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Show Bi J-:--. - IN THE RAIN I f H ; By James Stephens. H The ass stood quietly where he had been left. Rain was pouring from him H as though he were the father of riv- ers and supplied the world with run-Hit run-Hit ning water. It dashed off his flanks. H it leaped down his tail; it foamed v across his forehead to his nose and r- hit the ground from there with a Hf thump. H', "I'm very wet," said the ass to him- H setf, "and I wish I wasn't." m His eyes were fixed on a brown H stone that had a knob on its back, B Every drop of rain that hit the stone B f jumped twice and then spattered to H ' the ground. After a moment he spoke N. to himself again H; "I don't care now whether it stops m' raining or not, for I can't be any wet- K , tor than I am, however it goes." ' Having said this he dismissed the m.r weather and settled himself to think. i He hung his head slightly and fixed g his eyes afar off, and he stared dls- B tantly like that without seeing any- H' thing while he gathered and revolved Hi his thoughts. H' The first thing he thought about H was carrots. H ' He thought of their shape, their H color, and the way they looked in a H( bucket. Some would have the thick H end stuck up, and some would have Hi the other end stuck up, and there H were always bits of clay sticking to Hi j one end or tho other. Some would be H' lying on their sides as though they H had slipped quietly to sleep, and some H would be standing in a slanting way H as though they were leaning their backs against a wall and couldn't make up their minds what to do next. But, however, they looked in the bucket, they all tasted alike and they all tasted well. They are a companionable compan-ionable food; they make a pleasant, crunching noise when they are bitten, and so, when one is eating carrots; one can listen to the sound of one's eating and make a story from it. Thistles make a swishing noise when they are bitten; they have their taste. Grass does not make any noise at all; it slips dumbly to the sepulchre, and gives no sign. Bread makes no sound when it is eaten by an ass; it has an interesting taste, and it clings about one's teeth for a long time. Apples have a good smell and a joyful joy-ful crunch; but the taste of sugar lasts longer in the mouth, and can bo remembered for longer than anything else; it has a short, sharp crunch that is like a curse, and instantly it blesses you with the taste of it. Hay can be eaten in great mouth-fuls. mouth-fuls. It has a chip and a crack at the first bite, and then it says no more. It sticks out of one's mouth like whiskers whis-kers and you can watch it with your eye while it moves to and fro, according accord-ing as your mouth moves. It is a friendly food, and very good for the hungry. Oats are not a food; they are a great blessing, they are a debauch; they make you proud, so that you want to kick the front out of a cart, and climb a tree, and bite a cow and chase chickens. Mary came running and unyoked f fir j MA Y ROBSON AND MARY MERSCH IN "MARTHA BY-THE-DA Y" ? AT THE SALT LAKE THE A TRE THURSDA Y, FRIDA Y AND SA TURD A Y i him from the cart. She embraced him on the streaming nose. "You poor thing, you!" said she, and she took, a large paper bag from the cart and held it to his muzzle. There was soft sugar in the bag, and half a pound of it clove to his tongue at the first lick. As she went back to the house with the bundle of food, the ass regarded her. "You are a good girl," said the ass. He shook himself and dissipated his thoughts; then he trotted briskly here and there on the path to see if there was anything worth looking for. From the London Nation |