sketches new and old-第23节

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baking　them。　　But　luck　appeared　to　be　against　him。　　A　volcano　shoved
itself　through　there　that　night；　and　elevated　his　brickyard　about　two
thousand　feet　in　the　air。　　It　irritated　him　a　good　deal。　　He　has　been　up
there；　and　he　says　the　bricks　are　all　baked　right　enough；　but　he　can't
get　them　down。　　At　first；　he　thought　maybe　the　government　would　get　the
bricks　down　for　him；　because　since　government　bought　the　island；　it　ought
to　protect　the　property　where　a　man　has　invested　in　good　faith；　but　all
he　wants　is　quiet；　and　so　he　is　not　going　to　apply　for　the　subsidy　he　was
thinking　about。

He　went　back　there　last　week　in　a　couple　of　ships　of　war；　to　prospect
around　the　coast　for　a　safe　place　for　a　farm　where　he　could　be　quiet；
but　a　great　〃tidal　wave〃　came；　and　hoisted　both　of　the　ships　out　into　one
of　the　interior　counties；　and　he　came　near　losing　his　life。　　So　he　has
given　up　prospecting　in　a　ship；　and　is　discouraged。

Well；　now　he　don't　know　what　to　do。　　He　has　tried　Alaska；　but　the　bears
kept　after　him　so　much；　and　kept　him　so　much　on　the　jump；　as　it　were；
that　he　had　to　leave　the　country。　　He　could　not　be　quiet　there　with　those
bears　prancing　after　him　all　the　time。　　That　is　how　he　came　to　go　to　the
new　island　we　have　boughtSt。　Thomas。　　But　he　is　getting　to　think　St。
Thomas　is　not　quiet　enough　for　a　man　of　his　turn　of　mind；　and　that　is　why
he　wishes　me　to　find　out　if　government　is　likely　to　buy　some　more　islands
shortly。　　He　has　heard　that　government　is　thinking　about　buying　Porto
Rico。　　If　that　is　true；　he　wishes　to　try　Porto　Rico；　if　it　is　a　quiet
place。　　How　is　Porto　Rico　for　his　style　of　man？　　Do　you　think　the
government　will　buy　it？






SOME　LEARNED　FABLES；　FOR　GOOD　OLD　BOYS　AND　GIRLS

IN　THREE　PARTS


PART　FIRST

HOW　THE　ANIMALS　OF　THE　WOOD　SENT　OUT　A　SCIENTIFIC　EXPEDITION

Once　the　creatures　of　the　forest　held　a　great　convention　and　appointed　a
commission　consisting　of　the　most　illustrious　scientists　among　them　to　go
forth；　clear　beyond　the　forest　and　out　into　the　unknown　and　unexplored
world；　to　verify　the　truth　of　the　matters　already　taught　in　their　schools
and　colleges　and　also　to　make　discoveries。　　It　was　the　most　imposing
enterprise　of　the　kind　the　nation　had　ever　embarked　in。　　True；　the
government　had　once　sent　Dr。　Bull　Frog；　with　a　picked　crew；　to　hunt　for　a
northwesterly　passage　through　the　swamp　to　the　right…hand　corner　of　the
wood；　and　had　since　sent　out　many　expeditions　to　hunt　for　Dr。　Bull　Frog；
but　they　never　could　find　him；　and　so　government　finally　gave　him　up　and
ennobled　his　mother　to　show　its　gratitude　for　the　services　her　son　had
rendered　to　science。　　And　once　government　sent　Sir　Grass　Hopper　to　hunt
for　the　sources　of　the　rill　that　emptied　into　the　swamp；　and　afterward
sent　out　many　expeditions　to　hunt　for　Sir　Grass；　and　at　last　they　were
successfulthey　found　his　body；　but　if　he　had　discovered　the　sources
meantime；　he　did　not　let　on。　　So　government　acted　handsomely　by　deceased；
and　many　envied　his　funeral。

