Fantastic Fables Page 4

  “Enter, my son, enter; you bring joyous tidings.”

  When the Man had vanished inside, Saint Peter took his memorandum-tablet and made the following entry:

  “February 16, 1893. California occupied by the Christians.”

  The Compassionate Physician

  A Kind-Hearted Physician sitting at the bedside of a patient afflicted with an incurable and painful disease, heard a noise behind him, and turning saw a cat laughing at the feeble efforts of a wounded mouse to drag itself out of the room.

  “You cruel beast!” cried he. “Why don’t you kill it at once, like a lady?”

  Rising, he kicked the cat out of the door, and picking up the mouse compassionately put it out of its misery by pulling off its head. Recalled to the bedside by the moans of his patient, the Kind-hearted Physician administered a stimulant, a tonic, and a nutrient, and went away.

  Two of the Damned

  Two Blighted Beings, haggard, lachrymose, and detested, met on a blasted heath in the light of a struggling moon.

  “I wish you a merry Christmas,” said the First Blighted Being, in a voice like that of a singing tomb.

  “And I you a happy New Year,” responded the Second Blighted Being, with the accent of a penitent accordeon.

  They then fell upon each other’s neck and wept scalding rills down each other’s spine in token of their banishment to the Realm of Ineffable Bosh. For one of these accursed creatures was the First of January, and the other the Twenty-fifth of December.

  The Austere Governor

  A Governor visiting a State prison was implored by a Convict to pardon him.

  “What are you in for?” asked the Governor.

  “I held a high office,” the Convict humbly replied, “and sold subordinate appointments.”

  “Then I decline to interfere,” said the Governor, with asperity; “a man who abuses his office by making it serve a private end and purvey a personal advantage is unfit to be free. By the way, Mr. Warden,” he added to that official, as the Convict slunk away, “in appointing you to this position, I was given to understand that your friends could make the Shikane county delegation to the next State convention solid for—for the present Administration. Was I rightly informed?”

  “You were, sir.”

  “Very well, then, I will bid you good-day. Please be so good as to appoint my nephew Night Chaplain and Reminder of Mothers and Sisters.”

  Religions of Error

  Hearing a sound of strife, a Christian in the Orient asked his Dragoman the cause of it.

  “The Buddhists are cutting Mohammedan throats,” the Dragoman replied, with oriental composure.

  “I did not know,” remarked the Christian, with scientific interest, “that that would make so much noise.”

  “The Mohammedans are cutting Buddhist throats, too,” added the Dragoman.

  “It is astonishing,” mused the Christian, “how violent and how general are religious animosities. Everywhere in the world the devotees of each local faith abhor the devotees of every other, and abstain from murder only so long as they dare not commit it. And the strangest thing about it is that all religions are erroneous and mischievous excepting mine. Mine, thank God, is true and benign.”

  So saying he visibly smugged and went off to telegraph for a brigade of cutthroats to protect Christian interests.

  The Penitent Elector

  A Person belonging to the Society for Passing Resolutions of Respect for the Memory of Deceased Members having died received the customary attention.

  “Good Heavens!” exclaimed a Sovereign Elector, on hearing the resolutions read, “what a loss to the nation! And to think that I once voted against that angel for Inspector of Gate-latches in Public Squares!”

  In remorse the Sovereign Elector deprived himself of political influence by learning to read.

  The Tail of the Sphinx

  A Dog of a taciturn disposition said to his Tail:

  “Whenever I am angry, you rise and bristle; when I am pleased, you wag; when I am alarmed, you tuck yourself in out of danger. You are too mercurial—you disclose all my emotions. My notion is that tails are given to conceal thought. It is my dearest ambition to be as impassive as the Sphinx.”

  “My friend, you must recognise the laws and limitations of your being,” replied the Tail, with flexions appropriate to the sentiments uttered, “and try to be great some other way. The Sphinx has one hundred and fifty qualifications for impassiveness which you lack.”

  “What are they?” the Dog asked.

  “One hundred and forty-nine tons of sand on her tail.”

  “And—?”

  “A stone tail.”

  A Prophet of Evil

  An Undertaker Who Was a Member of a Trust saw a Man Leaning on a Spade, and asked him why he was not at work.

  “Because,” said the Man Leaning on a Spade, “I belong to the Gravediggers’ National Extortion Society, and we have decided to limit the production of graves and get more money for the reduced output. We have a corner in graves and propose to work it to the best advantage.”

  “My friend,” said the Undertaker Who Was a Member of a Trust, “this is a most hateful and injurious scheme. If people cannot be assured of graves, I fear they will no longer die, and the best interests of civilisation will wither like a frosted leaf.”

  And blowing his eyes upon his handkerchief, he walked away lamenting.

  The Crew of the Life-boat

  The Gallant Crew at a life-saving station were about to launch their life-boat for a spin along the coast when they discovered, but a little distance away, a capsized vessel with a dozen men clinging to her keel.

