' f ,
24
THE StTHDAY ORE&ONIAtt, -PORTLAND", SEPTEMBER f30, 1900.
s m i. Ml
j I sound. When Blake returned Johnny tola I hand-car flown the track, the men i rJ) A AlMlMr THE rmVITIWCKll
VL i him about it but Blake only laughed at slipped, by a roundabout way, into the 7f 11 VI f I r I J I I I r I
Tfie Runaway Donkey
)on Quixote jesterdoy
Broke Mb rope and ran away
From the pleasant fecdlng-places,
From the old familiar faces.
I can In imagination
Hear his brazen -cachlnnatlcm
When lie finds he's free to wander
Either. tblthr, over yonder.
Or, unutterably lazy.
Lie mld "buttercup and daisy.
Harness nono to fret and bind him
And 210 -ftaronotte behind him.
But ere lone did conscience prick him.
Or tbo naurhty nettles stick him,
Or by darkness overtaken
Felt he friendless and forsaken?
For ho came at evening, -weary,
"Worn, bedraggled, dirty, dreary.
Trailing broken rope behind him,
Back to us who'd failed to find him,
And today domurefy paces
The familiar feedlnc-placcs.
"When 'tis no Imaclnatlon
Hark I his brazen cachlnnatlon.
In the simple little story
Find, I pray, an allegory.
Fullerton i. Waldo In Christian Register.
JOHNNYTAPPED THE WIRE
Train Robber Foiled by a Clever
Station Ascent and an Equally
Dexterous Small Boy.
"Got any work here for a boy to do,
blister?"
This question was timidly addressed, by
a little, ragged urchin of about 10 years,
to Edward Blake, the agent and tele
graph operator on a Western railway. It
was a little, out-of-the-way .station,
where there were but two or three
houses, these being chiefly ocupied by sec
tion hands, and where the prospect was
dreary, indeed. A desolate prairie
stretched out on all sides as far as the
eye could reach, and not a tree broke the
dismal sameness.
Blake glanced up quickly, at the sound
of little Johnny Austin's voice. He saw
that the lad had a bright, frank face,
and would probably be good company.
The lonesomeness of the place, more than
anything else, induced him to consider the
youngster's question.
Well, come around early tomorrow
morning, and I'll see what I can do, my
boy!" he said.
Very well, Fir; I'll be on time," an
swered Johnny, with a happy smile. Then
he darted out the door and down the
track, half a mile, to a wretched, lit
tle, weather-beaten shack; Bursting in
to the front room, he breathlessly told
his mother, a sad-faced, dlscouragea
woman, what Sir. Blake had said.
"Oh, Urn so glad, Johnny; we need the
money so badly," she answered. And
one had only to look at the room to real
ize the truth of her words. It was bare
of aught save the necessaries of life, and
looked cheerless and barren, like the
surrounding country.
Together the two sat down to a frugal
supper of potatoes and salt, Johnny chat
tering gaily all the while. His mother
watched him, with a happier face than
she had worn for many a day.
In Desperate Straits.
Mrs. Austin had accompanied her hus
band out "West, where he had come in a
vain search for health. The change
brought no improvement, and he soon
died, leaving his wife and son, stranded
'and penniless, at the little frontier sta
tion. Starvation stared them in the face,
and Mrs. Austin was beginning to despair
of ever leaving the forsaken place, when
Johnny brought home his welcome news.
Kext morning Johnny rose with the
sun and, at 7 o'clock, was at the depot.
Blake, after some talk with the lad, put
him at work. He was to keep everything
in good order and aid in the handling of
the produce that was hauled there, as it
waB the shipping point of a farming sec
tion, some distance away. For his work
he was promised three dollars -a week.
In spite of his ragged appearance, John
ny wps an attractive lad and performed
his duties so faithfully that he soon be
came a favorite. The trainmen all had
a kind word for him, as they passed the
station. He wfs ambitious to learn "tel
egraphy, and when his work was done
he would sit in the little office and watch
Blake, as he received and sent messages.
