Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-02-25
EARTHLY KNocKER DISSATISFIED
AT JOURNEY ON STYX TO HE'LL.
His Placid Companion Was Quiet OH
Journey From Earth and Found
Reward--A Knockers Fate.
fEvervthinql

Two Souls met on the bank of the
River Styx, and the night was dark,
! and cold, and wet. There was no
sound-not even the beating of the
waves, because on that Silent River
there are no ripples and even the
grim boatman never speaks unless he
is forced to make reply; his oars are
muffied and all is as still as the grave
from whence his passengers come.
One of these Souls commenced to
knock. This river don't look good to
me" it said to its companion "The
water is murky; it is swift and runs
so deep that if fellow fell overheard
he'd certainly be lost forever. 1 won
DER why they don't have passenger
shed here. and why they don't have a
blackboard to tell us when Old Man
Ferryman is due to arrive. There Is
no reason why a soul should stand out
here and shiver and wait with no
place to loaf except walking UP and
down this decidedly uninteresting
beach. OF course we're up against IT,
but there is no reason why we should
be treated like hogs"
And the other Soul spoke up and
said: "Old man, cut it out. Always
on earth you were knocking. You
didn't like this and you didn't like
that. You kicked on the streets and
the sidewalks of yoar village. 1oG
didn't like the citizens: you didn't like
the laws; you didn't like anything aud
when you died was still there and
they had to hire men to go to yodr
funeral. You know that. What's the
use to be always kicking. Why not ac-
-cept something, at least, as the newt
able and if you've got any rags to
chew, chew 'em to yourself-you make
me tired. ''
Just then the muf1ed oars wers
heard. The Ferrynlan remarked that
he was ready and the Knocker got in.
He commenced to kick on this and to
kick on that and the grim Ferryman
went to the Placid Man and whispered
something. Then he returned to the
centre of his boat and said to the
Knocking Soul: Ny TREND, you don't
seem to like what ySusKe. got
This river runs straight to- he'll and
I've notion to throw you overheard.
and a great splash was heard-the
boat contained but one mantle
Placid Soul that was satisfied. Arriv-
ing on the other shore the Placid Soul
thanked the Ferryman for his kind
ness to it, and Immediately it took It's
fight and landed at the pearly gates.
Saint Peter opened vide the door
and received the Placid Soul with
smile. "Sire, said the Placid Soul,
am come and ask that you bid me what
to do"
IND pdfnF
'tYou were a Booster on Earth. -YoT
were satisfied with the reasonably welt
ordered conditions. You didn't knock
you always saw the right side, anG
always boosted the good things. Go
front" And the Placid Soul started
when Saint Peter broke in:
+By the way, had a line on your
departure and I thought you had a
companion-what became of him?
"Sire," said the Placid Soul. Il re-
gret to say that the gentlemanly boat
man was so annoyed by certain things
he said that he threw him overheard.
overheard" said Saint Peter in ap-
parent astonishment. 20, yes, that's
a new order I issued the other day.
He was a knocker and I've concluded
not to bother with them: A man wha
will kick on the Earth with its beau
ties and its possibilities-who is al
ways wanting to change conditions
and knocking his neighbors would
stand no chance up here where all IL
harmony-and since we have added a
subway to the River. Styx We chuck
'em under and get them quickly to the
place where they belong. Go front.
And the heavenly choir struck up
some magnificent music as the Recep-
ton Committee walked down the goi-
Cen streets and extended the Glad
Hand to the Placid Soul which had
been a booster in the flesh.