THE CHRONICLES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 154, 5 July 1871, Page 4

THE CHRONICLES.

Chap. K.

This is the witness of Minerman, the son of Toil, which he witnesseth, and his witness is true. And it came to pass in those days, Bowenifa being king, that Curtisarah ruled in a province. And he ruled the people with a crooked ruler. Now there came a day when Curtisarah sent a writing unto tbe inhabitants of Nelsonica, over which he ruled, sayingArise and choose from among your principal men in each district and division, deputies to sit in Couucil. And unto. the district of Addisonicus, I command that they choose and send unto me two deputies. And all the deputies shall meet once in every year in the chief city of the province, to make laws, and to divide with equity the gold and the silver which shall be in the bag of Shadrach, the chief treasurer of the province. And the people took counsel together, so that tbey might obey the command of Curtisarah. And lo ! there came into the city of Addisonicus one Reidicus, a scribe, saying unto tbe people, Choose me as one of your deputies, and I will do the best I can, Behold ! I am as a «• lamb " just born, but whatever seemeth good in my eyes, that will I do. Then one Braithwaiticus, who dwelt in the hill country, sent a writing into the city, saying, Make me also one of your deputies, and I will work much good for you and for your lauds. And it cama to pass after these things, that there was a great noise heard in the land, and the noise was even as the roar of a "lion." And there came forth one Conorolanus, and he called the people together by the sound of a bell aud by writings. And he called the Shamrockites, and the Pakihites, and the Terraceites, and all the ites, even all the dwellers in the plains called he them together unto the city of Addisonicus. And he spake unto them great swelling words, saying, Am not I tbe " Lion " of the Buller? Is not my name Boanarges ? Verily, verily, I say unto you, your deputies have been calico men and paper men ; they have been unfaithful unto you, and their heads should be cast down. They must be driven out, covered with reproaches. They have been even as clouds without water, carried hither and thither with every wind that bloweth. They have thought evil in their hearts, seeking their own greed, and not your wants. Therefore I say unto you, Choose you me, for I am strong and good, a just and upright man, and beside me there is „none other. In the path of righteousness I tread. I seek the truth and love justice, and in their cause I strive. I will make my voice to be heard in the Cotracil Chamber, and none shall stay my tongue. Yea, verily, I will make a noise and break things. Moreover, I know your wants and I will open the bag of the treasurer, even of Shadrach that sitteth at the right hand of Verdrach the chief of the secretaries. And I will pour out of gold and of silver for you, so shall your bridges be made strong, and your highways and your paths Bball be repaired aud made wide. All these things will I do, and more also. And the people believed in the sayings of Conorolanus because he was big and rough and spoke in a loud voice, and abused exceedingly every one who was opposed to him. And they appointed him and Reidicus their two deputies to go up unto Curtisarah the ruler of the province, and to sit in the Council Chamber. And it came to pass in the seventyfirst year, in the fourth month thereof, that Curtisarah called the deputies together, to sit in the Council Chamber, in the chief city of the province, to make laws and to divide with equity the money that would be found in the bag of Shadrach, the chief treasurer. And Conorolanus was there. Now it happened, that when the time came for the fulfilment of the promises made by Conorolanus, the Lion of the Buller, that he disregarded the people of Addisonicus, and treated them as though they were not. Neither asked be t'for silver or for gold to make strong tbe bridges and to repair and make wide the higbjt*yi,and. footpaths. But he said in

the Council, Behold! this people of Addisouicus Flatonius have roads enough and to B pare, and they cannot use even those which they have. Better it would be that half the money had been cast into the sea, than have been so wasted. Therefore, let us take the gold and the silver that belongeth to Addisonicus, and give it to the men of the Reef country, even to the dwellers of the Inangahua. And it was done even as Conorolanus said. And many other things did Conorolanus in the Council Chamber, which are not seemly to write iv these chronicles. For Conorolanous is a truculent man, and his words are as the words of the vendors of fishes in the market place. And the froth that brims over from his lips is virulent and poisonous, and defileth the air. Therefore, it is not good to spread the venom, lest it may bring obloquy and reproach upon the Council of Curtisarah.

Chap. XI.

Now when these things which Conorolauus had done in the Council Chamber were made known, the people of Addisonicus were sore displeased. Then arose Toil, the chief magistrate of the city, and lie called the people together. Even the delvers, and the washers, and the blacksaoders, and the swagbearers, and the shepherders, aud the loafers, and those who bought gold, and those who sold of the goods of tbe earth. Aud he said unto them, Men of Addisonicus, ye are my sons, therefore I speak unto you with plain speech. You kuow that in the day that Curtisarah, the ruler, sent unto us to choose deputies to sit in the Council Chamber, we chose Reidicus aud Conorolanus. Reidicus then made but few promises, and be has Dot disappointed us. But did not Conorolanus call us together, and with fair speech aud oily tongue, and many large promises, besruile us with false exnectations ? And induced by his fair words we chose him as one of our deputies. But he disregarded the promises he made, and gave the - .-', gold aud silver unto strangers. Behold ! our roads are broken down, so that neither cattle nor horses can travel along them, and our streets and paths are rendered impassable, so that our wives and our children are shut up in our habitations, and cannot go forth. Behold, also, the highway to the city is as a ploughed field, so that waggons cannot be drawn on them to bring provender for our cattle and food for our families. And there is no money to repair them, because Conorolanus has broken his faith with us. And all the people groaned. Then Toil lifted up his voice again and said, Men of Addisonicus, after we sent Conorolanus to sit in the Couucil Chamber, we appointed him also to sit as our deputy in the Assembly of the wise men of the cation, even in the Assembly of Bowenifa the King. Now .\dien the .., King shall call his .^ise men together there will be much money to be divided, even money for railways and for bringing laborers from afar, and for water to the waste grounds, so that they may become fruitful and yield much gold. Therefore I say unto you, Take heed that Conorolanus does not give the money that should be ours unlo others, even unto those whom he would make his % friends, as he did iv the days when he sat with Curtisarah the ruler of the province. For he saith in his heart, " The people of Addisonicus are mine, I will make me other friends, so that I shall be strong in the land. " Arise therefore, my sons, and send a writiug unto Conorolanus, bidding him give back the trust which was conhV ded to him, for he has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. And all the people answered, "It is well said."