good and righteous purposeT'
asked the Sage, severely. -,
1T is" returned the visitor, proudly. ~
am a poet"
Of course. that satisfied the Sage that
all was right. n the Poet began his les
place how tho Rich Man obtained his
wealth, and secondly. how to become rich
himself. But after six weeks of study the
Poet found that only wicked magicinns had
the power to make gold, for they. were in
league with the evil one. and gold was has
particular property. Still the Poet Ierse-
vsred, for he felt sure that the knowledgs
OF magic would be useful to him. He
learned how to transform himself into Q
number of various animals aud do q lot OF
other things which would make ordinary
mortalS wonder.
At the end of Eve months tho Poet CAME
across a record in the Black Book regarding
the Rich Man. 1t is stated that he wel
given the power for five minute after mid
night on a certain night in the year, tt
change whatever he touched into gold
During that time absolute silence was nee.
sssary if the Rich Man wished to retain hi
gold during tho coming year, for any noie'
would destroy all his calculations.
As the Poet read his he gave one wils
whoop of delight and sought tho Sage.
"Ho, hov' said that kindly old gentle
man. as he saw tho Poet. perssvec
hncs has conquered, ehy' Eos of course
the Sage knew all about it.
ut has" cried ths Poet gladly, land
will make you immortal By writing an cpl
'Thauks," replied the Sage. gratefully
'that is tho thing you alone can dot
beyond my rover to render myself i'm
mortal"
Then they had q gorgeous feast. and th
Poet left his instructor and hurriedly re
turned to the city. for the night in vhic
the Rich Mans spell worked was near a
hand.
AT length the fateful night arrived, an
the Rich Man sent all his household earl
TO bed. At II o'clock the kioh Nan retire.
to "a back room in his dwelling where scat
tered about were saucepans, and stones an
blocks of wood which he Intended to con
vert into gold at his touch. He felt hat h
needed an awful lot of money. for his stoc
in the TREASURY was very low. The sam
lOQf tD6 IOoe 6tClc IOFbu, anu Tehcneu III
back yard of the palace, whero he waite
patiently until a minute or two before l.
Then he changed himself into a yellow An
black cat. and sprang up on the fence.
Me.e-e-ough-h-h-h." went the cat.
Tho Rich Man. who sat in the roo
awaiting the magic moment. heard the CT
and started. He must drive the anim'
away at all hazards, 80 he raised the win
dow softly. At that moment tho bella ran
ont midnight. but the Rich Man heard the
not, as the sound WAS drowned in q territ
"Ne. e-e-ough-h-h-h."
Picking up q stone. the Rich Man thre
1t Mt the cat, but his hand trembled SO fro
nervousness that the stone went wide
the mark. and fel! on the othor side of Il
fence-a nugget of pure gold.
The cat Tor the Poet) saw this and +
doubled his crieE.
Bang! What had been n tin saucep,
once, but was now u golden one. narrow
Rrszed tho cat on the fence.
"Ou-i oil o-o-o-uQh-h-h," sang tho cat.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. pans fell and
stones roured down. not one hitting t
cat. The Rich Man. in his anxiety to sea
the cat away. forgetting all about the tin
used 10Th hands to throw, and everythil
that he cast out changed instantly until