The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-07-24
Il TABLED FOX.
BY BARRY PAIN.

BY BARRY PAIN.
Slowly through the forest came the
fox. And as he went he wept, occa-
sionally pausing to wipe his eyes with
the leaf Of the wild rhubarb. He was
a singularly sensitive animal, and
stories had been going round; and his
feelings were much wounded.
Along the path towards him came a
rustic maiden with a 32-inch waist, an
elastic step and a good heart. Her
smile was bright. and as she went she
sang blithely; she could not, In the
strict sense of the term. sing; but this
happened long ago, when those who
could not sing would sometimes try to
do 1t.
Suddenly she espied the fox 1t was
quite evident hat he was suffering,
and-as l said before-she had a good
heart.
rs it," she asked, 1.-THE sheer beauty
OF what ] car remember Of p seaside
comic song that causes you to weep?"
NO." he said. ut is unpleasant. I
should not care for much OF 1t. But 1t
does not make me weep. I weep be-
cause I have been grievously maligned.
and my pride OF race Is hurt
who has done this thing?" she
asked, Indignantly.
Il know not, but the rumors have
- AN .eS4uCs| sl LII AlILlOSL
ashamed to show myself. What should
be done to the miscreant who has thus
tortured me?"
He should be punished" said the
girl with honest anger. 4 don't care
who he is or what he is. He should
be forced to apologize publicly"
"That," said the fox, "is not enough"
and he passed on his way still weep
ing.
And the next person that he met was
a man of the law in search OF a job.
Assault" said the man Of law,
NO." said the fox, sobbing bitterly,
that's not 1t. It's worse"
Robbery"
Worse yet. My entire race ha,
been foully DETAINED. We are brought
into pity and contempt. What should
I do?"
Instruct me at once, and I will pro-
ceed."
And how will my malinger be pun
ished?"
You will get damages-you may
possibly get very heavy damages
enough, after my costs are paid, to
enable you to live in affiuence without
doing any work"
That" said the fox, lis not enough
Then you're precious hard to please.
Good morning" said the man OF law.
and passed on his way.
The fox went on through the forest,
though he was SO shaken with the
force OF his poignant emotions that he
could hardly walk. And presently he
saw coming towards him an old man
with a white beard and ar inquiring
/ eye.
"Ah." said the fox, here. from rine
old age. I shall obtain wise counsel,
and learn how best to be yenpe
For the punishments hitherto uggest
ed are indisputably not enough"
Well" said the old man.
I am suffering from deep humilia-
uon. Stories OF the basest kind have
been CIRCULATED concerning me-"
Indeed" said the old man. ,"This
sounds interesting. Pray recount the
stories. There are no ladies present
you can speak freely"
The stories." said the fox, '.are not
OF the kind that you suppose. They
relate to an imaginary deficiency IN
my intellect"
Less interesting" said the old
q But still, speak on"
story has been told that I was
once unable to reach some grapes. AND
that for that reaso I said they were
unr1pe. It Is cruelty untrue. / test
the ripeness of the grapes in the usua:
way, and am well aware that theil
proplnquity to me personally has moth.
Ing whatever to do with it"
Ahl" said the old man. and
yawned.
That is not all. It is also said +ba,
! once lost my brush In a trap. anf
tried to persuade all other foxes to mu.
ulate themselves in a similar way. Il
is an abominable Islander. It i1nnlie,
that I am heartless, which I am not
n tina I am also brainless; for O
OF my Fellows would have dreamed Q,
listening to so silly a suggestion. Now
I say that the man who prom,lpata
these wicked stories should be- MN.
tshed severely"
"Ah!" said the old man, and yawneG
stu more deeply. We'll, I must be-
The stories DON'T seem to interest
you. after ALL"
You surprise me. A young girl tha,
I met said the man who started then
snould apolosize-and it was moi
enough. Then came a man Of LAY
who said that the slanderer sho1,1d nv,
1amages-but no damages, howeve,
neaVy. would be enough. And / QUITE
that o would go one hetIar
ana either say that my raducer sho,,nd
90 Skinned alive and then burned on
rom q morbid love Of originality
would call on me to forgive him"
90 neither" said the old man.
ask why2" may !
II 10 rather a delicate point"
But ! insist upon Knowing
said the old man, as he Ia
porlousiy climbed a tree to get out ri
arms way. "the fact is that -,
names Aesop." my
A Philosophical View.
PUCK: Mrs. Hogg-My opinion ia ~
MT, 6OQR-WoH 7 Ic,,4 uo'