Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-12-14

W here fruit-treeS and nut-trees grow stately
and grand;
That radiant country does never come near -
The monkey, entranced by this
lovely song, forgot the ties of his
home. and clambering quickly down
from his perch, said: 81 accept your
invitation. Lend me your bathing
suit"
"No," said the willy ieIly-f fish.
Jump on my back, and I will take
you there. 1t is not fitting that a
guest to my king should even wet his
worshipful feet" Now you know
how impulsive monkey is, and also
how clever. So it is no wonder that,
after they had started, the monkey be-
gan to think and wonder if he mad
not been acting unwisely in trusting
himself to this stranger. So he put
on his most winning manner, and
Offering the jelly-fs his last nut,
sald 'How clever You are! You
walk so beautiful on the shore, and
swim with such ease in the water! If
all your people are so smart, why
should you care to take such clumsy
country" And now the jelly fish,
who had become very tired of carrying
his heavy load, and also was not loaLh
to show that his brain was quite as
clever as his shell. felt that he could
safely tell his real reason for taking
the mon ley on this journey. "Ohw
said he, in an airy manner, as he shook
the salt drops from his tail and wiped
the water flom his eyes with one tiny
foot, ooh, forgot to mention that.
although Dragon Land is far more
lovely than L have ever told you,
your visit will be short. His majesty,
the dragon king, really wishes for
your liver, that it may be made into
medicine for his wife, the lovely young
queen"
Now the shell of the ielly-fsh was
so thick in those days that he could
not feel the shiver of fear that shook
the monkey from head to tail, and the
roar OF the waters drowned the gasp
OF horror that the monkey gave.
He only heard him say: ''I ask
nothing better than to yield up my
chattering, frivolous life for the sake
of the queen of the dragons, the fame
OF whose beauty has mounted to the
tops of our highest trees. But, un-
fortunately, l left my liver hanging
on the branch of the tree in which
was playing. You see a good liver
and mine is of the best-is too precious
thing to carry about with one; and
so usually take mine out when I a n
playing, and only put it in when l am
ready to go home. L an 50 sorry to
ask you to go back for t. But, you
see, | would be OF no secvice to the
queen at present, unless. "a sudden
thought seemed to strike him.
unless my heart, lungs, or brains
would be of use. All I have is
hersp'
"No," said the jelly fish: "only
liver. We must go back for yours.
l wish l had told you at first what
really wanted you for. bat I had no
idea you tree dwellers were so good
natured." The jelly fish was so i'll
naturel on the return trip that he
chose the toughest course he
could, and the monkey be ecame
very sea- sick before they reached the
shore again.
"Now hurry up your liver!" called
the Jelly-tish, as the monkey bounded
from his back as soon as they touched
the shore of Monkey Land.
Up to the topmost branch of the
tree climbed the monkey in less than
no time; and then, after scrambling
about in the branches, and making a
| great fuss, he called out 81 cannot
find my liver anywhere. Some one
must have stolen it, or perhaps my
mother has taken it home to keep it
safely for me. / will go and look for
it; but you had better go home and
tell your king about it, or he may be
worried about you. Come for me to-.
morrow at this time, and I'll have my
liver all ready and waiting for you"
| OF course, You all know what the
silly ielly-fsh never dreamed of,
that the monkey had no intention of
giving up his liver for any dragon
queen, and that he was chuckling to
himself at the ease with which he had
fooled the jellyfish.
But the jellytish started off in high
good humor, and hastened to the
dragon king with a glad heart What
was his amazement, however, when,
after telling the king all that had
happened, he beheld his briny majesty
fly into fearful rage.
So wild with fury and disappoint-
ment did the king become that he
called to his ''officers of she'll fish
law, the sword fish and the whale,
and bade them deal with the Jelly fish
to the fullest extent of the law.
away with this barnacle of stupidity