Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-05-30
quisitiyeness and loquacity Of your

quisitiyeness and loquacity Of your
own sex as well
NO. dear sister. that / cannot do.
Here beth history and fiction are ST.
lent. What I have hitherto related
is matter of history but il you
want to hear the same things illus
t-ated By fables, | can very easily
crafty you, aud will do so at once.
"Alid, an Eastern merchant, was
accustomed to spend the hot season
Of the year at his beautiful summer
residence and plantation. One even
ing he took a walk to enjoy the
beauties of the closing day. His wife
accompanied him, and on their re
turn, before entering the house, they
took 8 seat near the barn to rest.
Aid possessed the peculiar gift of
understanding animal language, but
was not permitted, at the peril Of
his life, to reveal snything he heard
through this extraordinary gift.
While they were thus seated, the
following colloquy took place be.
tween an ass and an OK:
's'Tell me- quoth the ass, why
do you SO foolishly submit to such
hard labor every day, dragging along
that heavy plow from morning till
late at night?'
az cannot help it. AN forced
to do it, and don't know any way out
Of it,
81 tell you what to do. To-mor-
row when the farmer brings your
food, refuse TO eat, lie down and feiyn
sickness, and you will escape work.
I" Thank you, I will certainly fol-
low your advice
Aid was very much amused, and
resolved on the following evening to
resume his seat near the barn ard
learn the result of the advice OF the
ass
"In the meantime the farmer, find
ing the OK, as he inferred from his
behavior sick and unfit for work,
substituted the ass to draw the pillow,
and Aid in the evening found him
in ill-humor and indignant at this
unaxpectel turn of affairs. He al
ways had an easy time, and nothing
to do but carry his master when he
wished to ride out, and now he was
put to hard labor in consequence Of
his advice to the OK. But being
shrewd he managed his case in the
following manner, and said 10 the
OK:
Il advise you not to persist in
your deceit, for what do you think |
heard the master say TO the farmer
to-day? 1t was this
"'AS the OK refuses TO eat and
may be of no further service you will
order the butcher to kill him, send
the hide to the tanner and distribute
the meat among the poor. Therefore
l advise that when your food is
brought to you to fall to and eat
eagerly to show that you are all
right, and the master will change his
mind about killing you
"At this the OK was terribly
frightened, and beloved so loud
that Aid was convulsed with laugh
ter. His wife, being ignorant Of
what transpired, and seeing no cause
for such an outburst Of laughter, was
greatly surprised, and asked her
husband to explain.
TELL me, she said, the cause OF
your merriment, that | may laugh
too.
az regret said Aid, that ]
cannot crafty you. Only this much
i may tell you, am laughing al
what the ass said to the OK just
now, but I dare not tell you what il
was.'
What secret is this which a hus
band dare not tell his wife, / want
to know p
amy dear, Providence has i'm
parted to me the peculiar and extra
ordinary gift OF understanding ami
NAL language, but on strict condi
tiou not to communicate what / thus
hear to anyone. To do 90 would be
the death OF me.
20, you are jesting.'
Indeed am not; it is even so.
There must be no secrets be
tween man and wife; ard if you dc
not at once tell me what the ass sai1
to the OK, swear by heaven, ! viii
no longer live with you.'
"With these words she abruptly
left him, went into the house and
sat down in retired corner, wher'
she spent the whole night in frettin:
and weeping, in which plight be
husband found her In the morning
"What folly is thls,' said he
why do you go on in this wa
about such a trifing matter7 Yol
lose nothing By not knowing il
while it's exposure will cost me ms
life. beg you, dear wife, cease you
fretting.'
81 do not care for the couse
quence. / will not stop weeping IN
til am satisfied.
stBut / repeat in all earnestnes
that my life will be forfeited if
crafty your unreasonable curiosity
GsfAnI ra.aosf fla4 / .urat -