  “We are fortunate,” said the Gallant Crew, “to have seen that in time. Our fate might have been the same as theirs.”

  So they hauled the life-boat back into its house, and were spared to the service of their country.

  A Treaty of Peace

  Through massacres of each other’s citizens China and the United States had been four times plunged into devastating wars, when, in the year 1994, arose a Philosopher in Madagascar, who laid before the Governments of the two distracted countries the following modus vivendi:

  “Massacres are to be sternly forbidden as heretofore; but any citizen or subject of either country disobeying the injunction is to detach the scalps of all persons massacred and deposit them with a local officer designated to receive and preserve them and sworn to keep and render a true account thereof. At the conclusion of each massacre in either country, or as soon thereafter as practicable, or at stated regular periods, as may be provided by treaty, there shall be an exchange of scalps between the two Governments, scalp for scalp, without regard to sex or age; the Government having the greatest number is to be taxed on the excess at the rate of $1000 a scalp, and the other Government credited with the amount. Once in every decade there shall be a general settlement, when the balance due shall be paid to the creditor nation in Mexican dollars.”

  The plan was adopted, the necessary treaty made, with legislation to carry out its provisions; the Madagascarene Philosopher took his seat in the Temple of Immortality, and Peace spread her white wings over the two nations, to the unspeakable defiling of her plumage.

  The Nightside of Character

  A Gifted and Honourable Editor, who by practice of his profession had acquired wealth and distinction, applied to an Old Friend for the hand of his daughter in marriage.

  “With all my heart, and God bless you!” said the Old Friend, grasping him by both hands. “It is a greater honour than I had dared to hope for.”

  “I knew what your answer would be,” replied the Gifted and Honourable Editor. “And yet,” he added, with a sly smile, “I feel that I ought to give you as much knowledge of my character as I possess. In this scrap-book is such testimony relating to my shady side, as I have within the past ten years been able to cut from the columns of my competitors in the business of elevating humanity to a higher plane of mind and morals—my ‘lo
athsome contemporaries.’”

  Laying the book on a table, he withdrew in high spirits to make arrangements for the wedding. Three days later he received the scrap-book from a messenger, with a note warning him never again to darken his Old Friend’s door.

  “See!” the Gifted and Honourable Editor exclaimed, pointing to that injunction—“I am a painter and grainer!”

  And he was led away to the Asylum for the Indiscreet.

  The Faithful Cashier

  The Cashier of a bank having defaulted was asked by the Directors what he had done with the money taken.

  “I am greatly surprised by such a question,” said the Cashier; “it sounds as if you suspected me of selfishness. Gentlemen, I applied that money to the purpose for which I took it; I paid it as an initiation fee and one year’s dues in advance to the Treasurer of the Cashiers’ Mutual Defence Association.”

  “What is the object of that organisation?” the Directors inquired.

  “When any one of its members is under suspicion,” replied the Cashier, “the Association undertakes to clear his character by submitting evidence that he was never a prominent member of any church, nor foremost in Sunday-school work.”

  Recognising the value to the bank of a spotless reputation for its officers, the President drew his check for the amount of the shortage and the Cashier was restored to favour.

  The Circular Clew

  A Detective searching for the murderer of a dead man was accosted by a Clew.

  “Follow me,” said the Clew, “and there’s no knowing what you may discover.”

  So the Detective followed the Clew a whole year through a thousand sinuosities, and at last found himself in the office of the Morgue.

  “There!” said the Clew, pointing to the open register.

  The Detective eagerly scanned the page, and found an official statement that the deceased was dead. Thereupon he hastened to Police Headquarters to report progress. The Clew, meanwhile, sauntered among the busy haunts of men, arm in arm with an Ingenious Theory.

  The Devoted Widow

  A Widow weeping on her husband’s grave was approached by an Engaging Gentleman who, in a respectful manner, assured her that he had long entertained for her the most tender feelings.

  “Wretch!” cried the Widow. “Leave me this instant! Is this a time to talk to me of love?”

  “I assure you, madam, that I had not intended to disclose my affection,” the Engaging Gentleman humbly explained, “but the power of your beauty has overcome my discretion.”

  “You should see me when I have not been crying,” said the Widow.

  The Hardy Patriots

  A Dispenser-Elect of Patronage gave notice through the newspapers that applicants for places would be given none until he should assume the duties of his office.

  “You are exposing yourself to a grave danger,” said a Lawyer.

  “How so?” the Dispenser-Elect inquired.

  “It will be nearly two months,” the Lawyer answered, “before the day that you mention. Few patriots can live so long without eating, and some of the applicants will be compelled to go to work in the meantime. If that kills them, you will be liable to prosecution for murder.”

  “You underrate their powers of endurance,” the official replied.

  “What!” said the Lawyer, “you think they can stand work?”

  “No,” said the other—“hunger.”

