The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-04-07


There was once upon time man who
had brain of gold yes, entirely of gold
When he came into the world, the physi
clans thought he would not live, his head
was so heavy and his skall so large.
He lived nevertheless, and fourished
like beautiful olive-tree, only his head
was too heavy for him, and it was pitifu
to see him bump into the furniture when
he walked
lie fell often. One day he tumbled
from high stoop and Knocked his fore
head against marble step. The concus-
sion produced a strangely metallic sound,
They thought he was dead, but on lift.
ing linn they found but slight abrasion
and two or three drops of gold clotted in
in his blond hair.
1t was thus his parents learned that the
child had a brain of gold.
1t Was kept "A secret, the poor child sus-
| pecting nothing himself. From time to
time he asked why he was not allowed to
play in front of the house with the other
boys of the street.
Somebody would steal you, my beauti-
ful treasure, responded his mother
After this he became afraid of being
stolen and played quietly alone, moving
heavily from one room to another
When he was eighteen years old, his
parents told him of the monstrous gift he
had received from Destiny and asked him
for the return of little gold for having
reared and nourished him.
The youth did not hesitate. That same
hour-how, by what means, the legend
does not say,-he tore from his skull
massive piece of gold the size of a nut, and
flung it proudly into his mothers lap.
Then, dazzled by the wealth he carried in
his head fool in his desires, he left the
paternal roof and went out into the world
to waste his treasure
1t seemed from his royal manner of liv-
ing and his scattering of uncounted gold,
that his brain was inexhaustibe 1t was
decreasing, nevertheless, and one could see
that his eyes were growing dull, and his
cheeks were becoming hollow.
One morning after foolish debauch, as
he sat surrounded by the debris of the fes-
tival and the fading lights, he was shocked
at the inroads he had made on his ingots.
1t Was time to stop
From this time on, he led new existence.
The man with the golden brain went off
by himself, and lived by the toll of his
hands, suspicious and fearful as miser,
flying from temptations, and attempting to
forget the fatal riches which he did not
want to touch again.
Unfortunately friend, who knew his
secret, had followed him into his solitude.
One night the poor man woke suddenly
with pain in his head,-an intolerable
pain. Raising himself quickly in bed, he
saw, by ray of moonlight, his friend in
flight attempting to hide something under
his mantle
Again he had lost little of his golden
store
Some time after this, the man with the
golden brain fell in love, and then all was
over with him. He loved with all his
heart little blonde woman who loved him |
also, but she loved still better op-knots,
white feathers and tassels on her boots. In
the hands of this pretty creature, half-bird,
half doll, the gold melted away. She was
full of caprices and he did not know how
10 say no for fear of paining her, he hid
The sad secret of his fortune
"We are very rich, then ?"-she said.
The poor man responded:
"Oh, yes-very rich"
And he smiled lovingly at the little blue
bird who was eating his brain so innocently.
At times he would have fears and feel that
le must be miserly, and then his little wife
would come dancing up and say to him.
"My husband you are so rich buy me
omething very dear"
And he bought her something very dear
Thus matters went on for two years, and
hen one morning the little wife died-as
bird dies-no one knew why.
The treasure was nearly gone, but with
What remained the young widower gave his s
'eloved dead beautiful interment. There :
we're chimes, coaches draped in black, horses {
nth plumes, tears Of silver on the black
elvet draperies- nothing was too good.
What was gold to him now He gave it /
0 the church, to the bearers, the women a
elling immortelles, to everybody without (
uestion, and when he came out of the l
emetery, he bad nothing left of his mar /
ellous brain except a few scattered parti-