The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-14
ACIRcASSIAN STORY.
Copyright. 1905. by American Press Asso-

you are to journey TO the city. You Will
take the hig iron kettle to the smithy
to be mended. You will pass on your
way the farm of Doskall, whose goat
we have in our keeping, and you will
leave the goat with him. / shall also
send him by you fat hen as token
of my friendship. Prepare yourself,
Dragan, that you may be able to set
out before the sun Is too high"
when the young man was ready his
father put the kettle on his head and q
cord in one hand, the other end of
which was tied around the goats neck.
In the same hand he placed the legs OF
live chicken, while in the other hand
was a STAFF to help the overladen youth
on his way. When all had been ad.
justed Dragan started on his journey.
He was heavily loaded, but was young
and strong and withal possessing much
manly beauty. He had not gone out of
hearing before his father called to
him:
"Do not take notice of any women,
my son. They are full Of cunning. Be-
ware of them"
II am not likely in this condition to
fall into the tolls of any of them, IA
ther. have too much burden already"
Dragan journeyed with the kettle on
his head, leading the goat, holding the
chicken I'm one hand and helping him.
self by his staff. He had not gone far
before the road on which he was walk
ing Joined with another. Where the
two roads came together Dragan fell
in with a girl about his own age with a
supple figure and comely face, for this
was in Circassia, where the women
have great reputation for beauty.
"Good morning" said Dragan.
"Whlther do you Journey"
II go to the city. And your -
81 go to tho city too. We may jour
ney together" -'N'
t"You are a stranger to me-" said the
girl timldly. "
"That may be, but could do you no
harm laden as am even If l should so
wish"
The girl, thus assured, permitted
Dragan to walk beside her.
Casting his eyes aside-he could not
turn his head for the kettle-he saw an
oval face, an olive complexion, a pair
Of lustrous dark eyes, timid as a fawn's,
and two thick braids of Jet black hair
Indeed, she was goodly to look upon,
and he could not but regret that his
hands were tied, so tempting were her
red lips.
Presently they approached dark ra.
vine. The girl stopped and said
"Im afraid to go In there with you.
II is a lonely place. You might over
power me and kiss me-"
"Snce you do not trust me-" said
Dragan, "you should not have walked
with me at ALL"
"On the plain II is different"
"But, supposlng / were minded to
overpower you and kiss yon, how could
do so? The kettle on my head is
heavy and requires all my strength.
should have to let go the chicken
which would be lost 10 me. The goat,
too, would scamper away"
And Dragan thought Of what his ia
ther had told him Of the cunning Of
women. 1t occurred to him that this
one was very stupid.
But" said the girl, evidently not
satisfied and casting her eyes on the
ground, "there is way, notwithstand
ing all this. that you might overpower
and kiss mex
"How is that?"
"You might stick your staff In the
ground, tie the goat TO II, turn the ket-
tie upside down and put the chicken
under 1t. Then you might overpoweT
me and kiss me In spite of all could
do, neither losing the goat nor the
chicken "a uHiee 8Ht
Dragan stood for a moment aston
ished at this ingenuity. He would ney-
er have thought of such an expedient
Then they walked on to the ravine,
and when they came to 1t he stuck his
staff In the ground, tied the goat to 1t
and, lowering the kettle, endeayored to
force the chicken under it, But 1t
was heavy, and when upside down on
the ground he found difficulty in rails
ing it. So he said to the girl:
"After all, l cannot overpower you
and kiss you, for / cannot get the
chicken under the kettl& 1t will fly
away"
"At any rate" she said, "now that
you are free from your burdens you
might cut some grass for the goat.
The poor creature looks famished."
"How can do that with the chicken
In my handT
"Rather than that the goat shall
starve / will hold the chicken"
He gave the girl the chicken, which
struggled to be free and engaged her
attention 80 that he easily overpow-
cred her and wlckedly kissed her.
Dragan was gone from home much
longer than bis father had expected,
and when he returned 1t was with a
wife. ~. uuG
How is this, my son?' said the old
man mournfully. "Did not warn you
against the cunning Of woman?" at
sand did | not tell you, father, that
I was so laden that I could have moth
ing to do with any woman?" aodt
well, then, explain" $40
81 saw" said the young wife, "that
your son was weary and the goat was