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8 THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1907. STORIES AND ANECDOTES OF INTEREST TO LITTLE MEN CONDUCTED BY PETER PAN. A JAPANESE LEGEND. Grace S. Zorbaugh. In St. Nicholas. If you had to guess this little boy's name you would naturally conclude from the story of his life that his name was Samuel, for his father and mother looked upon this only son of theirs as a gift from heaven In answer to prayer, and when he grew up he became a .priest and lived In a temple. That certainly does Bound like the story of Samuel. But the divinity whom this little boy's parents worshiped when they prayed (prostrating themselves on their foreheads before her carved Im age) was the Japanese goddess called the Thousand-Handed Kwannon (God dess of Mercy). And the name of the boy was Shodo Shonln. Shodo Shonln even In his tiniest boy hood, as the legend goes,-loved nothing better than to spend hours each day worshipping the gods, especially the Thousand-Handed Kwannon, whose sacred cave jn the mountains he chose for his retreat as soon os he was old enough to become a monk. One night In midwinter he dreamed that he was called on a pilgrimage to a certain distant and very high moun tain top where, for a sign, he would find a sword lying on the ground. The deep snow and pathless wilderness checked his advance when ho tried to seek this mountuln top; but he never forgot his dream, and some years later, after much prayer, he set out for the second time. After overcoming many hardships and tolling many days through the wilderness. Just as ho reached the foot of the mountain of his dreams, he found to his dismay that the way was barred by a broad torrent rushing over huge rocks between high, rocky banks. He prayed for help, and lo! on the op posite bank there suddenly appeared a divinity of wonderful appearance and site. The divinity dung two blue and green snakes across the river, and In stantly a long rainbow-arched bridge was seen to form Itself across the stream. The moment Shodo Shonln hnd safely crossed by It, however, the rainbow-arched bridge, blue and green snakes, and divinity all vanished ns mysteriously as they had appeared. Shodo Shonln found his mountain top (whether he found the sword as well, no one appears to know), and then he came down the mountain to a place close -to the scene of this mi raculous crossing, where he built shrines and temples to the various gods, and spent all the remainder of his long nnd saintly life. The place received the name of Nlk- ko (Mountuln of the Sun's Brightness), and from that time was a famous cen ter of worship for the whole Japanese nation, much as Mecca has been for the Mohammedans. Nearly a thousand years passed by, but the story of Shodo Shontn's mi raculous crossing was never forgotten, and when at last tha emperors of Ja pan chose Nlkko as the Imperial bury ing place, they commended that a rain bow-arched bridge should be built spanning the precious spot, so that they might cross by It on the occasion of their annual pilgrimage to worship at the tombs of their ancestors. As the Japanese believe their empe rors to be descended from the gods, they now began to revere this spot as sacred in a double sense, drat because, according to the legend. It was the scene of the wonderful experience of Shodo Shonln, and also because of the rainbow-arched bridge being kept sa cred to the use of a god—that Is, the emperor himself. Centuries passed, and ever more and more sacred to the use of the emperor alone remained the rainbow-arched bridge—so sacred that the common people, even If they had not been for bidden under pain of death to touch foot on It, would have been too fearful of the wrath of the gods to dream of doing so. LITTLE JOHNNY JUMPUP. In a little green boose at the foot of a Lives the sauciest little old fellow. IBs coot Is of porple, with trimmings of Ills la a itleatn of th* morning; And be bldco down there In bla little green house With n fronded fern for an awning. Deep down In the wood* the happy green wood* Where the shadows are dreamily mellow. And when you hate seen how he smiles and he bows. Prom the door of the little green dwell* Poo know right sway what the great secret I* That wee Johnny Jompup la telling; *TThe spring la abroad; the world Is awake. Old Joy will return with the morrow; The Illy and roue will blonom again On the grate of the last summer a aor- —Will Allen Dromgool* 71^0 5016 AND TWO GOATS Many years ago In the far South two little boys opened their bonny brown eyes In a plantation home which was shaded by branches of dork green bay trees and by the great out-spreading arms of century-old water oaks. In the sweet springtime the cher°kee hedges were abloom with white stars, which formed a fragrant floral "milky way" along the gray dusty road leading from the old plantation into the beautiful city, where the father of these two boys dally practiced his profession in the courts of the state. This noble father was counted the notable men of his day, but neither legal responsibilities nor poHttual advancement crowded ouj of his tender heart the love for nnd pride i n •>** family of boys and girls, all of whom eagerly awaited his return fr°n* the city in the soft gloaming of the Southern evening. But a great shadow came upon t ho lives of these children, when In the pride of his splendid manhood their father fell asleep in the picturesque rambling home, and the two handsom e hoys, with their mother and sisters, went Luo the city to live, leaving th® ot ,lte ln the limited environment of Cherokee roses, the broad green Held® ot cotton, the waving acres of corn and wheat, the song of mockingbird* and chlr P of crickots and kadydids of the plantation to catch a glimpse of life Inthe limited environment of a modem city lot. The boys did no 1 mind the change, for with the won drous adaptability of childhood thoT welcomed new Beenes and