But　these　expeditions　were　trifles　compared　with　the　present　one；　for
this　one　comprised　among　its　servants　the　very　greatest　among　the
learned；　and　besides　it　was　to　go　to　the　utterly　unvisited　regions
believed　to　lie　beyond　the　mighty　forestas　we　have　remarked　before。
How　the　members　were　banqueted；　and　glorified；　and　talked　about！
Everywhere　that　one　of　them　showed　himself；　straightway　there　was　a　crowd
to　gape　and　stare　at　him。

Finally　they　set　off；　and　it　was　a　sight　to　see　the　long　procession　of
dry…land　Tortoises　heavily　laden　with　savants；　scientific　instruments；
Glow…Worms　and　Fire…Flies　for　signal　service；　provisions；　Ants　and
Tumble…Bugs　to　fetch　and　carry　and　delve；　Spiders　to　carry　the　surveying
chain　and　do　other　engineering　duty；　and　so　forth　and　so　on；　and　after
the　Tortoises　came　another　long　train　of　ironcladsstately　and　spacious
Mud　Turtles　for　marine　transportation　service；　and　from　every　Tortoise
and　every　Turtle　flaunted　a　flaming　gladiolus　or　other　splendid　banner；
at　the　head　of　the　column　a　great　band　of　Bumble…Bees；　Mosquitoes；
Katy…Dids；　and　Crickets　discoursed　martial　music；　and　the　entire　train
was　under　the　escort　and　protection　of　twelve　picked　regiments　of　the
Army　Worm。

At　the　end　of　three　weeks　the　expedition　emerged　from　the　forest　and
looked　upon　the　great　Unknown　World。　　Their　eyes　were　greeted　with　an
impressive　spectacle。　　A　vast　level　plain　stretched　before　them；　watered
by　a　sinuous　stream；　and　beyond　there　towered　up　against　the　sky　along
and　lofty　barrier　of　some　kind；　they　did　not　know　what。　　The　Tumble…Bug
said　he　believed　it　was　simply　land　tilted　up　on　its　edge；　because　he
knew　he　could　see　trees　on　it。　　But　Professor　Snail　and　the　others　said：

〃You　are　hired　to　dig；　sirthat　is　all。　　We　need　your　muscle；　not　your
brains。　　When　we　want　your　opinion　on　scientific　matters；　we　will　hasten
to　let　you　know。　　Your　coolness　is　intolerable；　tooloafing　about　here
meddling　with　august　matters　of　learning；　when　the　other　laborers　are
pitching　camp。　　Go　along　and　help　handle　the　baggage。〃

The　Tumble…Bug　turned　on　his　heel　uncrushed；　unabashed；　observing　to
himself；　〃If　it　isn't　land　tilted　up；　let　me　die　the　death　of　the
unrighteous。〃

Professor　Bull　Frog　（nephew　of　the　late　explorer）　said　he　believed　the
ridge　was　the　wall　that　inclosed　the　earth。　　He　continued：

〃Our　fathers　have　left　us　much　learning；　but　they　had　not　traveled　far；
and　so　we　may　count　this　a　noble　new　discovery。　　We　are　safe　for　renown
now；　even　though　our　labors　began　and　ended　with　this　single　achievement。
I　wonder　what　this　wall　is　built　of？　　Can　it　be　fungus？　　Fungus　is　an
honorable　good　thing　to　build　a　wall　of。〃

Professor　Snail　adjusted　his　field…glass　and　examined　the　rampart
critically。　　Finally　he　said：

〃'The　fact　that　it　is　not　diaphanous　convinces　me　that　it　is　a　dense
vapor　formed　by　the　calorification　of　ascending　moisture　dephlogisticated
by　refraction。　　A　few　endiometrical　experiments　would　confirm　this；　but
it　is　not　necessary。　　The　thing　is　obvious。〃

