In
A 512296
Story -land. Harrison
THE FAIR WHITE CITY ; OR, A STORY OF THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
Many of you will remember the story I told you of Little Blessed -Eyes and the wonderful power his fairy god - mother gave him of seeing instantly the best that was in everybody . To-day I want to tell you of some of the remarkable things which happened after Blessed-Eyes had become chief counsellor to the King, for , of course , the King was glad to keep near him a man with such power as that . Long years have passed since our last story and Blessed-Eyes had been the King's Chief Counsellor for ten years, or more , and the capital had become the most renowned city on earth . One day Blessed -Eyes was walking through its streets when he heard a deep sigh as of some one in great trouble . He turned , and looking around saw a poor laboring man with his head bent forward upon his hands , as he sat on the doorstep of a house near by . 5 ( 65 )
" What is the matter ? " said Blessed -Eyes gently , stopping in front of the man .
" Ah , " replied the poor man , " I can find nothing to do in this great city . All the places in the shops and stores are already taken and my children are starving for want of bread . "
" What large , strong arms you have ! " said Blessed- Eyes .
" Yes ," replied the man , " but of what use are they to me . One can measure tape or weigh sugar with much smaller arms than mine."
66 Why do you not seek the King ? " continued Blessed - Eyes , " and offer to go to yonder mountain range and quarry the beautiful white marble which lies there . I have heard that it is the most beautiful marble in the whole world . Those great strong arms of yours could do a grand work in the King's quarry .
The man's face softened at once . " I will go," he said .
The King gladly accepted the strong man's offer and the next day started him out with crow-bars and drills to the mountain district , and soon there came a wagon load of beautiful white marble , and then another and then an-
66 IN STORY- LAND .
THE FAIR WHITE CITY. 67
other . The King was so pleased with the marble that he sent ten men to help the strong man in his work , and then twenty and then a hundred , until the mountain tops rang with the sturdy blows of the quarrymen . And soon a vast pile of the glistening , white marble had been collected in the King's stoneyard , and the poor and discouraged man with the strong arms had become the most famous stonemason in the world .
Not long after this , Blessed - Eyes and the King walked one fine evening to look at the shining white marble and to plan how best it could be used to make beautiful the city . As they reached the tall white pile , they noticed a man standing beside it , evidently measuring it carefully with his eye.
" It is a fine sight , " said Blessed - Eyes , " is it not ? "
The man turned and looked sadly at him for a moment , then taking a tablet from his pocket he wrote on it : " I cannot hear a word that you say ; I am totally deaf, and therefore I am the loneliest man in all the King's realm . "
Blessed -Eyes ' heart was stirred with pity for the lonely man . He took the pencil and wrote on the tablet : " You evidently have a very correct eye for measurements ."