The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19

@AsNa% world, east and west, south and north.
WssS And all had accepted, they
fine and brilliant assemblage of
trolls, goblins, fairies, elves and imps
had been They had from ASIA yellow Of
skin with funny pigtails and dressed in rusng silk;
from America with eagle feathers in their
long black hair from Africa their naked skin dark
night ITSELF their thick skulls covered with crinky hair;
from the far away north homespun wearing wooden
shoes and red caps with faxen hair and light blue
or in COATS leather aprons and fur gloves their
faces shrunken while their long white boards fell from
their chins like the icces the mountain walls where
they lived.
1t was fine feast. There was no end to the eating
and drinking The elves danced their best; the frogs
jumped and leaped their round stomachs shook; the
young played ping pong, the old told stories and
guessed riddles and the small mps ran aboutpued each
other by the hair-or tails if they had any.
VI fe the AL 'ie as be H. was ia ee+e
little yellow wrinked goblin from India, from whence
the wisest and the wisest fairyfolk, and
each metal presented its claims his to be the final
judgment.
The judge sat down crystal boulder scratched
the himself had entered into the mountain when
Gold in all its and with ha1ghty %ein ad
ripe corn red blood of All had to hold
their hands before their eyes, dazed they by the
strong glare The will-o thewisps crept away in
II am the best,'' began Gold. IT the king Of
metals: There is need for any competition All the
others may we'll give up at Mine is the prize
.E'Hear! Here,5 cried several gnomes. - @z..s=a
"Wait little. Wait little,' said the old judge.
'*Tel first whence you came and what your merits
3sWhence I came!'' exclaimed Gold. "Don't you
know thatg In the depths of mountains in Of
riverbeds on the Pacific in South Africa,
in Australian hills is my home. Thither I draw men by
the power my spendo big in red shirts,
top-boots and souched hats With shovel pickaxes and
dynamite they bring into the light of day which
sprpass Ny mers' Don't you knqw ; that am every
no life. It's who buy the food, and the wine It's
who build houses I'm the metal Of religion and
love- T encirce the head of the king of shines the
the church of is the ring which the lover
slips upon the finger of the maiden when he takes her for
his wife What more is needed?'
''You have your merits truly said the judge
"But have you quilts What the red streaks in
your armour9''
Gold silent.
tsThen will tell you,'' continued the judge. 'They
mean blood blood of men, women and of little
It you say that you have done
good but you far evil If you have put
life into the world have put more life out Of it. You
have given power splendor happiness few, but
you have brought slavery misery shame the
Co.. And humbly the shining, royal Gold went forth
As Silver up with jaunty step and smiling face,
it as if the of the full had pierced the
mountain s heart, and with every step there the
sound as hundreds Of tinking bells Bowing to the
Judge nodding cordially to the assembage to old
acquaintance, he began: = III
t'Here am I-come from the mines of Nevada in the
far west draw men unto me as does Gold but am
better. Gold is for the few for the am the
metal of the honest the working and the saving. be-
long little shopkeeper and the hardworking artisan;
my coins are chldrens best reward My color not
that Of blood of innocence The prize is nine"
''Bravo! Bravo3' cried the whole company, and the
children shouted oudet they thought of the dimes and
quarters that frequently fell to their lot The judge bade
silence. g.. -~.' =
'tWhat you have said is true,'' he began fbut you
forget you also have guilt your conscience Fo1
you have fought and snned tho not to the de-
gree for Gold But the blood faint is upon and
the prize is not yours Farewell
''Then the prize is mine!' called out voice and
old bent figure in brown dress with green edges shut
fed forward. .s44
'sI am Copper. I live principally in Chile, but
found all the world shine brightly Gold
Silver only talked nonsense when it said it the prop
ery the many. the metal of the Masses the toll
ing masses upon whom the whole world rests. For me
they work sweat Of their brows. purchase the
daily bread my smallest coin buys the little children
sweets shines the tower of the church, in th
food of men is cooked