Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-03-26
ACIRCASSIAN STORY.
copyright. 1905. by American Press Asso
ciation.1

way the farm OF D0Skall, whose goat
we have in our keeping, and you will
leave the goat with him. l shall also
send him by you a fat hen as a oxen
of my friendship. Prepare yourself.
Dragan, that you may be able to set
out before the sun is too high"
When the young mar was ready his
father put the kettle IN his head and a
cord in one hand, the other end of
which was tied around the goats neck.
In the same hand he placed the legs of
a live chicken, while In the other hand
was a staff to help the overladen youth
on his way. When all had been adj
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"
81 am not likely In this condition to
fall into the tolls of any Of them, ia
Their. l have too much burden already"
Dragan journeyed with the kettle on
his head, leading the goat, holding the
chicken in 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 comedy face, for this
was In Circassia, where the women
have great reputation for beauty.
GOOD morning." said Dragan.
"Whither do you journeyT
"I go to the city. And your
81 go to the city too. We may Jour-
ney together"
"You are a stranger to me-" said the
girl timidly.
'That may be, but I could do you no
harm laden as l am even II / should so
wish"
The girl, thu 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 bratds Of jet black hair.
Indeed, she was goodly to look upon.
and he could not but regret that his
hands were tied, 80 tempting were her
red lips.
Presently they approached a dark "a
vine. The girl stopped and said:
'I'm afraid to go in there with you.
It is a lonely place. You might over
power me and kiss me"
''Since you do not trust me-" said
Dragan, you should not have walked
within at ell"
ION the plain II Is different"
"But. s%upposing I were minded TO
overpower you and kiss you, how could
1 do so7 The kettle on my head is
heavy and requires all my strength. ]
should have to let go the chicken.
which would be lost to me. The goat.
too, would scamper away"
And Dragan thought Of what his ia
Their had told him of the cunning of
women. It occurred to him that this
one was very stupid
But" said the girl. evidently not
satisfied and casting her eyes on the
ground, there u a way, notwithstand-
ing all this, that you might overpower
and kiss me-"
Glow is thatY'
"You might stick your staff In the
ground, tie the goat to 1t, turn the ket-
tie upside down and put the chicken
under it. Then you might overpower
me and kiss me In spite Of all l could
do, neither losing the goat nor the
chicken"
Dragan stood for a moment aston
ished at this ingenuity. He would new
er have thought of such an expedient.
Then they walked on to the ravine,
and when they came to It he stuck his
STAFF in the ground, tied the goat to it
and, lowering the kettle, ~endeavored 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, I cannot overpower you
and kiss you, for I cannot get the
chicken under the kettle. 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 l do that with the chicken
in my handY'
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 so that he easily overpow-
cred her and wickedly kissed her.
Dragan was gone from home much
longer than his father had expected.
and when he returned 1t was with n
wife.
'How Is this, my SOM said the old
man mournfully. did l not warn you
against the cunning Of woman"
"And did I not tell you, father, that
/ was 80 laden that l could have moth