He applied himself diligently and soon
mastored the telegraphic code. When he
had been employed a year he was suffi
ciently proficient to be left occasionally
in charge of the office. From the m?n
who repaired the wires he had also
learned how to cut in with an instrument
And establish a telegraphic station any
where along the line.
Blake took great Interest In Johnny and
sllowed him to put up a wire between
his home and the office, o that he could
practice telegraphy, when he Was not
otherwise employed. At times, when there
was no business on the regular line,
Blake would cut in on Johnny's line and
converse with him.
Train Robberies Frequent.
AJbout this time train robberies were of
freauent occurrence, and the trainmen
had been warned to he on their guard.
There was a station of some Importance,
called Rldgeway. 17 miles down the track
from Ohanna, where Johnny was em
ployed, and the two points mentioned
were the only stopping places for trains
for many miles along the railway.
One night Blake left Johnny in charge
of the office. The hoy was "busy at the
key, when an ugly face appeared at the
window. Its owner looked steadily at the
young operator for a few moments and
then moved away, without making a
sound. When Blake returned Johnny told
him about it, but Blake only laughed at
the story and said it was probably a
hungry tramp.
A few evenings later Blake was send
ing and receiving some important mes
sages over the line. Presently eame the
muffled tread of feet on the platform of
the station, but the operator was so pre
occupied that he paid no attention to it.
Slowly the office door opened, and, the
next second, he was looking into the
muzzle of a pistol, while a masked man
ordered him to throw up his hands. The
presence of five other rough-appearing,
masked men in the doorway, made tho
demand more emphatic, and Blake lost
no time in complying with it
"We'll soon make him no better'n a
dead man. If he gives any trouble." said
the robber with the pistol. "Come in,
pardners, and help tie him iipl"
The men in the doorway immediately
came forward and, in a twinkling, they
had Blake tied to his chair, so that he
could scarcely move.
"Now, then, young feller, we propose
to hold up the 11 P. M- pay train, out here
on the switch, and if you git lose, we'll
kill you, sure!" remarked the man who
appeared to he the leader of the gang
and who had first entered the room.
Blake Does Some Thinking.
Blake thought of the train which car
ried the pay officials of the road, as well
as a large sum of money for the men in
the employ of tho company. It had not
yet passed Rldgeway, and, without reply
ing to the man's remarks, the operator
began planning some means of prevent
ing the proposed robbery.
Suddenly he thought of Johnny. If ho
would only et word to him, the thing
could be done. Messages were constant
ly passing over the line, and soon the
little instrument conheoted with the wire
to Johnny's house began calling. It had
escaped the notice of the men, and Blake
was within reach of It. He asked if he
could not fest his right arm on tho table,
and the request was granted. The smal
ler Instrument was quite a distance from
the main one, which was ticking so nois
ily that the robbers did not hear tho
fainter sounds.
Carelessly lajlnjg his arm on the table,
Blake managed to reach the keys, with
out attracting the attention of the des
peradoes, who were talking In low tones.
Slowly and apparently without moving his
arm, he ticked off a message ta Johnny
about the plan to rob the pay train. Then
he told him to take his implements and
go down tho. track a mile. There he
was to cut in on the line and send a
message to Rldgeway, to Inform them of
the situation. Blake then explained that
the robbers Intended to sidetrack the
train on the switch near Ohanna and
hold it up there. Forcing the operator
to give up the key, they had already
turned the switch, so that the approach
ing train would run onto It.
There was no time to lose, and Johnny,
taking the telegraph instrument at his
home, a pair of pliers and some wire,
hurried down the track, in the direction
of Ridge ay. It was a very dark night,
and once he almost stumbled on the rob
bers who were stationed on, the track,
watching for the train. Ho managed to
avoid them, and felt his way over a high
trestle. With but a few minutes In Which
to stop .the train, he climbed the tele
graph pole, just across the trestle, and
set to work cutting In on the main line.
