Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-10-24
AN AMERICAN FABLE.
Showing How Flattery Briugs Them All
Around.

Around.
THE CLAM, xHE BOY AND THE OWL
In order to make this fable take on q bust
ness look, we give the date as 1890, instead
OF saying Once upon time and we To-
cate the place on the coast of New Jersey
instead of leaving the reader to infer that
it might have been somewhere along the
Red sea.
CHAPTER /
4 boy who had been sent down to the sea
shore to gather clans and pay off the inter
est on the mort gage which hung like a fu-
neral pail over his mothers cottage de
clded to try en- experiment. Getting his eye
on fat and juicy clam which was work
ing ashore to see which way the wind blew
the lad called out:
'Ah, there, ny clam, but heard feller
abusing you this morning
who was it," asked the clam as she
popped up her head
The turtle. He was making all man
ner of fun of you on account of the short
ness Of your legs. He declared that you
could not walk five feet on the beach if you
tried ever so hard ! defended you, of
course, saying that you could walk a mile
If you wished and now TO prove that was
right | should like to see you
MY dear boy interrupted the clam, Il
am glad that You defended me, but you
were in the wrong. As matter of fact,
can't walk a foot, and | have never claimed
to be able to. Besides, know all about
that mortgage. and you look clam hungry
this morning.
CHAPTER IL
The boy was feeling cha9riued and out
of sorts with himself because tie had been
done up by clam when an owl in bush
hard by whispered to him:
/ Don't give up that way, but AK about
| her wings"
by the way, said the boy as lac worked
| his toes into the wet sand. Il hear that the
gulls are becoming jealous of you. It's no
wonder, however. When ] saw the grac--
| full way in which YOU sailed about the other
| day, expected you would be an object ot
envy and jealousy
! Wouldn't you like me to sail ashore just
| about now?' sarcastically chuckled the
| clam as she stood on her head for change
CHAPTER Ill.
| She's an old un," whispered the owl
but try her again
We'll, you need neither wings nor legs tc
| take the cake over anything on this coast, ~
observed the boy as he SHED pebble into
! the water. Such eyes such mouth such
a complexion as you have knock 'em al
out and put you at the head of the process
sion"
care they talking about my MOUTH
asked the clam, exhn ug sudden interest
You bet, and it is agreed that such an
| other pair of eyes can't be found in the
state. And then that cute little dimple il
your cunning little chinl'
And they praise my eyes;"
You ought to hear 'em talk! I've beer
asked over 40 times about your teeth bu
as never got near enough to see then
plainly r
And they praise my teeth"
They do, and if you would only come
ashore and let me see them l should esteem
it great condescension on your part"
why, certainly, and while you are abou
it you might observe what dainty hanC
and jaunty foot have have never sc
up for beauty, but being What's TIN
natter"
Nothing, except that you are my clam!
replied the boy as he tossed her into hi
basket and cast his eyes around for another
MORAL.
"You ser" said the owl as he looked be
nignly down upon the boy, that all of Il
have our veal, points, aud fattery, if car
ricd far enor,sh, i boU,3 % fetch the COO
dom flom h:- OPP limb. NJ. QUAD.