Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-06-06
Copyright by ]. W. Muller
Gus Tale. and Legends Told in Brief Form
BY J. IN. MULLE r

after which he might address the
court.
Zadig sent for the gold and paid 1t
over with many a 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 Ormuzd 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 l observed the trail
left by a small animal in the sand.
Having trained myself TO study nature
infinitely, l knew at once that it was
the track of q dog and from the size
and depth of the indentations 1 de-
duced that it was small one. Tiny
marks along both sides of the line Of
footprints indicated to me that the ami
NAL had very long ears, for they hung
so low as to brush the ground.
at was an easy matter, Oh merciful
ones. to discover that the respected
dog of our most mighty queen limped
with one foot. If one may venture to
utter remark so diSrespectful.
''As to the noble horse of the king of
kings" continued Zadig, II saw the
footprints of steed. and / knew at
once that it was of purest blood, for
no other would have had hoofs so
small and dainty. The imprints told
me, also, as they would tell anyone
who knows horses, that it had mag
nificent stride and that its gait was of
the best, befitting It's birth.
"As followed the trail, l reached a
path only seven feet wide, and l no
ticed that the dust had been swept
from the palms on each side. judged
that this must have been done by the
animals tail and it was simple to cal
culate that the tail must be beautiful
one. fully four and Il half feet long.
II knew that it had shoes of silver"
said Zadig, "for l found the mark Of
silver on a stone that it had spurned
in it's flight. On rocky wall in mar
row ravine l found mark that told
me that the horse probably wore bits
of gold, for l saw where the animal
had happened close to a rock and
scratched it with Its bit.
"Thus," he concluded. bowling again,
"was l able, Oh wells of humanity, to
describe to the royal officers both the
dog and the horse, though most verify
never had seen either"
Everybody so admired Zadig's Won
derful gifts of observation and deduc-
ton that the queen ordered his fine to
be RENTED. This was done with great
ceremony. The actuaries, court attend
ants, law interpreters and councillors
brought the 400 ounces back into the
council chamber where it was deliv-
cred to Zadig after the court had de-
Quoted only 39S ounces for court costs.
Zadig thanked the court heartily for
it's generosity, but when he departed
he made the VOW that never again
would he tell anything that he knew.
A few weeks later Il fugitive from |
justice passed his house in flight. Ia
dig was standing at the window and
saw him, but when the pursuing Off
GERS inquired of him, he declared that |
he was ignorant of anything and
everything.
Unfortunately witness appeared
who had seen Zadig at the window,
the unlucky young man
was fined 500 ounces of gold with
that did credit to the celer-
ity of the justice in Babylon.
"Alas!" said Zadig Il know now
that it is impossible to evade destiny"