So　he　shut　up　his　glass　and　went　into　his　shell　to　make　a　note　of　the
discovery　of　the　world's　end；　and　the　nature　of　it。

〃Profound　mind！〃　said　Professor　Angle…Worm　to　Professor　Field…Mouse；
〃profound　mind！　nothing　can　long　remain　a　mystery　to　that　august　brain。〃

Night　drew　on　apace；　the　sentinel　crickets　were　posted；　the　Glow…Worm　and
Fire…Fly　lamps　were　lighted；　and　the　camp　sank　to　silence　and　sleep。
After　breakfast　in　the　morning；　the　expedition　moved　on。　　About　noon　a
great　avenue　was　reached；　which　had　in　it　two　endless　parallel　bars　of
some　kind　of　hard　black　substance；　raised　the　height　of　the　tallest　Bull
Frog；　above　the　general　level。　　The　scientists　climbed　up　on　these　and
examined　and　tested　them　in　various　ways。　　They　walked　along　them　for　a
great　distance；　but　found　no　end　and　no　break　in　them。　　They　could　arrive
at　no　decision。　　There　was　nothing　in　the　records　of　science　that
mentioned　anything　of　this　kind。　　But　at　last　the　bald　and　venerable
geographer；　Professor　Mud　Turtle；　a　person　who；　born　poor；　and　of　a
drudging　low　family；　had；　by　his　own　native　force　raised　himself　to　the
headship　of　the　geographers　of　his　generation；　said：

〃'My　friends；　we　have　indeed　made　a　discovery　here。　　We　have　found　in　a
palpable；　compact；　and　imperishable　state　what　the　wisest　of　our　fathers
always　regarded　as　a　mere　thing　of　the　imagination。　　Humble　yourselves；
my　friends；　for　we　stand　in　a　majestic　presence。　　These　are　parallels　of
latitude！〃

Every　heart　and　every　head　was　bowed；　so　awful；　so　sublime　was　the
magnitude　of　the　discovery。　　Many　shed　tears。

The　camp　was　pitched　and　the　rest　of　the　day　given　up　to　writing
voluminous　accounts　of　the　marvel；　and　correcting　astronomical　tables　to
fit　it。　　Toward　midnight　a　demoniacal　shriek　was　heard；　then　a　clattering
and　rumbling　noise；　and　the　next　instant　a　vast　terrific　eye　shot　by；
with　a　long　tail　attached；　and　disappeared　in　the　gloom；　still　uttering
triumphant　shrieks。

The　poor　damp　laborers　were　stricken　to　the　heart　with　fright；　and
stampeded　for　the　high　grass　in　a　body。　　But　not　the　scientists。　　They
had　no　superstitions。　　They　calmly　proceeded　to　exchange　theories。
The　ancient　geographer's　opinion　was　asked。　　He　went　into　his　shell　and
deliberated　long　and　profoundly。　　When　he　came　out　at　last；　they　all　knew
by　his　worshiping　countenance　that　he　brought　light。　　Said　he：

〃Give　thanks　for　this　stupendous　thing　which　we　have　been　permitted　to
witness。　　It　is　the　Vernal　Equinox！〃

There　were　shoutings　and　great　rejoicings。

〃But；〃　said　the　Angle…Worm；　uncoiling　after　reflection；　〃this　is　dead
summer…time。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　Turtle；　〃we　are　far　from　our　region；　the　season
differs　with　the　difference　of　time　between　the　two　points。〃

〃Ah；　true：　　True　enough。　　But　it　is　night。　　How　should　the　sun　pass　in
the　night？〃

〃In　these　distant　regions　he　doubtless　passes　always　in　the　night　at　this
hour。〃

〃Yes；　doubtless　that　is　true。　　But　it　being　night；　how　is　it　that　we
could　see　him？〃

〃It　is　a　great　mystery。　　I　grant　that。　　But　I　am　persuaded　that　the
humidity　of　the　atmosphere　in　these　remote　regio