El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-15
Immoral Fables
BY BARRY PAIN.


An elderly giraffe born in foreign parts
was in the habit of entertaining with his
conversation a large captive bred baboon.
BY agreeable persif1age and well chosen
anecdote he did much to relieve the te-
dunn of off hours in their mena gerie life.
The baboon, silent, but singularly accu-
rate. would listen for hours to tales of
what would have been his native land IL
only he had been born there.
Would you not like to hear now
something of the desertl' asked the gil
raffe.
The baboon, terse. but by no means in
different, nodded bis head.
The desert" said the giraffe. sis COM
posed of sand. Some deserts are furnish
ed also with a neat and convenient oasis,
an arrangement of trees and fountain
sinGularly grateful and refreshing to the
weary and parched traveller. Others are
provided with a mirage, an ingenious op-
teal delusiou, but, judged by the hard
test of results, of no practical value
Others. again. are without either of these
annexes and may be considered as vast
plains of sand, extending, as a general
rule, over a space greater than the whole
of this island, where at present we are
being exhibited a prices sadly incommen-
surate with the pleasure and instruction
that we provide for the young. An alli-
to cross ono of these deserts He took
his chance OF finding an oasis, but as it
happened this desert was all sand, pure
sand and nothing but sand. l would not
harrow the feelings and depress the spir-
its by recounting all the agonies that the
alligator endured from thirst. Suffice it
to say that point was reached when he
knew that in another hour he would be
dead for want of water. The point to
yxyhi I xic h IN 10
one which has curious psychological in
terest. Unable to endure the suspense Of
waiting the approach of death, the mis-
guided and desperate reptile anticipated
the decree of nature and committed sui
eide
How ?" asked the baboon.
The giraffe cleared his throat to gain
time and then murmured, with a pathetic
look in his eye:
Drowned himself"
And then no sound was heard but the
swapping of the bars of the cage by the
justly incensed baboon. A moment later
the air was thick with shreds of decen-
tralized giraffe
Immoral.-Ncver.begin to tell a lie until
you see your way to the end of it.
There was once an almond eyed prin-
cess of great beauty. considerable wealth
time drew near that she should be mar
ried she babe her grand vizier bring be- |
fore her suitors. that she might hear
what they had to say. at the same time
not binding herself to accept the lowest |
Or any tender.
When the day came, there were but |
three who had the courage to step for
ward and urge their claims. The first
was middle aged and portly and spoke |
after this manner:
princess. if you win be mine / will
give you the finest palace in this country
and the largest diamond and the f1eetest
horse"
The second was younger and would |
have been nice looking II he had not had
\ shifty eye
Princess he said. IF my suit finds |
favor with you i will do all that this mer- |
liant has promised and, moreover, by n /
private arrangement between the court |
and myself, 1 will succeed my /
father as king, and You shall be my
queen
Number three" the vizier called out,
and very shyly the third man stepped
forward. He was very young and as
as a young god. He was SIM
ply but tastefully attired in a suit, no
onger new. Of his Sunday clothes.
"Oh, princess" he said in n rich and |
ruity voice. looking round absentminded-
y for the limelight, II have no treasure |
o offer you nor power nor title-only an
ndying love"
There was a faint trembling on the |
iolin strings. The musicians, being used
o oriental stories, had expected some
hing of the kind. The vizier spoke:
"Oh, more than diamonds! Oh, sweet
r than power! Higher, far higher, is
ove undying, love that
II wish you'd sit down and not talk |
Ike a back number" said the princess.
Number two wins, of course"
Immoral.-The highest feelings are the
arthest out of reach.
In the garden of an aged and rheu-
natic chartered accountant (who has
othing to do with the story there grew
proud rose and poppy side by side.
he rose was tended and pruned and wa
cred; nobody needed the poppy. II they
ad needed it, they would have taken it
Y the neck and thrown it out. 1t was |
ommon and self sowed poppy. Some
eople would have thought it of no value.
hey would have been right first time.
One dry day the poppy permitted itself
, remark. "Oh, if they would only wa
er me too.'
why should theyT asked the rose. It y
m beautiful in color. graceful In shape,
eliciOuS in Derfume YOu are cheaD and |