He dropped a ground wire and, attach
ing his Instrument, railed the operator
"at Rldgeway, several times.
"What's Up?'
At first there was no answer, and he
was beginning to fear that he should be
too late, when there came faintly over
the line, "What's up?"
"Robbers have "planned to hold up the
11 P. M. pay train on the switch at
Ohanna. Warn train 1" replied Johnny.
This brought an excited message from
Rldgeway, and Johnny hurriedly ex
plained more in detail. The train was
then approaching Rldgeway, and the
operator there left his Instrument and
hurried out with a red lantern. He swung
the lantern back and forth, and then
stepped off the track, as the train, dashed
by at a rapid rate.
As it passed, he flung the lantern into
the open cab window of the engine, and,
presently, the train slowed down and
stopped. An, excited crowd of men poured
out, and in a few words, the situation
was explained to them.
The superintendent, Colonel M . was
sleeping, but the conductor aroused him
and told him of tho proposed robbery.
KILLED
Mrs. Rabbit Did that
Mr. Rabbit No; killed
He acted with promptness, and im
mediately started forward with a hand
car and half a dozen well-armed and
determined men. The train remained at
Rldgeway a short time, and then fol
lowed the hand-car. It was the super
intendent's plan to go within a short dis
tance of the switch and take" the train
robbers by surprise.
The plan worked well. Leaving tho
hand-car down the track, the men
slipped, by a roundabout w&y into the
station house, seized the man who had
been left there on guard, and released
the operator. Then they went back down
the track and captured three of the men
who were watchin'g the approaching train.
In the meantime, the remaining two
men, who were at the switch, had seen
them, and made good their escape. Then,
the train slowly approached the station
and stopped.
Johnny Has a Mishap.
But what had become of Johnny? The
brave lad "who had been the means of
preventing the hbldup had started down
tho pole, after sending the message, but
had missed his footing and fallen to the
ground. In the fall his thigh was brok-
THE LITTLE
Beyond the Blue Mountains, in sunny "Wallowa,
Dwells a small rancher, gay, happy and tree,
And sweetest and fairest of all pretty maidens
Is that fair, little gay rancher to me. '
Merrily riding hor trim, fleet-footed "pony . i
Over the hilltops and wide, rolling plains,
With never a wish for. the life of the city,
Its smoke ahd its frequent downpduring rains.
"What care I for parties and for afternoon teas?
I love a gay tilt with rollicking breeze
And a glorious gallop wherever I please 1"
Bays that small rancher, whose smiled never cease.
en, and he received a serious injury on
the hack of his head. When the excite
ment was over 'at the station, Blake sud
denly remembered him and, taking, a
lantern, he and two trainmen started
down the track. There, at the foot of
the pole, they found the apparently life
less form of the lad. He lay so close
to the track that the train must have
touched him in passing.
Tenderly they picked him up and car
ried him back to tfie station, where the
news of his behavior spread among the
trainmen. The superintendent came for
ward and ordered him to be taken on the
train, with is mother, to a hospital 'in a
large city, where he could receive proper
attention. There was a physician on tho
rrain, and he cared for Johnny, with tho
help of Mrs. Austin, until the hospital
was reached. Here he lay for weeks
between life and death, with his mother
watching constantly by his bedside. In
his delirium he would recall his efforts
to send the message. ' ,
When at last Johnny had recovered, the
superintendent came to the hospital. He
saw the making of a man In the plucky
HIS DOG.
dudlsh hunter hit you?
hi3 aog!
little fellow, and made arangements ' by
which the lad received a good education.
The confidence of the superintendent
was not misplaced. A few years ago the
press of the country recorded the business
retirement of John Austin, after a long
term of successful service as manager of
the affairs of a great railway corpora
tion. It was our Johnny.