new ex periences. These little fellows carried thelr Pet goats with them, and soon they were the envied of all their play ma,e *. none of whom could boast of such a pair of One animals as these b"T* , had ; . . _ The goats were not matches, either In size temper or breed. One was Just a commonplace looking animal of black and white species, but he pulled the pretty dump cart with th$ air of a'veteran as Tils young master drove him along the sidewalk. Pron d an<1 happy was that brave little boy when there was any errand to porfor™-. J? 0W J t * 1 ® street would trot the goat, carrying the tiny dump cart w hll o the dear little boy held the reins and brandished the toy whip. Of cou rac : "Sancho,” the faithful pet dog. was always at his young master's heels, “da pretty picture they made In the years long gone In that old Southern town. But the other goat—for there we™ two—was an arrogant, self-opinion ated specimen of the animal klngdo m - brooking no restraint and making no friends among the children of th? neighborhood.# He was.a large hand some goat, with long white hair an" with a patriarchal beard. His big horhs had a very exasperating, defl 0 " 1 air..and he never submitted to the restraint of harness and reins. He ™ eimply an ornamental production, an aggregation of certain physical perfections. He regarded with lordly disdain his amiable companion. whlc a with humble servility the little dump cart, and contemptuously snl ffe d bis disgust at such proceedings. One fateful day the big white g oat decided that "green fields and pee- tures new” were necessary th his co m f?rt. “d prepared to Invade a neigh bor's premises, without further ado. , n , ut an old-fashloncd well stood In his pathway, like many another restr alnln B influence In the lives of boys end girls. So with a leap his goatsh'P prepared to clear the obstacle, when, lo! the noise of a falling bodv and of tumbling bricks called to the well the members of tho family. Down lnf,° ta e., da mp darkness of the gloomy disc peered curious, anxious eyes. an d faintly could be caught glimpses of hls majesty, the long-haired goat. w h <*« ]**• »“ a sacrifice to his, ambi tion nnd to hls resentment of control “d training. Hls little owner wept the soft, ■*•«* tears of childhood as the goat's lifeless body was drawn to the curb 1 "? of the well, and tender hands made a grave for him under a great rose bush, which riotously blossomed the whole summer long In that Souther™ garden. But the good little black and white goat, with the dump cart and hls brave young master, not forget ting faithful Sancho, continued to pursue the even tenor of their way, (Jolly reminded by the grave under the ro*e bush that Into the lives of boys and or goats there enter certain Immutable laws which must be obeyed or disaster will certainly come'to pass. , „ . . f*. It was a tragic lesson, but wholesome In Its teaching to those two lit tle buys. The black and white goat never said anything much about the matter, but he nnd Sancho evidently held many a solemn conference con cerning the untimely end of their companion. Their exemplary conduct continued. unafTectcd by the example of their arrogant associate, whose death was tho result of a craving for the contraband and the unattain able. PETER PAN. THE GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES. By E. R. Gaillard. Secretary of State Hay made com plaint to congress that the great seal then In use had become so worn that It no longer made a clear-cut Impres sion, and that body at once voted an appropriation of 81,250 for the purpose of having a new one cut. A document dated September It, 1782, empowering George Washington to negotiate an exchange ot prisoners with Great Britain, bears what Is be lieved to be the first Impression made with the great seal upon an official paper. The seal was used upon congres sional documents until the office of secretary of state was created—Sep tember 15, 1789—when It was given Into the custody of the Incumbent of that office with authority to use IL The first seal was used until 1841, when Daniel Webster, then secretary of sfate, complained that the Impres sions were no longer distinct, and a new one was secured. During Secretary Frelinghuysen's term of office—1881 to 1885—a third seal was cut, and this Is now to be re placed by a new one. The seal has remained practically unchanged since Its adaption, save for a slight change In the form of the glory above the eagle, though for some unknown reason the seal cut during Daniel Webster's term had but six ar rows held In the eagle's talon. Instead of thirteen, as In the device adopted. Some idea of the wonderful Increase In the business done by the govern ment may be obtained from the tact that the third seal has lasted only one- thlrd as long os the first one, and the difference becomes more marked when It is remembered that during the time the first one was In use It was affixed to all civil commissions of officers of the United 8tates, while of late years Its use has been confined to the com missions of cabinet officers, diplomatic and consular officers, ceremonious doc uments between the president and for eign governments, and others of first Importance, the seals of the .various departments being used an papers of less moment. WAS NOT AN EASY TASK. A new military prison chaplain was recently appointed In a certain town In Scotland. He was a man who greatly magnified hls office. And entering one of the cells on hls first round of In spection, he, with much pomposity, thus addressed the prisoner who occupied It: "Well, sir, do you know who I am?" "No, nor I dlnna care," was the non chalant reply. "Weel, I’m your new chaplain.” "Oh, ye are. ■ Well, I hae heard -o' ye before. ®And what did you hear?" returned the chaplain, hls curiosity getting tho better of hls dignity. "Well, I heard that the last twa kirks ye were In ye preached them bolth empty, but Til be hanged If ye