The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-07-24
THE FABLED FOX.
BY BARRy PAIN

" oSNElTl -t..rEEaE
Slowly through the forest came the
FOX. And as he went he wept, occa-
slonally pausing to wipe his eyes with
the leaf OF the wild rhubarb. He was
a gul sensitive animal, and
stories a been going round; and his
FEELINGS were much wounded.
Along the path towards him came a
rustic maiden with q 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 it.
Suddenly she espied the fox. 1t was
quite evident that he was suffering.
and-as I said before-she had a good
heart.
rs it," she asked, "the sheer beauty
OIL what l can remember of a seaside
comic song that causes you to weep?.
No" he said. ct is unpleasant. i
should not care for much Of it. But It
Goes not make me weep. I weep be-
cause I have been g~rievously maligned.
and my pride Of race is hurt"
Who has done this thing?" she
asked, Indignantly.
L know not. but the rumors have
spread far and wide. I am almost
ashamed to show myself. What should
be done to the miscreant who has thus
tortured me?"
should be punished" said the
slrl with honest anger. Il don't care
VINO he is or what he is. He should
be forced to apologize publicly."
Ihat'" said the fox, sis not enough.
and he passed on his way still weep-
ing.
And he next person that he met was
a mar of the law in search of a job.
Assault" said the man of law.
NO. said the fox, sobbing BITTERLY,
IF hQ PC nnt II ~, -
"Robbery?"
Worse yet. My entire race ha.
peen foully DETAINED. We are brought
into pity and contempt. What should
Instruct me at once, and I will pro-
ceed."
ished?"
You will get damages-you NAV
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, "is not
Then you're precious hard to please.
Good morning." said the man of law,
and passed or 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 an inquiring
eye.
"Ah," said the fox, here. from rtne
old age I shall obtain wise ~counsel
and learn how best to be avenged
For the punishments hitherto suggest
ed are indisputably not enough"
"Well?" said the old man.
Il am suffering from deep humilia-
ton. Stories of the basest kind have
been circulated concerning me-"
Indeed" said the old man. This
sounds interesting Pray recount he
stories. There are no ladies present.
o can speak freely"
THE stories," said the fox, ARE nc.
Of the kind tina you suppose. They
relate to an imaginary deficiency in
my intellect"
LESS interesting" said the o1ds
man. But still, speak on"
"A. story has been told that I was;
once unable to reach some grapes. and
that for that eason I said they were
unr1pe. 1t is cruelty untrue. L test.
the rlpenesS OF the grapes in the usual
way, and am well aware that their
p~ropinquity to me personally has moth
ing whatever to do with it"
"Ah!' said the old man. ana
yawned.
That is not all. 1t is also said that
l once lost my brush in a rap and
tried to persuade all other foxes to nu-@
tllate themselves in a similar way. tt
- ~ SldlluSI. 1t 1mDllaES6t
that l am heartless, which I am moi
n that 1 am also brainless: for none.
OF my fellows would have dreamed Of
listening to so silly a suggestion. Now.
L say that he man who promulgated.
these wicked stories should be pun
1shed severely"
"Ah!" said the old man, and yawned
still more deeply. well, I must be
getting on
'"rhe stories don't seem to interest
you, after ALL"
You surprise me. A young girl that
l met said the man who started them
should apologtze-and it was NOT
enough. Then came a man Of law
who said that the ~slanderer should paw
damages-but no damages, however
would be enough. And I quite
thought that you would go one better.
and either say that my traducer should
be skinned alive n then burned or
from a morbid love of originality
would call on me to forgive him"
7 do neither," said the old ran.
1T is disappointing. Ard NAV
ask why?'
1T Is rather a delicate poir.."
But I insist Upon knowing"
WELL" said the old man, as he Ia
climbed a tree to get out Of
harms way, the fact is that my
names Aesop."
i