Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-12-15
Parable of the Woman and Fence

Parable of the Woman and Fence
Now in the days of my youth, says
Safed, the sage of the Advance, there
was wise man, who had lived to
a Great Age; and he had a Stone
called the Philosophers Stone, where
in he looked and Saw Things, and
Understood Great Mysteries. And
all men Wondered what-he would do
with the Stone when he died. And
it came to pass that he sent out
Messengers to all the Prophets and
Sages and Soothsayers, and said un-
to them:
Behold, | go the way Of all flesh;
and before l go / shall give thee this
Stone to the man who is to Follow at
ter me. Come We, then, all who are
you is Worthy, that he may inherit
this Stone.
And most of those who were Re-
puted Wise began to make Excuse,
for they Feared to Come. lest he
should Lay Bare their Folly; and
they sent him Messages saying that
they had Previous Engagements, but
hoped that he would send them the
Stone by Parcels Post, and they
would pay the Freight.
But there were seven men who
went, from seven cities; and they
came before him. And he sat in his
Chair, and he had long white beard,
and Recommended the seven wise men
to stand before him.
And thus he spake to them
This Stone, which was brought to
earth by a Meteor, and found by a
man was a Seventh Son of a Seventh
Son, / shall give to the man among
you who Returneth the Right An
swer to the Question which l shall
ask. Are you ready for the Cues
ton?
And certain of the Wise Men An
swered and said to him, We are
ready. Ask us whatsoever Question
thou wilt. Ask it in the Firmament
or in the Earth; in the Land or in
the Sea; in Things Movable or Things
Immovable; 10, we are Ready.
Then, said he, will ask you this
Question: What is the Best Way for
Man to help Woman over a
Fence?
And they were all Dumb for
season, for truly he had put them up
against a Hard One.
Then answered the first of the
wise men, and said, He should stand
her upon the nearer side, and with
his right hand under her left elbow
should gently lift her the while she
climbeth.
And the second answered, and said,
He should kneel upon one knee, and
let her step irr his hand, as if she J
were to mount Horse. NJ
And the third said, He should him
self climb over first, and offer her his
Lo-I ,,k,lo che C~acaf,,11xy
down on the Farther Side.
And the fourth said, He should
indeed climb over first, and she
should climb to the Top, and when
she Stitch There upon the Top Of the
Fence, he should put up both hands,
not permitting her to climb down,
but should cause her to Leap Boldly
and Gracefully into his Arms.
And the fifth said, He should assa;i I
the Fence, and carry it away as
Samson did the Gates of GAIA, so
should he make an highway for her
to pass through And the sixth said,
The way for a Man TO help Woman I
over a fence is to walk with her till 4
they find gate, and open the gate 4
and walk through with her; and, the .
Lovelier the Lady, the farther should
it be to the Gate.
Now when they had all spoken,
they waited for the Ancient Man to |
award the Stone. And he said, Have
We all spoken?
And they answered and said, We .
have spoken.
And they had forgotten me, for /
was the youngest Of them all. But
the Ancient Man had seen me. And
he beckoned with the hand, and /
drew near and he said to me:
Young man, what sayest thou?
With Which of these Six Men dost
thou Agree?
And answered, With none of
them.
Then said he, Speak thou, and tell
us what is the Best Way for Man
to help Woman over a Fence?
And answered and said, The Best
Way for a Man to help a Woman
over Fence is for him to cross over,
and go on little space about his
Business, yet not too far; and let
her climb over Any Old Way that
Pleaseth her.
Then they were all silent.
And he gave the Stone to me.