The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-22
UNCLE, ELI's FABLES.
Each One Points a Moral or Adorns
a Tale.
THE DIssATIsFIED FROGS.

THE DISSATISFIED FROGS.
i One morning as the Peasant was pass
ing by a pond on his farm the Bullfrog
hoped out of the water to say:
20 master, but US frogs have been
grievously misused and put upon, and
have been made spokesman to state
our wrongs and demand justice at your
hands,
well, what's the kick?" asked the
/ Peasant, as he sat down on a stone
and chewed at blade of grass.
Our pond has been invaded by a
| dozen Ducks, who insist on swimming
about as they please and making them
selves altogether too much at home.
They are impudent intruders, and
| though we have warned them to take
themselves off, they merely Quack at us
in derision.''
But this pond is an acre in extent,
with an abundance of water, and 1t
! seems to me there is room for both
| Frogs and Ducks
| why, as to room and water, there
| is no question, but you see I am look
| ing at the principle of the thing. we
were here first, and should, therefore, be
boss of things"
IT see. Well, if you are going into the
principle of the thing, as you call 1t,
Just remember that was here before
you, and that while the Ducks are a
/
are a few disturbing croaks. My ao-
vice to you is to hop out of this"
Moral: The Frogs took it with them
\ when they Yamoosed.
THE GOOSE THAT ASPTRED.
One day as the Peasant was counting
| his Geese and admiring their plumpness
| and numbers, the oldest Gander of the
flock astonished him by saying:
See here, master, am tired or this
sort of thing-being a Goosy-Gander,
and want change. I'd like to be an
Eagle. All the Eagle has to do is to
look proud and dignified and be an en-
blem of Liberty.
Il can't make an Eagle of you"
replied the Peasant, after due ref1ec-
ton, but I can disguise you so that
perhaps you will pass for one for
time"
The Gander was delighted at the
idea, and the Peasant clipped his
wings and tail and pulled out most of
his quilts, and with the aid of some
Eagle feathers and dye he fairly dis
guised the ambitious fowl.
This is just hunky-dory!" ex-
claimed the Gander, as he surveyed
will now go forth and do the Eagle
act''
The first spring chicken he met ran
away in alright. but all the fowls
soon saw through the disguise, and
heaped insults upon his head, and at
length it was made so hot for the dis
guised Gander that he wandered away
by himself to chew the rag of vexa-
when he was espied by a Fox, who
looked him over and then asked:
'Well, what do you call this? If
you were soaring aloft 1 should take
you for an Eagle, and if you were
padding about in the pond I should
say you were some new sort of
swan"
Sir" replied the Gander, who
feared to acknowledge his species, and
vet knew the Fox wouldn't believe
him to be an Eagle, "sir, did you ever
hear of a bird called the Dodo?"
'Lordy, but how luclzy!" chuckled
the Fox. Ever since I was old
enough to tell a steel trap from a
tomcat I've wanted to dine on a Dodo,
and now here's my chancei"
Moral; There are worse things than
being goose.
RAT THAT ARGUED THE CASE.
A Householder, having set a trap in
his cellar and caught a Rat, was pro-
ceeding to- put his victim to death
when the Rodent exclaimed:
"How now, man. but why do you
wish for my death p
Because you ate my cheese" was
the reply.
But you have no cheese in the
house."
'"Then you ate my pickles!"
But no rat likes pickles.
'fWell, then, you gnawed a hole in
my meal bag"
81 beg your pardon, but do you keep
meal down cellar? think nit
But it must have been you who
gnawed that hole in my coat" per-
sisted the Householder.
How could have done so when I
entered this house for the first time
five minutes ago?"
You may be innocent of that, but
say that your squealings disturbed
me-
LAS to that" replied the Rat, at was
very quiet. You must have some bet
ter excuse to warrant you putting me
to DEATH
"And I've got it. The fact that you
are Rat is all the excuse want, and
here goes to drown you!''
Moral: Give a man bad name and
he is done for.
THE TRAMP WHO FEARED.
A tramp who was sleeping on the |
southern edge of a. straw stack after a |
hearty meal of cold victuals was sud |
denly awakened by a voice calling in |
his ear, and he sprang up to be con-
fronted by a country constable, who
'Prithee, sir, but this is against the |
laws of the county of Suffolk, town of |
and you must explain |
your conduct"
Lands, but it is only a consta BILE
only a conStablei" exclaimed the
Tramp, as the look of terror fed from
his face and was replaced by a sweet, |
sad smile.
"Only constable. but I represent the
law sir; and canst have thee restrain
ed for thirty days"