The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-24

horse Dandy in the orchard. whittier
he had strayed after the rich grass
that grew there. He hastily grabbed
some Jumps of sugar from the kitchen
pantry, and with it he enticed the
horse into the workshop, and while
the animals face still retained the
eager look that comes to them when
they smell sugar, he stroked him into
white marble. This done, he put on his
fathers work apron, and when Mr..
Jones drove into the barn yard he was
putting the finishing touches to the
horses hook with the ch,sal.
If Mr.. Jones had admired the cat
he was at a loss for words to express
his wonder at the horse.
why, boy" said he, there's moth
ing like it in the world. / know all
the great sculptors and there's not one
who wouldn't give his boots to be able
to do that horse. Could you do
Washington and set him astride of it?''
For an instant Sevenoaks was tempt
ed to ask Mr.. Jones TO get up and be
turned into marble, but as a marble
man would not be able TO pay for a
marble horse he decided not to at
| tempt ii.
1t would take too long to tell you
how Sevenoaks (Which name, by the
way, is pronounced as if it were spell
ed Shook s. kept Mr.. Freeland
from missing his horse, or how, with
help from Mr.. Jones workmen. he
! dragged the statue on a stoneboat up
to the rich mans place. He reached
| there that evening without accident
and without either his father or Mr..
Freeland having the slightest suspic-
| ion of what he was up to.
| That night Mr.. Jones telegraphed
to all the prominent sculptors in New
York, Philadelphia and Boston to
come to the unwilling of the greatest
statue in the world, which event was
to take place next day. All night
long his workmen busted themselves
in placing the heavy piece of marble
on a ten foot pedestal that had been
intended for another statue. In the
morning an American flag was thrown
over horse and pedestal, and Mr.. Jones
was ready for his visitors.
He had, of course, invited Sevenoaks
to be present, and when the sculptors
! came he introduced the boy to each
one in turn ard showed them the
marble frog, in order to whet their
appetite for the greater things TO fol
low. The frog made quite a sensation,
and Mr.. Jones led them into the
house TO look at the cat.
1t was gone. 1t had come to life
few minutes before, and at that mo-
ment was in an elm trying to induce
n robin to furnish a light breakfast
for one.
Mr.. Jones was much distressed at
the theft of his marble cat, but he
concealed his feelings admirably, and
invited all the guests to witness the
unwilling. After that was over he in
tended to find out who had the cat.
Sevenoaks, at word from Mr.. Jones.
disappeared beneath the flag. Then
he clambered TO the back of the horse
and loosed the string that held the
flag in place. Above him waved the
branches of the elm in which the
marble cat, marble no longer, was
providing.
The banner futtered to the ground.
and the group of artists clasped their
hands and opened their mouths in
token that they were looking at the
most perfect piece of carving that had
ever been done since the days of Gre
elan pre-eminence.
isn't the boy a wonder?" said Mr..
Jones, proudly. and Sevenoaks on his
lofty perch smiled a bcaming smile.
''How much do YOU think | ought
to pay him for this piece of work ~
asked Mr.. Jones.
The sculptors knew that their host
was rich and they knew what a price
the statue would fetch in ten years,
SO the greatest Of them. whose name
escapes me, said 100000 is not too
much to pay for it."
$50 | think said Mr.. Jones, and
he put his hand into his pocket to
draw out the money.
Most of the artists thought it was
very bad taste in him to pay the boy
in public. but Sevenoaks was glad to
get 100000 at any time. He had
never had SO much money in his life,
because he was one of ten brothers
and sisters. and his father did not be-
lieve in unlimited pocket money.
But it was not destined that he
should receive the ilI-gotten gains.
Just as he put out his hand to take
| the money Miss Puss sprang for the
robin. and missing her hold, dropped
clawing and mewing upon the horses
flank, and the touch of her talons
reused him to life. He laid back MS
ears, arched his neck opened his jaws,
and with a wild whinny he sprang
from the pedestal with the boy on his
back and Numbered over the lawn and
down the road and out of sight Seven
oaks, who was used to riding horse
back, dug his knees into the horses
| sides and clutched his name, and the
artists burst out laughing, supposing
that the whole affair was a huge joke.
But it was no joke to Sevenoalls
| Maybe he was hurt; maybe he is yet
riding and enjoying the ride, for Dan
! dy was an excellent saddle horse, but
of that | can tell you nothing, for
| from that time that he disappeared
beyond the rustic bridge that crosses
the pond of the goldfish, no one that
| ever heard of saw the boy again.
Wait for others to advance your in
terests and you will wait until they
are not worth advancing.