The Gentleman and the Sedan Bearers

In the good old days a gentleman in the East one day missed his dog. He sent for his sedan bearers, and asked them to go in quest of it.

They said, "We are not here to seek for your dog, but simply to bear your sedan."

"You are perfectly right," said the gentleman, "so I shall go in quest of the dog; bring up the sedan at once." The gentleman got into his sedan, and the men had to take him over hill and dale till they were quite tired. They then said with one voice, "Sir, we beg of you to stop; we can hardly stand on our legs any more. If you wish to seek for the dog farther, we shall go in quest of it."

"Do so," said the gentleman, smiling, and walked home.

"Alas," said the men as they sat down under a tree to rest their weary limbs, "often mending is but marring."