Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-13
like?" he wistfully asked.


II do not know" Alfred stammer-
ed. II have never seen anything like
what I should like to make. 1t must
be very great and beautiful"
II wish you would lend me your
eyes," said the other again. IT
should like to see the marble"
II am sorry, but cannot" answer
ed Alfred, impatiently chipping away
at the marble before him. 81 must use
them myself"
Very we'll" said the blind man, sad
ly, and turned gropingly away. AS he
turned, Alfred's heart smote him.
wait moment" he cried. "You
may take my eyes. l can put off max
ing the statute"
you have good heart" said the
other, and left Alfred in darkness.
Soon the boy heard the footsteps Of
the villagers. What is it," they ex-
claimed. Where, oh, where are your
eyes, lad?"
"A blind stranger came" answered
Alfred, land have lent them to him.
"Fool! FOOL" they cried. "Of what
use are your marvellous limbs and
your skilful fingers if you cannot seer"
But he was SO pitiful." explained
Alfred ut would make yourheart
ache to see him."
your own heart will ache still
worse before you get your eyes back"
they cried cruelty. But Alfred did not
heed. for his heart was with the eyes
that he had let the stranger have, and
he held his breath at the marvellous
things they saw. All the art galleries
in the world they visited, and of each
they retained a vision, a wonderful
vision
One day the stranger returned and
restored the eyes to their owner. Made
clear by the wonderful things that they
had seen, they showed Alfred the crop
ing figure before him. Suddenly 1t
threw off it's robe, and the boy exclaim-
ed in wonder. "The statue!" he
erie joyously. "My beautiful statue!"
He turned and ran toward the block of
marble in the garden.
But even as he worked, once more
figure stood beside him. you are an
idiot?" the abrupt question came.
'T suppose l am said Alfred, abb
sently. "They call me So"
"Then lend me your mind, If you are
not using it yourself urged the other.
Alfred sighed Have you no mind
of your own" he asked.
II did have one, and men called 1t
a great one," said the figure, with an
answering sigh: "but lately it has been
giving away. That Is why l want
yours. l want to learn little more
wisdom before die"
Every well,' said Alfred. "You may
h,,$ ~ ic mt Nf r1lch
account"
So the stranger took away his mind.
Again Alfred turned to the block, but
all his vision Of beauty was gone; ne
found that his hand had lost its skill,
and everything was dark. He crept
back to his old seat, and the villagers
followed, to view him.
Let us look upon him no longer
they cried impatiently at last. He
has given away what little mind he
had. We can never teach him a les
son. First he lends his hands. next
his feet, then his eyes: and now his
mind is gone There is no hope for
him, none whatever
Indeed, it seemed as If they were
right for once. Day after day he sat IN
his corner unspeaking and unsee1ng,
his hands folded across his knees and
his limbs bent beneath him.
Then one day the stranger returned
and softly called his name.
"I am here" answered Alfred, duly.
81 have come to return your nina
and to thank you," the stranger said.
II wanted to gain more wisdom before
I died. and now that the time for my
death has come l bequeath 1t all to
you. Tucked away in your mind you
will find the wisdom Of the sages.'
Then he vanished. Alfred sprang to
his feet with a joyful shout that
brought all the villagers running from
their cottages. They viewed his rad
liant face with wonder.
"He is dull and stupid no longer
they whispered to themselves as they
followed him about the garden. Few
erishly flew the chips from the marble
block, and under their very eyes a
figure appeared from the
marble. Beautiful it was beyond
words, an ideal figure of youth and
gladness.
1T is the spirit of YOUTH they cried
but Alfred turned to them and shook
his head.
ut is the spirit of human kindness,
he answered Nov that I have gain
ed all wisdom know that 1t was that
spirit that 1 was trying to carve into
the marble even when I was an idiot
They seized upon his words. THE
spirit of kindness! And who can carve
such statue better? Did not the
spirit of kindness cause him to give up
first hands, then his legs, and his eyes
and his mind? Verify, he has become
a wizard through the spirit of kind
ness!"
And, forgetting their previous cen
sure they caught him up with MS
statue and carried him into the town,
that all the world might see. The
world came and saw, sang his praise.
And the people forgot that the sculptor
was once the village idiot. They al
WAYS called him "the Little Wizard
Harry Bunstock, a New
Junior, Lives With His
GRANDPA