The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-08

II
STORY TELLING MACHINE,


OOo SSSSS}SSSSN'~C~D
ii, this city were compelled to move away
or go into the grocery business. N I
I ,'.rhere was bit one idle fellow IN the
city, This was John the sinipleton, who
had been permitted to grow up In idle
ness because II was thought he was noth--l
Ing more than a ha1f-wlt Flo was indeed
a queer oharrcter, and was always en-
gagged III some strange adventure On one
occasion he volunteered to GID the spirc
OF the Cathedral, which WAS the pride OF
the town. He did o pretty lob OF work.
but when he came down he left his hat
hanging on the topmost pinnacle. His
excuse was that he left IL there to keep
portrait was exposed to the weather. He.
made no charge for what he had done,
and for q long time went about bare
headed, his long yellow hair blowing
abotrt In the breezes. 8 s3ss 81 Il. .s3
Ion one occnsion. when "a 4 man y had
beer cruel to his his wife. John the n. Sim
pleton passed by tho mans house leading
d dog. Finding that this attracted no
attention he turned about and led the
dog ,,p and down In front of the house.
FINALLY the good woman cnme to the
door and asked him the meaning OF the
performance g} !,
bar" I'm q sohoolfnasterr he replied. and n
l. al..Et
i. s"T.What Is the lesson /? she inquired.
cert is better to91ead a dog than to be
led by one. When Is your n husband
about2' I& :.8 NJ
5T1"ITn the early morning, replied the
woman. Very WE'LL said John the sim
pleton. TO morrow morning when you
hear fuss Mt Your door send him OUT
to see what the trouble Isl
SO tho next morning when the good
woman heard tremendous squnlling az
the door, she ran and told her husband,
saving she was afraid to so much as
put her head out at the window. me
man went to the door and there saw
John tho slmpleton thwackins stuffed
figure made in the semblance OF a Wo-&
man What are you doing there rascal?s
" beating my WIFE said the young
fellow. I a caught the disease at your
door, The man. angry and ashamed,
made an effort to drive the young fellow
away, whereupon John the Sirnpleton fell
cling, which the neighborhood declared he
we'll deserved. s
"On another occasion he went to the
shop Of a man who was known to give
short weight, especially to women and
children, raped on the counter, and
said he wanted a. shillng's worth Of but
ter. Then he changed his mind and said
h. would prefer bread instead. He res
ceiyed the bread, and was going out,
Wien the man called after him. Pay
ma Tor my bread he said. Il gave you 1
the butter for lt.'lreplied John the Sim.
pleton. Then pay me for the butter,
said the man. But T. have bought no
butter protested John the Simpieton. 70
Won take me for a child or woman
that you try to sWlnule l1le ~ 'ii ii 49,
ner?' . H.,
a voice. wand his bearing was so bold tnat
rhc shopkeeper could only shake his head
and warn John the Simpleton never TO
come into his place again, 49,.
favored city-the birthplace and home OF
John the simpleton-weref awakened carry
one morning by the woeful cries 81 tne
Mayor who was going about the streets
wrin glnr his hands and declaring that
he had been robbed the night perore -, oI
a large quantity of gold and silver: l -,
people were Mortified WlthM w s,, ,Seo a
irh-handed crime had never Def ore ne cen
Committed within the boundaries OF !ie
town. There had been petty thlevlns, ~ ~
ne articles stolen were hardly Valuaole
enough TO cause complaint from Il i
who lost them. -. ,,.,os
Among those attracted; oy tno 800 80,
Of the Mavor was Tnhn the y ''.
He followed the worthy man about ana
watched him with 50 niucn me-. eS 2, ~. a..a
curiosity that his example was folloe'% ~
~, other neople, and pretty soon the
Mayor had half the city at his neels;
He was a very dignihed official, anu l'4 ! =
never before been known. to give ava" Wy. ~
his feelings. There would have peen a
oreat sympathy for him but for the an,
Tics OF John the Simpeton. who fo!lo"eu
close behind him, but this Queer IelloW,
Who had discovered that the = MAYOR .
woe was deeper than his eyelid, man. .l,i
aged to turn the whole affair mo liui.
cule: and before the procession nau s s..5
a great way the mob was shouting "a, anu ..
,ano,hino as a crowd does on a holiday
ncca sion, THE Mayor tried hard 70 es-
~ ne. but wherever he went the peopie.
led by John Simpleton, followed ciose -
his heels. (, =, 40 o,nn, m
.'At last the worthy ofiiclal loon se. ne
in the church. but Us tas s,ia,vad The
ofavor andeayored to escape by slue
Inor hut John the Simpleton had anuci-
nated this movement, and as the NiIyoI
disnppeared behind the side door ooa,ia
Ebeckoned to the crowd, and they po ,li.s
into the street and the Mayor iou''e .,,,,,
SELF in the same case as before. seeing
.hat asca ne was impossible the Mayor
t,,rned On his heel and faced the crowd,
Good people he said, what wo ''utl'eo
you have 2 56g
yention,' replied John the Simpleton.
your loss is our loss. You are full OF
rrief and we are full Of anger. We de-
Sire to make ourselves heard
$50 the Mayor. nothing 10th. led the
way to the town hall, and there mass
meeting was held, In this meeting the
simpleton took the lead, and he caused
to be passed resolutions strongly denounc'
Ing tho wetched crea ture who had beer
SO presumptious as to rob the beloved
Mayor OF the city of even a small por'
| ton of his worldly goods No serious
| effort was made to catch the TIMER, To-
| It was the common opinion that the
strong resolutions that had been adopted
at the mass meeting would be sufl,cien1
to convince the criminal that he coult
| not carry on his nefarlous trade IN tina
city.
more heartless than the good citizens
supposed any human being could be. ~
very few days the town was alarmed
| and indignant at the announcement tha
aother prominent member OF the commu
| nifty had been robbed at dead OF night
1o55ooooooo0oOoooooo ooooOOOOO(