The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-22
Tho Honest Woodman.

Editor OF 4. D. c. C. Department:
air,-I will send another story which
Nike very we'll. 1t Is called "The Honest
Woodman.' @ BIT
Once upon n time nm honest man lived
with his wlfo and children In a little
house In tho woods. Now you must know
that this man was very poor. Early IN the
morning no went out with his axe to chop
down trees In tho forest. III day he work
ed, until night when no could see no
longer. Then no went home to his wife
and children. They. too. worked with all
their might, but still they were poor One,
day as tho woodman sat down ut noon By
the side OF river that ran through tho
woods his axe slipped from his hands
and fell into the water. "Ah. me- said
the woodnan, sadly. at was hard to ges
my living with an axe. but without It we
shall stnrvel" And the poor man HID his
face in his hands and groancd aloud. Then
soft light fell on his bowed head he
heard tho ripple OF water on the shore,
and a sweet voice that said to him: u Look
up, my friend; why do you mourn sof"
"Ah. me-" said tho woodman, I have
lost my axe In the water. Ny axe valued
a. q brother where can aot anotherf
Now YOU must know that It was a water
fairy who spoke to him.aln moment sho
was Eone And in another moment he
saw her again. lifting her face from the
surface OF the water, and bearing IN ner
hand an axe OF gold. rs this your a1e!1
sho asked; but the woodman shook hls
head. All, no my axe was never so tine
~ that. That would buy mine thousand
times over, but It is not mine; It is not
nine" The fairy sank beneath the water.
In moment she came with silver axo.
"Is this your uxe7''s she asked again. "No;
Il is not mine" replied tho woodmnn.
land yet It Is worth much moro than
mine
Then the fairy sank again In tho water.
The third time she came UP. she orougnt
tho woodmans axe In her arms. An this
Is my axe: that Is my axe!" he cried Joy
fully. Yes" said the fairy, this Is tho
honest axe with which you earn tho bread
10 feed your hungry children. Because You
would not lle the silver axe and the gold
ono. both be yours" The happy Woodman
tina mixed the good fairy. and bore his pre-
clous load to the little hut, only half be-
lieyinE the treasure to be his own. On tho
way he met neighbour, man who never
liked to work and who had spent all no
owned years before. "Ohol' said the
neRhbor, whore did you get those 1'ne
uxes?"
Then tho woodman told him. Away hur'
ried the lazy man to try his luck at inc
r
and loudly did he cry. The fairy canlo
at the sound. asked him why no mournod.
II have lost my axel I have lost my
axe!'. he cried, weeping bitterly. The falry
sank beneath tho water. Soon she brought
from the water an axe OF gold. Us ~
yours?" she asked "Yes.s cried he greed
lily, "that Is my axe. s5
mo" said the fairy, this 10 my axe.
and It shall lie upon tho shelf. while you
dive for yours. yourself.
Yours truly.
JOSEPHINE n M'DOwELL.
No. 7l2 North Twenty Street
The Kind Little Girl.
Once there was a, little girl who lived
with her mother and father In small
( cottage In small village. The little
girls name was Ethel. One day Ethers
mother told her to go to the store ana
| buy her some apples. Ethel took the
basket and went to tho store. The mer-
chant gawa her new silver dollar. she
thanked him and started home She SAID
| she was going to buy large doll sne
saw In q window
| When she went down the street she
saw a poor girl standing by her window
| She gave her the dollar and said. you
| may have IT,
1T happened that her mother was at the
window. Her mother gave her the dou
! for her kindness.