ALICE M. WELLS.
Scenes and Incidents- of a JonrncV
by Hall From Portland to t&e
Country's Metropolis.
NEW YORK, Sept 24. Dear dirts and
B6ys of Oregon: Not all of you have
been fortunate enough to make the trip
across the1 continent from Portland to
New York, and those who have done so
may be interested in reviewing your own
journey with me
We departed from Portland on the fa
RANCHER.
k-i i
K- ?.
mous "North Coast Limited," and after
traveling for about an hour, left Ore
gon and crossed to the Washington shore
of the Columbia, by railway ferry be
tween Goble and Kalama. 1 had an idea
that tho ferryboat was long enough for
the whole" train to' be put on it, full
length, but this is not the cage. There
are three or four tracks, and the train la
divided Into different sections 'and taken
over on the several tracks. We all know
what the sensation is of traveling by
rail, also that of being on the water,
but the combination of being Inside of
a car which Is being ferried across a
big river gives one a feeling not easy to
describe.
All of that first afternoon we traveled
through a vast grain district. You can
scarcely realize th'e extent of it, except
by riding, as we did, for hours and hours
on a railway train, without ever losing
sight of wheat-covered land. It was dark
before we fully entered the hop'-growlng
region, but we obtained a view of the
hbpllolds which mean so much to the
northwestern j)ar$, of our country.
Then we came to immense forests of
pine and .fir, the. Importance of which
passes without proper notice untllone
sees the many saw mills and observes
the great amount of lumber that they an)
turning out. The growing timber was
on fire at various paints ns we passed
through the forests, the fires here and
there being high- above us on the hill1?,
where they were burning away magnifi
cent trees that had stood for centuries.
Perhaps nothing-.ls so imposing and yet
so depressing as a forest fire, with Its
smoll of burning pine and the sound of
crackling wood and grasses.
In tho Hill Country.
As the" distance between us and home
lengthened the wheat fields and forests
gradually changed Into a land of hills,
barren of any vegetation, save moth
eaten patches pf- sagebrush. These hills
became more ahd more numerouu, until
we found ourselves in the midst of the
Rockies.
But L must go back and' describe to
you a sunrise which I saw. I awoke
very early, and on looking out of my
window, I saw the tops of the hills en
veloped In a fog, above which were heavy
black ciouds. The stillness of tlTe scene
was Intense. There was no iife, nothing
human. All nature was veiled In semi
darkness. Suddenly, through the clouds, broke a
streak of golden light, dropping amber
rays upon the hill3 below. Gradually tho
Btreak broadened, the gold turning to
pink, and "the pink to red, and the red
to -purple, until the hills, as far as the
eye could reach, were bathed" In a sea
of amethyst light, with the misty fog
rising above it.
Unfortunately, we crossed the Rockies
at night, go we missed seeing their rug
ged beauties We passed through a tun
nel which lacks Just 65 feet of being two
miles long, and on the afternoon of the
second day we arrived at a small village
called Hope, where we changed from Pa
cific to Mountain time.
On the third day we were in Montana,
and again the scenery changed. We were
still among the hills, but they were cov
ered with grasses which serve as food
for the many thousands of cattle, horses
and sheep that graze on the ranges. For
a gret part -of the day we sped along the
banks" of the Yellowstone RIVer, a beau
tiful and turbblent Stream, too shallow
and too full of rapids to be navigable.
Sometimes we had the river on one side
of us, and great high bluffs on the other;
then again we climbed to the tops of the
bluffs and -looked down upon the river, as
It rushed madly through the deep, dark
gorge.
We soon left the hills and bluffs and
entered the tablelands of Montana. It
was" here that we met with an interest
tng and rather exciting experience.
Railway "Wreck.