  The Humble Peasant

  An Office Seeker whom the President had ordered out of Washington was watering the homeward highway with his tears.

  “Ah,” he said, “how disastrous is ambition! how unsatisfying its rewards! how terrible its disappointments! Behold yonder peasant tilling his field in peace and contentment! He rises with the lark, passes the day in wholesome toil, and lies down at night to pleasant dreams. In the mad struggle for place and power he has no part; the roar of the strife reaches his ear like the distant murmur of the ocean. Happy, thrice happy man! I will approach him and bask in the sunshine of his humble felicity. Peasant, all hail!”

  Leaning upon his rake, the Peasant returned the salutation with a nod, but said nothing.

  “My friend,” said the Office Seeker, “you see before you the wreck of an ambitious man—ruined by the pursuit of place and power. This morning when I set out from the national capital—”

  “Stranger,” the Peasant interrupted, “if you’re going back there soon maybe you wouldn’t mind using your influence to make me Postmaster at Smith’s Corners.”

  The traveller passed on.

  The Various Delegation

  The King of Wideout having been offered the sovereignty of Wayoff, sent for the Three Persons who had made the offer, and said to them:

  “I am extremely obliged to you, but before accepting so great a responsibility I must ascertain the sentiments of the people of Wayoff.”

  “Sire,” said the Spokesman of the Three Persons, “they stand before you.”

  “Indeed!” said the King; “are you, then, the people of Wayoff?”

  “Yes, your Majesty.”

  “There are not many of you,” the King said, attentively regarding them with the royal eye, “and you are not so very large; I hardly think you are a quorum. Moreover, I never heard of you until you came here; whereas Wayoff is noted for the quality of its pork and contains hogs of distinction. I shall send a Commissioner to ascertain the sentiments of the hogs.”

  The Three Persons, bowing profoundly, backed out of the presence; but soon afterward they desired another audience, and, on being readmitted, said, through their Spokesman:

  “May it please your Majesty, we are the hogs.”

  The No Case

  A Statesman who had been indicted by an unfeeling Grand Jury was arrested by a Sheriff and thrown into jail. As this was abhorrent to his fine spiritual nature, he sent for the District Attorney and asked that the case against him be dismissed.

  “Upon what grounds?” asked the District Attorney.

  “Lack of evidence to convict,” replied the accused.

  “Do you happen to have the lack with you?” the official asked. “I should like to see it.”

  “With pleasure,” said the other; “here it is.”

  So saying he handed the other a check, which the District Attorney carefully examined, and then pronounced it the most complete absence of both proof and presumption that he had ever seen. He said it would acquit the oldest man in the world.

  A Harmless Visitor

  At a meeting of the Golden League of Mystery a Woman was discovered, writing in a note-book. A member directed the attention of the Superb High Chairman to her, and she was asked to explain her presence there, and what she was doing.

  “I came in for my own pleasure and instruction,” she said, “and was so struck by the wisdom of the speakers that I could not help making a few notes.”

  “Madam,” said the Superb High Chairman, “we have no objection to visitors if they will pledge themselves not to publish anything they hear. Are you—on your honour as a lady, now, madam—are you not connected with some newspaper?”

  “Good gracious, no!” cried the Woman, earnestly. “Why, sir, I am an officer of the Women’s Press Association!”

  She was permitted to remain, and presented with resolutions of apology.

  The Judge and the Rash Act

  A Judge who had for years looked in vain for an opportunity for infamous distinction, but whom no litigant thought worth bribing, sat one day upon the Bench, lamenting his hard lot, and threatening to put an end to his life if business did not improve. Suddenly he found himself confronted by a dreadful figure clad in a shroud, whose pallor and stony eyes smote him with a horrible apprehension.

  “Who are you,” he faltered, “and why do you come here?”

  “I am the Rash Act,” was the sepulchral reply; “you may commit me.”

  “No,” the judge said, thoughtfully, “no, that would be quite irregular. I do not sit to-day as a committing magistrat
e.”

  The Prerogative of Might

  A Slander travelling rapidly through the land upon its joyous mission was accosted by a Retraction and commanded to halt and be killed.

  “Your career of mischief is at an end,” said the Retraction, drawing his club, rolling up his sleeves, and spitting on his hands.

  “Why should you slay me?” protested the Slander. “Whatever my intentions were, I have been innocuous, for you have dogged my strides and counteracted my influence.”

  “Dogged your grandmother!” said the Retraction, with contemptuous vulgarity of speech. “In the order of nature it is appointed that we two shall never travel the same road.”

  “How then,” the Slander asked, triumphantly, “have you overtaken me?”

  “I have not,” replied the Retraction; “we have accidentally met. I came round the world the other way.”

  But when he tried to execute his fell purpose he found that in the order of nature it was appointed that he himself perish miserably in the encounter.

  An Inflated Ambition

  The President of a great Corporation went into a dry-goods shop and saw a placard which read:

  “If You Don’t See What You Want, Ask For It.”