Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-05-21
Strange Story
Of a Magician.
And of a Boy Who Escaped His
Wicked Shares.

long ago, SO tradition says, in beauti-
full land in the Far East The story is
that one Of his pupils, becoming more
clever than his master. finally caused
his destruction, for which both you and
l may be heartily thankful, as you will
learn when you have read this queer
legend.
| This magician could do almost any
thing wonderful. He could move noun
tains, or could himself become a noun
tain. He could transform himself into
a tree, or forest, for that matter, or
into sea of tossing pillows, or a gen
tie rivulet And it was this latter that
he chose to be one day, wnen he saw
weary man walking along with a little
boy trotting beside him.
! The child had a bright, intelligent
face, and the magician was so taken
with him that when he heard the man
cry aloud in an agony Of thirst he de-
termined to serve him and then he
turned himself into a rivulet.
The weary travellers had set out at
the behest of the childs mother.
Though they were very poor she was
ambitious for her son, and she gave
the father no rest, day or night, ever
begging him to find a master for their
boy, that he might grow up useful, and
great, and brave
1t was after long persuasion that the
man at last agreed to depart from his
home; for he loved the child, and would
have been content to have him remain
poor rather than be separated from him.
But there was no withstanding the per-
sistence Of the wife, and so at last the
two had set out to find a master for the
boy.
They had travelled very far, through
dense forests and across turbulent
rivers; even the wild mountain passes
had known their footsteps, but still
they met no one to whom the boy
could be apprenticed.
They had reached at last a burning
desert, and after long days of thirs&.
and WEAKNESS, the father had been I'M
able to refrain from crying out. in his
misery.
And now, suddenly, as he raised his
eyes, there appeared before him
beautiful nook, and a silvery rivulet
went dancing on its way before him.
1T is a mirage" he cried in added
distress, but the child ran forward and
stopped at the brink of the stream, and
laughed aloud in his glee.
Then the father approached and fall
ing upon his knees he stopped and
drank from the river
All! how good you are." he cried,
as he arose, to his feet; and as the
words died away there rose out of the
water a strange man, who said:
What is it you seek?''
Then the father told his story. and
with a strange smile the newcomer
said:
Let me have the boy. In a year
and a day return to this spot If you
know your child, he may depart with
you; but if you do not know him. he
will be mine, and lost to you forever"
They are hard terms the father
said; what will you teach him?''
Again the stranger smiled a queer
smile and answered:
THAT which many would give their
souls to know
Then the father rejoiced, and bidding
his child goodbye, he returned to his
home
Well, how the magician chuekled
and laughed at the bargain will never
be known. For he knew that at that
age child would change so much that
in a year its parents would not know
him. And he had become possessed
OF thousands of children in just this
same way, and he taught them what he
willed, but ever kept them under him
by his power in magic
So year flew by, and the father re-
turned to the spot where he had parted
from his boy. Only the desert stretch
ed out far as the eye could reach. no
sign of forest or rivulet greeted his
eyes, nor did he see any Sign of his
child or of his master.
He has deceived me, and my boy is
lost, the bereaved father moaned.
And he went on with his eyes bent
earthward. Suddenly looking up he
saw beautiful city and thousands up
on thousands of children. In startled
amazement he stepped backward and
the vision died away. Then he ran for
ward again. and again he beheld the
CITY,
1t was no dream, no vision, no mir
age; but the magic of the enchanter
had so arranged his abode that only on
special ground could his home be seen.
The man joyfully inquired for the