Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-23
THU IADy.s sAMn

Inere Is q small town called Sta
voren on the coast Of Holland. 1t
was once very important shipping
town. but many, many years ago its
prosperity vas destroyed. This Is
how 1t happened:
Many of the citizens were so
wealthy that the floors of their pal
aces were paved with gold. Again.
some of the people were so poor that
thy could barely earn enough to keep
from starving. But the wealthy citl-
zens would do nothing to improve
their condition, and treated their de.
pendents like dogs.
There was one lady in Stavoren
who was enormously wealthy. She
owned many fine residences and hun.
dreds OF ships. Her income was so
large that she could not possibly
spend 1t, but she would not give any
aid to the people who begged It.
One day she sent for one of her
captains and ordered him to take a
vessel. and, returning within the year,
bring back with him a cargo Of the
most precious thing in the world. Tho
captain thought this task very DIFF
ficult one. but finally he decided that,
as life was the most precious pos
session, the article that sustained 1t
would be the, most precious in the
world. Accordingly. he brought a
cargo OF the finest wheat money
could buy. and returned to Stavoren
His employer came to the vessel. and
when she learned what ne had
brought as cargo, she ordered him to
throw It into the sea. The captain
cried. MADAM, II there be Justice
you will some day beg for bread"
But the lady laughed scornfully and.
said. when see this ring which
II cast into the sea l shall expect
my punishment"
Some time later, she was invited
to grand banquet, and in the fish,
where she was eating found the ring.
Then her punishment began. Her
ships were lost at sea. her crops de-
stroyed, her houses burned and at
last she found herself penniless. She
begged from her former friends, but
they scornfully refused aid. and the
lady finally died in poverty and want.
But the evil she had caused lived
after her. AS time went on, the
sailors and fishermen noticed that tho
entrance to the harbor was blocked
by huge sand bar, which was COW
cred with a growth of wheat. The
wheat which had been thrown into
the sea had sprung up and blocked
the harbor. The poor people were
in despair. as they gained their live
lihood from their fine harbor, but
nothing could be done. And then a
still greater disaster occurred. One
OF the bikes sprank leak, the water
rushed In. and Stavoren and all its
inhabitants persisted. And all this
evil was caused by the 'Lady's Sand"
IAN old legend. Edna T. Rodenber-
ger. in the Brooklyn Eagle.
AN APPRDCIATIWE AUDIENCE.
& Under an old piazza floor. the
boards loosened by long usage, and
the foundation dotted by years Of SER
vice. family OF toads spend the
summer months. Each evening after
sunset, when the twilight shades are
falling. I take my banjo and, sitting
in the big piazza chair, play softly
to myself.
by and by head pops out of
crevice. two bright eyes look around.
and big awkward body follows:
another and another soon join the
company, and there they sit in SOL
emn row winking their bead-like eyes
at me.
Night after night the performance
ID repeated. and each time the audi
ence is forthcoming, and sits in 81
lent dignity to the end Of my con-
cert.-Our Four-footed Friends.