The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1893-05-13
HIS CHOICE.

LIN OA1O1OGS
Just ut the time when the earth Was fun
of Joy and it was hardest to die for sweet
flowers were bloomiAg,s two men tEl the
road to heaven, a rich man and poor one.
They had lived next door to each other on
earth, :hc poor man in hut, while a sump
tuous house was the rich mans abode.
But death makes no difference. and so it
happened that they both died at the same
time, and now they were walking in silence
near each other.
BIT the road was very steep, and the rich
man found it hard work and soon fell he
hind.
The poor man reached heaven quicker,
but he was afraid to knock, so he sat down
quietly and thought:
LET me wait for my neighbor; perhaps
he dares knock at the gate"
After a long time the rich man arrived,
and finding heaven closed began to shake
the gate violently, making such q noise
that Peter came running brcathlessly, and
on seeing the two men said to the rich one:
THAT was you, no doubt, who could not
wait. l shouldNot think you would care
to make yourself SO conspicuous, for we
have no good reports Of you in heaven. But
VIC Will ECO " ufSt ucAU. SOulC UOCu HI
and Peter helped the poor man rise.
They found themselves In an immense
hall, with many doors and benches ALONG
the walls.
sit here and rest, )" said Peter, "and profit
we'll by my absence to decide what you
wish, for your wish will be fully granted.
Only consider well, for there is no chance
later, and forget nothing before it is too
late"
When Peter returned, he asked If they
had made up their minds. The rich man
jumped up ut once and said he wanted a
magnificent house, better than a king PAL.
ace, and the best Of foods every day-roasts
and vegetables and jams and chocolate:
then comfortable armchair, and a beauti-
full wrapper of green satin, and the daily
paper, so he might know tho news. Petci
looked at him sadly and asked:
''And nothing else?"
''Oh, yes; I also want my cellars full o.
gold"
Every well" and Peter opened one OF the
many doors and led the rich man into Just
such palace as he had asked for, and told
him he would find all IS he had wished it
to be.
And so it was
But when year eftcr year had passed, and
he had counted all his gold and had every
day good dinner, and tho paper had lost
its interest because it talked of people and
things that were new to him, he found the
time long, and he yawned.
what can l do?" he thought But he
had all he had asked, for and he could have
nothing else. $50
And hundred, two hundred and then a
thousand years passed. At last Peter opened
the door again.
"Well,' said he, chow TO you like its"
Then the man became very angry: How
dol like its" he said. 81 Go not like it at
ALL hate it! How could you have such a
IN f.s1sae I Z n g ssas.-..prt you arc
n hell, for you have wished for your own
hell Did you think we burned all sin
ners? Oh, no. Those were old times. We
now let people choose their own hell.
Terrified, the man sinks in his chair
Oh, yes, he knows now he is in hell enc
eternity before him. He turns pitifully X
Peter and says:
"And how lorg is eternity!"
without end"
He began to weep bitterly, and Peter
feeling sorry, led him to the top OF til,
house, and there through crack in thu
wall he saw into heaven, but he had t,
stand on the tips of his toes and stretch hi
neck. 49,
There sat God in all his glory and all hi
angels round him, and all was joyi
"Oh, how beautiful cries the poor ricl
man. But, tell me, Peter. who is the ma,
sitting at Gods feeti"
''This Is the poor man who lived near 20,
on earth. After had given you timc
wish and returned to ask him what h
wanted he begged for a little bench to 81
at the feet Of God, and his wish was granted
Just AZ yours was granted to you"
And Peter walked noiselessly away bs
fore the rich man was aware Of it, for
was still gazing into heaven, standing pair
fully on the very tip Of his toes
And when Peter returned after q thousan
years the rich man was still looking lonf
ingly into heaven. forgetting all othe
things and unmindful Of pain or fatigue.
He did not hear Peter, who, putting hl
hand on the mans shoulder, said gently:
'Come, you have stood long enough, 80
arc forgiven. am to take you to HEAVIER
Don't you think You might have chosen
from the beginning!"
And ut last the poor and rich live agni
near each other. Translated From the Ge
man. For Boston Globe.
A Curious Kind of SNAKE.
An inveterate enemy Of the snakes
their congener, the iguana, or great trt
lizard, of which Mr.. Hudson tells
comical story related to him by