New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-06-12
THE PEASANTS sTRATAGEM.

IdE fEAbANVcs blhAIAuEM. sr
A word spoken in random often proves Of more.
utility than the best concerted plans Hence it
happens that fools often prosper, when men of
talents fail.
As an illustration of this assertion, we will
present our readers with the following story from
an old French periodical work called Forfeits
Redeemed.
poor simple peasant, of the name of Cricket,
being heartily tired of his daily fare of his
brown bread and cheese, resolved, whatever
might be the consequence, to procure to himself,
by hook or by crook, three sumptuous meals.
Having taken this courageous and noble resolu-
| ton, the next thing was to devise plan to put
it into execution, and here his good fortune be-
friended him. The wife Of q rich nabob in the
neighborhood Of his cottage, during the absence
| Of her husband, lost q valuable diamond ring !;
she offered great reward to any person who
would recover It, OF give any tidings of the jewel,
4 but no one was likely to do either; for three of
her own footmen, Of whose fidelity she had not
the smallest doubt, had stolen it. The loss soon
reached our glutton's ears Pn co. cries he,
|" I'll say am q conjuror, and will discover
where the gem is hidden, on condition of first
receiving three splendid meals. shall fail, tits
true. What then l shall be treated as an
impostor; my back and sides may suffer for it,
but my hungry stomach will be flled!'
To concert a scheme and put it into practice
/ was DuI U0e WOrk Ol u IuOueuli tut uaDOD SLlll
was absent The lady, anxious for the recovery
of her ring, accepted the offered terms; a sump-
tuous dinner was prepared the table was COW
cred with the richest viands expensive wines of
every sort were placed on the sideboard We
may think how he ate. An attentive footman
one of the secret thieves, filed him with drink
our conjuror, gorged, exclaimed:
&C s'Tis we'll l have the first"
The servant trembled at the ambiguous words
lo,, foI bo houF ,re
out, dear friends; he is cunning man; he said
he had the first; who could he mean but me? ?'
&C 1t looks little like it, replied the second
thief; &c I'll wait on him tonight as yet yor
may have mistaken his meaning; should III
speak in the same strain we must decamp to-
night"
At night a supper fit for a court of aldermel
i waa set before the greedy Cricket, who filed hi
paunch till he could eat no more. The secon
footman watched him all the while. When sat
\ is6ed, he rose, exclaiming-
Sc The second is in my sack, and cannot es
cape me-
Away flew the afrighted robber. I'VE ar
lost p he cried; our heels alone can save us.
ssNot so,'' answered the third &c if we fly an,
are caught, we swing; I'll tend to him to-mor
rows meal, and should he then speak as before
I'll own the theft to him, and offer some grea
reward to screen us from punishment, and tina
he may deliver up the jewel without betrayin
u.s."
They all agreed. On the morning, our pea
SAINTS appetite was still the same. At last, quit
full, he exclaimed.
: .'My task is done the third, thank God,
herep'
"Yes," said the trembling culprit, &c here
, the ring, but hide our shame, and you shal
!, never want good fare again.
ssBe silent! exclaimed the astonished Crick
ct, who little thought that what he had spoke
of his meals would have made the plunderer
betray themselves; &C be silent have it all.
Some geese were feeding before the windows
he went out, and having seized the elargest, force
the ring down its throat; andthen declared tha
the goose had swallowed the jewel. The goos
was killed-the diamond found. In the mean
time, the nabob returned, and was incredulous
''Some crafty knave, madam" said he, "eith
er the thief or his abettor, has, with well cor
certed scheme, wrought on your easy faith BIZ
I'll soon try his powers Of diyination. I'll prt
vide him myself with a meal likewise
No sooner said than done between two disht
the mysterious fare was hidden: the false COZ
jurer was told to declare what was the conceale
cheer on pain Of being well beaten, should h
fail. ss
Alas" he muttered out, 'spoor Cricket, tho
art takenp'
sHe's right 20 cried the nabob; ssgive him
purse of gold; honor such talents as his.'
1t was little cricket in the dish. Thus, OF
glutton, by four random speeches, gained thr'
hearty meals, comfort for life, and u brillial
reputation as cunning man.