There had been a cloudburst and a
thunderstorm In that part of the country
on the previous day, and the ground
under the tracks had washed away. A
freight train tho first to cfoss at night
was completely demolished, the fireman
killed and three or four men Injured. A
new track had ta be built around the
wreck, and our train was to make the
experiment of crossing behind tho "Twin
City Express," which had left Portland
earlier than the '"Limited.'
As wo crept across the danger mark.
wo had a splendid opportunity to view
tho-wreck, as well as to observe the be
havior of a new traok over a plain that
had been turned into a swamp. As the
heavy engine and cars passed on, we
oould hear the water oozing out under
the ties, and there was great danger of
the tracks spreading. However, we
crossed safely, after a delay of about
four hours.
Rut th'e wrecked train! It consisted of
two large engines and about 10 or li cars,
two of which were cattle cars, but which,
fortunately, had .been empty at Che time
of the accident. It seems impossible,
when you look at a locomotive, that It
can be battered so much as to bo unrec
ognisable, hut that was the case with
these two. They were lying in the mud,
over on one side, the cowcatchers torn
and bent, the smokestack and boilers
dented and rusted. Some of tho cars
were splintered Into fine kindling-wood,
and their cdn tents scattered: some were
turned Upside down, so that the smashed
wheels and trucks were exposed to View,
and ' bent, the smokestacks" dented and
rusted. Some of the cars were splintered
into fine kindling-wood, and their con
tents soattered; some were turned upside
down, so that the smashed wheels and
trucks were exposed to view.
One car was piled up on top of another,
tho sides broken in and covered with a
thick, slimy mud. The tracks were
twisted and broken, and, lying around,
woro ties that had been washed from the
trackbed. Altogether It Was a scene of
such desolation and destruction as ono
seldom sees,
In North Dakota, there Id a stretch of
plain, named the "Bod Lands." It is a
rocky desert, the rocks of which are
shaped most fantastically. One, called
"Bad-Land Charley,'' looks precisely like
Rh Tndian.'
The next day, we entered1 a part of the
country that looked much like' Oregon,
with Its hills, little streams, large farms,
green trees and t small villages, nestled
among the hills." As wo approached St.
Paul, the1 lumbering' Interests were notice
able, there being several large towns,
containing many lumber mills.' Wfe ar
rived In Minneapolis at about 4 o'clock
P. M., and had a very pleasant ride
through that city and St. Paul. After
the monotony of 'the Journey, the noise
and excitement of a lorye city were weU
coitutt.
But I must tell you in another letter
about St. Paul and other places that I
saw, and also of my arrival in New
York. MARION B. BAUER.
COLORADAN RAILWAY OAT.
Taken Dally Ride In the Engine Cnh
"With Its Blaster.
Thousands of people have heard of rail
way dogs wlilch travel so extensively and
really seem to know as much about trains
and timetables as 6, trainman does. But
there Is a cat In Colorado which Is certain
ly as remarkable In" its fondness for rail
way riding.
It was a pet of the wife of the engi
neer of a freight train, and now it accom
panies the engineer on every trip that ho
makes. When the train has to make a
long wait, the cat goes oft In searoh of
mice, always returning when tho Whistle
sounds, and at 'some of the stations it is
quite a pet When the engine IS running
the cat sits in the cab or on the coal, and,
as lis fur" is jet black its beauty is
not greatly impaired by its grimy sur
roundings. Pussy must havo traveled
many thousands of miles, for she has been
doing tluty for several years and has never
been known to miss a trip.
That cats core less for persons than
THE COUNTY FAIR.
for places and their environment would
seem to be shown by a happening of last
year, In which the subject of this sketch
was Introduced.
Tho engineer was badly hurt in a col
lision and was laid up for three months.
Instead of the cat following him, as a dog
would doubtless have done, she stayed
about the sheds until the engine was re
paired, and then she resumed her rides
with the substitute engineer.
Ant Invent a. WoRon.
