The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-07-14
The Wise Men of Gotham
(By Charles Il. Baker, Davall
School, Age 12)

put them to a great deal or trouble
to take care of the King and his
many servants. How could they
keep him away?
The men of Gotham met together
to see what could be done. After
much talk an old man who was
thought to be vely wise arose and
said:
"The best way to keep the King
away is to block the roads with
trees"
They all agreed to this. They
went to the woods with their axes
and soon all the roads leading to
Gotham were full of trees and
bushes.
They had hardly finished when
the King came riding along.
"Who cut down those trees?" he
asked of two boys who were going
to Gotham.
"The men of Gotham" answered
the boy.
go and tell the men Of Gotham
that shall send my sheriff to their
town and cut off their ears. That
will teach them how to treat their
King" With that he turned around
and rode back to London.
The boys ran to Gotham and told
the people what the King had said.
They were all very much frighten
ed for they knew that the King
meant what he said. What was to
be done. Again the men of Gotham
met together to talk the matter
over.
No one seemed to know what to
do. At last the old man who told
them to block up the road said:
LET me tell you something.
Many a man has been punished for
being wise but | never heard of one
being punished for being fool; so
when the Kings Sheriff comes, let
us all act like fools"
"Good, Good cried the others.
If we do that it will surely save
our ears"
The next morning the Kings
sheriff with a great many soldiers
came riding through the woods to-
ward Gotham.
Just before they reached the
town they saw queer sight. The
old men We're trying to shove a COW
upon the house Every time the
old men would give shove, a
crowd of young men would grunt.
What are you trying to do?"
asked the sheriff as he rode up.
There is vine growing ON top
of this house which we wish the
COW to have" replied one of the
old men.
why don't you pull the vine
down and give it to the cow" ask
ed the sheriff.
ooh, we never thought of that,
said the old man How very wise
you are"
The sheriff turned to the young
men and asked, well what are you
doing?"
"We do the granting while our
fathers do the work. they answer
| ed.
The sheriff and his men rode on
They soon met man with a heavy
door on his back.
why are you carrying that door
on your back?" asked the sheriff
Il am on my way to London and
| have left all my money at home,
| he answered.
Then why did you not leave the
door there, too?'
Il was afraid to do that someone
might break down the. door and
steal all my money"
ut would be better to leave the
door at home and carry your mon.
ey with you"
ooh, l never thought of that"
said the man. How very wise you
are"
The sheriff rode on and soon
saw a number of men form a ring
around a large bush.
We'll what are you doing?" ask
ed the sheriff as he rode up.
There is a cuckoo in that bush
and we wish to keep him there.
Don't you know that the cuckoo
can fly over you heads whenever
he gets ready?"
"Oh, we never thought of that.
How very wise you are"
Il believe all the men of Gotham
are fOOlS,' said they.