find It such an easy matter to do the same- wl' this one." . ^ FOUR INTERESTING BOOKS. Continued from Page Six. vld goes over the mountains to find and kill Ryerson. Mary had been kind to an old half- erased woman on the mountains, whose daughter hod died for love of David's father, Aldcrson Cree. When Alderson had been shot, and after David had sought for help, also after he had given hls promise of vengeance to hls father, this old half-crazed woman comes passing by. Aldcrson Creo hears some one, but unable to turn around to see, begs whoever It may be to tell David not to hold lo bis promise, that Aider- son never should have asked for such a promise from David and that he re leased him, nnd demanded that hls death be left unavenged save by the law. David returns, hls father dies In attempting to explain all this release of promise to him. All of these years this old woman has kept silent owing to her hate of the Cree family. When David goes out for hls hunt for Ryerson the old crazy woman on her death bed sends for Ma ry and tells of Aldcrson’s dying mes- sage to David, the holding cf which by the old woman for so many years had caused so much sorrow. Mary starts out to find Davhl, and does so; even before being told ot bis father's A WONDERFUL HORSE. A horse that can spell, read, add, sub tract, multiply and distinguish colors among Its many accomplishments de serves to be credited with os much In telligence as an ordinary human being. Such a horse King Pharaoh Is de clared to be. called by those who have seen him the most marvelous horse In the world. . .. Those who have never ■ seen the' horse perform should not accredit the act of achievement to the trainer rather than to the horse, os being the con troller of an Intelligence both rare and supreme. The semblance of human Intelligence In the performance of special feats by some educated horses Is due altogether to the skill of the trainer In making the animal understand by signs that It Is to execute certain acts taught it, but this Is the first Instance on record that a horse has qualified to be taught by rea soning. and King Pharaoh has demon strated abundantly to competent au thorities that the acme of "horse sense” has been reached. In hls case at . any rate. * King Pharaoh can perform with any body In tho absence of hls trainer. He seems to understand every word spoken to him, because he executes Immediate ly what he has been told to do. King Pharaoh Is owned by Dr. D.TJ. Boyd, a veterinary surgeon, of Colum bia, S. C., where the horse Is at present, Dr. Boyd bought the horse when It was a year old, and for the last four years and a half he has had it In training. King Pharaoh Is a beautiful specimen of the horse, and stands 14 hands nnd weighs 820 pounds. Ho is from an In dian pony sired by an Arabian stallion. Hls white coat Is prettily marked with spots of yellow and black, a slight tinge of blue encircling tho yellow marks. One eye Is blue and the other black. The mune Is long, and Is streaked with the same colors that mark the body. In public 'exhibitions Dr. Boyd has Invited strangers to step Into the ring and write mathematical problems In six figures on a blackboard, nnd the horse has furnished the solution with out any sign or cue from Its trainer. It will pick out any designated flag from a lot of colored flags when asked to do so. The horse has no trouble In pick ing out a dltno or a quarter or a half- dollar piece from a pile of silver coins, and can spell. Its own name or that of any person In the audience, provided the name Is a short one, which It has been taught, demonstrating perfectly that the horse understands whut It Is asked to do by-the sounds of the words spoken. King Pharaoh has been-put to every known test to prove hls understanding. Dr. Boyd declares that the difference between hls horse nnd other educated horsee Is that King Pharaoh docs not work by sign or cue. but really reads, uses hls brain In working out the math ematical questions, spells and under stands when spoken to. Atlanta, Go., May 4. Dear Peter Pan:—I dm so glad Tho Georgian has children’s pages every Saturday. I hope you like boys who play ball, fly kites, skato and play marbles when they are In fashion. X am busy at school now, but vacation will soon be here, nnd I surely will bo glad of It. School Is all right and I’ve got nice teachers. If they are ladles, but any boy worth talking about gets mighty tired of hot school rooms when May comes. I went with my school to see The Georglun a few weeks ago. It’s a big paper, and I almost got mixed up In the machinery, watching all those things In that large room up stairs, where the printers look like they are playing on pianos. It Is getting too hot to skate on the sidewalk now, but IPs never too warm to play ball, and our team Is doing mighty good work. I am glad they have found that Marvin boy at last, even If tho poor little fel low was dead. Goodby. Your little friend, O. S. R. dying message, for love of Mary he promises to stop hls pursuit of Ryer son. However, on tho way back over the mountains Ryerson comes upon them. Promises seem nothing now and they fight like’ beasts. After struggling and David has physically conquered Ryerson, he commands the latter to stand and face him. Pointing a re volver at Ryerson. David tells him that he Is now going to kill him. But craven fright does the work and Ryerson dies from fear In hls heart. Tho whojp book Is Bplendld. The de- scriptlons of the mountains, the char acter drawing, tho family life and In fact everything about the whole book Is exceptionally good In every particu lar. It Is enjoyable from beginning to end and the book points a great, un deniable moral, that whatever we sow, that shall we reap. The book also re minds us that upon the children, even unto the fourth generation, shall fall the sins of the fathers. It is a genuine delight to find a book so good as s:The Sowing of Alderson Cree."