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Enterod according to Act of Congress, in June, 1867, by J. W. Burke k Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia.
Vol. I.
THE COUNCIL OF FIVE.
A STORY FOR BOYS.
Na beautiful meadow
O lying between the houses
■ : Wm of farmers Appleblo and
Quinceton, w r as a Donkey
o r Mi & feeding and sometimes as
he bent down his head to
We bite off the tender grass,
i gr* lie would groan as if in
distress. An old friend of
his, Tray by name, was running
just outside of the wall, and hear
ing the donkey groan, jumped
over and accosted him :
“Good day, friend, you seem
to be in pain ; what is the mat
ter?”
“Indeed I am in pain,” replied
the Donkey, “and have to thank
master Dick Quinceton and Har
ry A ppleblo for all that I groan
for. If the boys would onty treat
me kindly [I should like them
very mueh. I am al ways willing
to give them a ride when they do
not abuse me, but unkindness
rouses a feeling of obstinacy in me, and
makes me feel as though I did not want
to stir a step. After this, when they
want to ride I believe I will just stand
still. Yesterday they pelted me with
stones, kicked against my side, and whip
ped me over the back and neck till I am
so lame I can scarcely move at all.”
“It is too bad,” said Tray, “ but you
are not the only one they have abused.
They coaxed me to play with them one
afternoon, and as I like boys, good boys
at least, I thought I would do so. At
first they treated me kindly, but after a
while they harnessed me to a little wag
on, and as I knew nothing about drawing
it, and could not understand which way
they wanted me to go, they got angry,
and beat me with their littlo whips, and
MACON, G-A., ATTG-UST 10, 1867.
finally, tying an old tin kettle to my tail,
drove me from the yard. As soon as I
got out I tried to get rid of the kettle,
but could not for some, time, and felt
dreadfully ashamed when I met several
of my old friends, who seemed to think
me in great disgrace, and rather avoided
me. Like yourself, when the boys abused
me my worst feelings were aroused, and
I must say that I did think of biting them
just a little, to warn them. I am afraid
I should do so another time, though I
have a kind disposition naturally, and am
very fond of being patted on the head,
and kindly treated, especially by chil
dren.”
Just as the conversation of these two
friends had reached this point, a splash
ing was heard in the little brook which
ran along near where they were stand
ing. Turning to look, they saw Miss
Emerald Green (a frog) jumping and
striving very hard to reach a tuft of grass
on the bank. The Donkey stepped for
ward, saying:
“ Really, Miss Emerald Green, I wish
that I could assist you, but I am afraid I
should be more trouble than help. If
you will just cling to that stout bunch of
reeds above you, I think you will be able
to get up.”
After considerable hopping and strug
gling, Miss Emerald Green gained the
bank, and sat puffing and panting some
time before she could speak, and then be-
gan to make a sort of apology for
her awkwardness, saying she was
not always so helpless, but that
she had been badly injured, at the
same time spreading out one of
her feet, which was cut and very
much bruised.
“Oh ! how did it happen?” said
the Donkey and the Dog in one
breath.
“I was sitting sunning myself
on that round stone you see there
in the middle of the brook, when
masters Dick and Harry came
stealing along. I knew that they
saw mo, but thought I could easi
ly get out of their way, so I let
them come quite near, not seeing
the big stone which master Dick
carried behind him, and which,
quick as a flash, he threw down at me.
It caught my hind foot, and hurt it as
you see, and I have suffered, oh ! so much.
At first the pain threw me into a cold
perspiration, and I felt very sick and
faint, but as I feel better now, I hope
soon to be well again, though my foot
may never be as strong as it was before.”
“ There is nothing better for your foot,”
said the Donkey, “than cold water. If
you bathe it often, you will find that it
will draw out all the inflammation, »oothe
the pain, and heal it sooner than any
thing else.”
Miss E. G. thanked the Donkey for his
advice and acted immediately upon it,
sitting on the edge of the bank, with her
foot just under the clear cold water, while
he returned to his pasture, and Tray,
No. 6.