The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-27

as United States possession of Porto
Rico
Third-The seizure and occupation of
possession, destined principally for
strategic base and naval station.
Fourth-The occupation of the Phil
ippines for at least a term of years.
for the purpose of making the revenues
of these islands pay the indemnity
which will be demanded of Spain at
the conclusion of the war.
This new resolve, this imperial am
bition, which has taken possession of
the administration, and is being
flashed before the eyes of Uncle Sam
to dazzle and tempt him, recalls
story:
Once upon a time there was an old
hunchback, crusty and decrepit, who
kept a jewel store. He was impotent,
but ill-natured and mean to his fam
lily; consequently, his friends were few.
But in his dingy little store were
many beautiful jewels, rare and cost
ly, upon which the neighbors were
wont to feast their eyes as they figured
up the values.
Now and then some covetous individ-
ual, when sure he was not overheard,
would gaze through the grimy win
dow and say: Had l these jewels I
could use them to advantage, whereas
this cripple keeps them in the rough
and hid away on dusty shelves, Meth
er adjoining himself nor enriching the
world. But how am / to get them?
To take possession of the store by
force would be an act of outlawry and
bring upon my head the righteous in
dignation of the whole community. 1t
would abrogate the law which makes
it possible for the weak to live among
the strong and hold property. 1t would
break down the moral support of civ
iliZation. And I would thus invite the
same treatment in turn from others
against which it might be very ex-
pensive to guard. Therefore. l can
not take these gems"
Now, there lived in the same sec
ton a tall, muscular giant by the
name of Jonathan, who never mixed
with his neighbors much. but whitfield
a great deal and whistled almost con-
stantly. He never wore jewelry, and
when he passed the little store and
glanced from the corner of his half
shut eye at the glistening gems, no
one suspected that he cared CONT
mental for them. But one day the
giant addressed the wistful gazers
grouped before the hunchbacks place,
as follows: That old reprobate in
there abuses his children, and I'm go
ing to stop it,
Some skeptical Individual in the
crowd demonstrated. saying: you are
not going in for the purpose of stop
ping the row. but to rob the old man
of his treasure, just because you are
big enough and strong enough to
do it,
But Jonathan protested: Honest. 1
amt going to do any thing of the
kind. I'm going to stop the fight and
come right out You fellows just wait
here and see' With that, Jonathan
peeled his coat and sailed in. There
was crash of broken glass and the
sounds of a scuffIe. Then came ex-
carnations of wonder and admiration.
He has caught sight of the gems
cried one. He is filling his pockets
exclaimed another. And Jonathan re-
NAMED in the store much longer than
was necessary to have threshed
dozen cripples like the hunchback,
neglecting his farm. but adjoining him
self with Jewels which he afterwards
had to hire private detectives, at great
annoyance and expense, TO protect
These treasures he told the people
when he finally emerged, gaudy as a
peacock. Il will appropriate to REIN
burse me for. the time 1 wasted mix
ing up in that old devils family af-
fairs" And, while Jonathan chuckles
over his Yankee shrewdness in getting
hold of that which his neighbors could
think of no excuse for Selling, still
wonders if he made anything, not be-
ing jeweler. by going into the jeweiry
business. 7sle
This is only story, but it illus
trates how an honest man, with an
honest purpose, may be led into temp
tation if he is not careful.