"There are a good many ants of differ
ent varieties on tho lot at my country
place, near Covington, and last year 1
began to make a systematic study of
their habits," says a contributor to the
New Orleans Times-Democrat. "Near
ono of my flower-beds is a colony of small
red ants that are extremely Industrious
In collecting food, and they frequently
perform the most astonishing engineering
feat3 In transporting heavy burdens to
their home.
"Not long ago I watched a party of
about a dozen, who had found the body
of a small spider and were dragging it
toward the nest. The spider had Jialry
legs, which stuck out in every direction
and caught On obstaoles, greatly retard
ing progress. For several minutes the
ants tolled away with their awkward
booty, and then stopped and seemed to
hold a counoll. A minute fragment of
dry leaf was lying on the ground, and
presently they all laid hold and pulled the
spider on top of it. Then they seized
the edges and slid it along without diffi
culty. Animated Oats.
Got a head of wild oats and lay it on
the table over night, "first moistening the
oats. Next morning you will discover
that the head of oats lias crawled off the
table, and, likely enough has made tracks
for the oujside door. This peculiar gift
of traveling lies In the spikes that ex
tend from the coverings of tho grains.
As the moisture soaks Into the head of
oats It swells, and the spikes change
position in such a way as to set the head
to tumbling over and over, sldewise.
The larger and coarser varieties of wild
oats have this power of locomotion de
veloped to a remarkable degree, and
even domestic oats will develop It if al
lowed by neglect to degenerate. Go
down into the fence corners of the oat
field and see if you cannot find a long
and well-bearded head of "tame" oats
that has been allowed to grow wild. Then
take it home and try tho experiment.
Funny Abbreviations.
Concerning states: What is the most re
ligious state? Mass.
The most egotistical? Me.
Not a state for the untidy? Wa3h.
The most Asiatic? Ala. or Ind.
The father of states? Pa.
Tho most maidenly? Miss.
The most useful In haying time? Mo.
Best In time of flood? Ark.
Decimal state? Tenn.
State of astonishment? La.
State of exclamation? O.
State to cure the sick? Md.
The most unhealthy? 111.
Best state for students? Conn.
State where there is no such word as
fall? Kan. New York Mall and Express.
Beheading'.
1. A word meaning a plec of furniture,
behead and get a word meaning can.
2. A word meaning Autumn, behead
and get a word meaning everything.
3. A- word meaning at no time, behead
and get a word meaning always.
4. A word meaning to blossom, behead
and get a word meaning to let down.
5. A word meaning flesh, behead and
get a word meaning to take nourishment.
How a Butterfly Sleep.
The butterfly invariably goes to sleep
head downward. It folds and contracts Its
wings to tho utmost. The effect is to re-
duce its size and shape to a narrow ridge,
hardly distinguishable In shape and color
from the seed-heads o nthonsands of other
stems around. The butterfly also sleeps
on the top of the stem.
In the morning, when the sunbeams
warm them, all these gray-pled sleepers on
the grass tops open their wings, and the
colorless benhets are starred with a thou
sand living ofiwers of purest azure.
Fy (7
Back Again to School.
Rack ajraln to school, dears.
Vacation dnys are done;
You've had your share ot frolic.
And lots of play and fun.
You'vo fished In many a brook, dears.
And climbed up many a hill:
Now back acaln to school, dears,
To Btudy with a will.
We all can work the better
For having" holiday
For playing ball and tennis.
And ridlns: on tho hay.
The sreat old book of Naturo
Prepares us plain to soo
How very well worth learning
All othor books may bo.
So back H2ain to school, dears.
Vacation time Is done;
You've had & merry recess,
"With lota and lots of fun.
You've been like colts In pasture.
Unused to bit and rein;
Now steady, ready, children.
It's time ta march and train.
-Margaret E. Sangster. in Brooklyn. Englo.
LOVING TINY BUTTERCUPS
Riven by the Kins' of the Blast, tho
Once Stately Pine Finds Balm
In Her Proffered Aid.
