The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-17

By VOttGtre as the scene Of ms gTe0t
philosophical romance "Zodig." The
story told here. portrays zadtg IN
role stsiking1y like that played By
Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes
or Poe's IN. Dupin" IN modern Ut
erGtatre.
In the days of King M0abdur of |
Babylonia there dwelt in the city OF
Babylon rich man named Zadig. Tai
ented, accomplished, handsome and
healthy, he still was unhappy. He had
been disappointed more than once In
friendship and finally most sorely IN
love. Convinced that destiny lies in
wait for the ambitious and distin-
guished, he withdrew to simple coun-
try home on the Euphrates river.
Being resolved not to tempt fate, he
looked about for an occupation that
| promised the least possible entangle-
ment with the ways of providence, and
decided upon the study of nature.
One day as he strolled in grove
| near his home, troop of officials and
slaves ran up to him and asked: Have
you seen the queens dog?
"Was 1t small dog?" asked Zadig.
"If so, such dog has passed here. 1t
| had beautiful long ears and it limped
slightly with the right forefoot."
"Then you have seen it'' cried the
leader, delighted.
| "No." said Zadig. II have not seen
| it. In fact, / did not even know until
this moment that the queen owns
| dog"
Before the astounded man could re-
ply, another party of officers and sery-
ants appeared exclaiming breathlessly
that the kings finest horse had strayed,
"Was it bitted with gold?" asked Ia
dig. "a horse thus bitted, and shod
with silver, galloped through here. II
had a magnificent stride and gait, AID
was of the purest blood. Was not its
tail at least four and one-half feet
long?"
Eyes! Yesw said the master OF.
horse eagerly. In which direction
did 1t run? Where Is it now?'
81 have not seen It," answered ~
dig. "This Is the first time that
knew the king had such a horse.
| The men Of both parties stared vt
each other for moment. Then with
out word they ponnced on zadig
with: "Thief! You shall learn what
1t means to trifle with the property OF
your ruler!"
The slaves hustled him to the city
of Babylon, not without presenting hiTn
with many undesired bruises. He was
led at once before the chief council
and charged with having stolen the
dog and the horse of the royal family.
The tale told by the officers was so
convincing that the council did not per
nit Zadig to speak, but sentenced him
at once to Imprisonment for life.
Just as he was being led away, beg
ging vainly for leave to say word in
defense, messengers arrived with the
news that the missing animals had
been found. The council perceived the
painful necessity of resembling Its SEN
tence; but it felt justified In filming
Zadig 400 ounces of gold for asserting
that he had not seen something when
he had already admitted that he had
seen 1t.
Again Zadig asked for permission to
make a trifiing explanation, but the
judges decided after earnest consulta-
ton that the fine must be paid first,
after which he might address the
court.
zadig sent for the gold and paid 1t
over with many sigh. Then he bowed
low and said:
''Oh, stars of justice, abysses OF Wis
dom, mirrors Of truth! Since 1t is per-
mitted that / speak before your Illus
trious gathering, hear me while swear
by Or1nuzd that never did my eyes be.
hold the honored dog of our gracious
queen nor the sublime horse Of the
king of kings! Listen, Oh We pillars OF
charity and tolerance! was strolling
in the grove when observed the trail
left by a small animal in the sand
Having trained myself to study nature
minutely, I knew at once that 1t was
the track of dog, and from the size
and depth of the indentations 1 de
duced that 1t was a small one. Tiny
marks along both sides of the line o.
footprints indicated to me that the ami
NAL had very long ears, for they huns
so low as to brush the ground.
SIT was an easy matter, Oh mercifu
ones, to discover that the respectet
dog of our most mighty queen limpet
with one foot, if one may venture +
utter a remark SO disrespectful.
"As to the noble horse of the king O
kings" continued Zadig, II saw thu
footprints of steed, and I knew a
once that it was of purest blood, TO-
no other would have had hoofs 81
small and dainty. The imprints toll
me, also, as they would tell anyon'
who knows horses, that 1t had mag
nificent stride and that its gait was O
the best, befitting its birth,
"As I followed the trail, I reached |
path only seven feet wide, and nc
ticed that the dust had been sweep