A tiny yellow Buttercup dwelt in tho
dept of the forest, near a little brook
that danced his way through the wood.
A tall, straight Pine Tree stood beside
her. The Winds often whispered to the
Pine Tree all the stories which they heard
In far-away lands and in their travels
over the sea, and the Pine Tree listened
and exclaimed at tho wondera of which
tho Winds told.
Sometimes the Little Buttercup would
timidly ask the Pine Tree to tell her some
of tho tales he heard, but tha Pine Tree
would only laugh and say: "You are so
little, you could not understand.' Or",
again, when he felt very cross: "Suppose
I did tell you? You would still be only a
little yellow Buttercup." And the But
tercup would sigh and say no more.
"Nevdr mind." said a Vine, upon hear
ing the Pine Tree one time; "he Is cross
and disagreeable and he has no friends.
Who could like the Pine Tree? Now the
Oak Tree is kind and good," said the
Vine, twining her soft arms about th
sturdy form of the Oak, "but who would
over think of clinging to the Pine Tree?"
"But I bellee his heart is kind." said
the Buttercup.
The Brook was frolicsome and Joyoua
and all the flowers nodded to him gaily
as he went on his way, laughing, but the
Brook would hush his voice to a gentle
murmur when he passed the Buttercup,
and sometimes ho would whisper:
"Wooed by the Brook.
"Bend your head, dear little Buttercup,
and let me kiss you. Stoop low and lean
upon my breast and I will bear you with
mo far away to the great river Which
will carry us to tho ocean. We will pass
pretty towns and busy cities, and we will
soe curious and wonderful sights as wo
drift along together, seeing: the world,
you and I. Finally, when we reach thj
Ocean, think what Joy it will be to sweep,
for out where the great ships ricto and
hear tho story of the Sea Gulls. Will
you come, sweet Buttercup?"
But the Buttercup was always looking
at the Pine Treo and never hoard thu
Brook.
One day the East Wind came by. Ho
seemed In a great hurry, but ho stopped
and spoke to the Pine Tree.
"What did he say?" asked tho But
tercup. "Do not be so Inquisitive," said the Pine
Tree.
But the Oak had heard the East Wind
and he told the Vine, who told the But
tercup what was said.
''The Klnc of the Blast Is coming and
many In the forest will perish." said tho
Vine, trembling and twining her arm
more olosely about the Oak.
"Listen!" sold the Buttercup. Par away
there was a sound as of the rushing of
mighty waters. As It came nearer all tho
trees of the forest bowed low and the
flowers shook and the birds ceased sing
lntr, for the King of the Blast, rode In
his chariot.
Robed in Black Cloud.
His robe was made of a black cloud
which floated about him. and he wore a
deep white collar and cap of snow. In
each hand he carried thunderbolts and
from his eyes flashed the lightning. Ho
hurled his thunderbolts right and left and
the forest resounded when ho blew the
trumpet, which he carried at his side.
Tho animals crouched before him In fear
and the trees bent lower and lower to do
him honor.
"Oho!" said tho Pine Tree. "I shall
not bow to you."
The King of the Blast heard and waa
angry.
He struck the tree a great blow and
It was riven from top to bottom.
After tho King of the Blast had passed
and the thunder of his chariot wheels had
died away, the Buttercup heard a deep
groan. She looked up. It was tho Pino
Tree.
"Alas! I cannot see and my strength
is gone," moaned the Pine.
"Let me be your eyes," said the Butter
cup. "I see and hear a great deal where
I am."
The Pine Tree wae silent for a long tlmo
and when he spoke the Buttercup heard
a note that had never been In his voice
before. He was more gentle and tender.
"I have been more blind in tho post
than T am in the present," he said.
"Dear little Buttercup, you are like a
bit ot yellow sunshine here In the forest
and I will learn from you the lesson of
cheerfulness that, although I failed in
my youth, I rnviy be a comfort to thos
about me In my age." Denver Times.