Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-05-22


before that time | shall have my pay, and
buy new cartridges
So they parted, and Richard proceeded to
sleep off his intoxication.
But in little while he was woke by the
voice Of the corporal before the tent lilo
tomorrow is the review the commissioner
will be in the camp by break of day.
Richard was startled from his sleep he
| thought of his cartridges. lie called to
| his comrades in the tent to know
If any would lend to him
! but they abused him for drunk.
| ard, and would not answer. Then he search
cd his clothes and found at last five farth-
ings. With these he flew from tent to
tcnt in the dark, trying to buy cartridges,
but IN vain, till he reached a tent where
the voice that answered him with an i'm
precation was that of the soldier who had
won his cartridges.
| Comrade, cried Richard pleadingly
| you or some one must help mo. You
! plundered me once before, and yesterday
| you took my all from me. If the commits
sioner finds tomorrow that | have no cart
ridges, he will have me shot. You must
give, or lend, or sell me some.'
Giving and lending | have forsworn
said the soldier but to quiet you, | will
sell you cartridges. How much money have
| you
Five farthings,' answered Richard sadly.
Well, said the other, to shew you
that | am a good comrade, there are five
cartridges for five farthings.'
The exchange was made, and Richard re-
turning, to sleep till the morning.
The review took place, and all went well
But when the soldiers were again in camp,
the sun burned intolerably through the tent
canvas, and he remained alone with empty
pockets and a piece OF ration-bread, faint
and sick with yesterdays carouse and to-
days exercise. 'Ah,' he thought, if |
had now but one Of all the ducats | once
lavished like fool - Scarcely had he
formed the wish, when bright new ducat
lay IN his left hand. The thought OF the
botte-imp shot through his mind, and i'm
bttered his momentary joy at sight of the
piece of gold Just then entered the com
rade who had sold him the cartridges.
Friend, said he, with a troubled air,
'thc phial with the little black imp in it
you know bot ght it in the wood from you
Is missing. Have perchance, given it you
unawares, for a cartridgel | had wrapped
it un in paper like them, and laid it with
my cartridges.
Richard sought anxlously in his cartridge
box, and in the first paper he unfolded, he
found the goblin creature.
That's well, said the soldier. Il should
have been sorry to have lost the thing. ugly
as 1T looks it always seems to me as if it
brought me unusual luck at play. There,
comrade, take your larthing again and give
me the creature
Most eagerly did Richard consent to the
transaction, and they parted. But all his
peace was gone since he had again seen and
handled the object Of his terror lie threw
from him the ducat he had Just before
sighed for. and at last the dread that the
bottle imp might still be somewhere near
drove him out of the camp, and through the
deepening evening, into the thickost forest
shades, where, exhausted by terror and wear
iness. he sank upon the ground.
'Oh, said he painting, that | had but a
water flask to quench my thirst and there
stood IA water-llsk at his side. lie thought
Of the bottle imp searched in his pocket
and felt it there.
lie fell back in q swoon. on awaking from
which he would have resisted his fate. de-
claring that it belonged no more to him.
but the mp seemed to cry jeeringly Thou
hast bought me for a farthing and thou
must sell Inc again for less, or the bargain
is void
Half mad, he flung the phial against q
rock hard by, but fet it again in his pocket,
Then he began to run through the dark
! thicket, striking himself against tree and
stone in the gloom and hearing at every step
the flask jingle in his pocket. Daybreak
! found him IN an open plain, and he contin-
ued his wanderings. lie would not return
return to the camp his one object now was
! to find coin under farthings worth but
! the search was vain. He would demand
nothing more of the goblin, and so he begged
his way through the land of Italy. But
looking so wild and troubled, and always
asking for half-iarthings, he was everywhere
regarded as crazy, was soon known far and
wide by the name Of the mad Ilalf-farthinger.
Many months had passed thus, when one
day he found himself in the midst of wild
mountains, and sat, still and sorrowful,
beside little rill, which trickling down
through wild growth of bushes, appeared
compassionately offering itself for his re-
! lreshment. Then there rang, loud and
| strong, over the rocky ground, the sound of
horses hoofs. and on u large, black, wild
| looking horse there came q very tall man OF
| hideous vlsage, in a gorgeous bloodred dress
up to the spot where Richard sat. Why
so gloomy, fellow, = said he to the youth,
whose breast sank with a strange forebod-
ing, should guess you to be a merchant.
Have you bought anything too dear. =
All, no-rather too cheap answered
Richard in low, trembling voice.
50 1t appears to me, my good merchant
cried the horseman, with trightful laugh.
And have you, perchance, such a thing to
sell as bottle-imp Or am | mistaken
in taking you for the mad IIalf-iarthinger !
Scarcely could the pale lips of the poor
| youth utter a low 'Yes-l am he,' under
ha hat IL
horsemans mantle would turn to blood.
dripping wings, that black spectral pinions
blazing with hell-tire, would sprout forth on
his horse, and carry him away to the abodes
Of eternal torture, but the tall stranger ad-
dressed him in q rather milier voice, and
with less Irightful gestures.
Il see for whom you take me- said he
but be comforted | am not he. Perhap,
! may deliver you from him, for | have
been many days seeking you, to buy your
bottle-imp, TO be sure you gave terribly
little for it, and don't know how to get at
a smaller coin. But listen. On the other
side Of the mountain dwells prince, wild
young fellow. Tomorrow will try to al
lure hm away from his hunting train and
set hidcous wild beast upon him. Do you
stay here till midnight, ana then 90, Just
when the moon stands over that Jagged rock
SHINING through the dark cleft to the lett
Go at moderate pace linger not, hurry
not, and you will come to the spot just
when the monster has the prince under it
claws. Seize it iearlessly, and it mus
yield to you. and to make its escape, pung,
down the steep bank into the sea. Their
beg of the grateful prince that he will hay'
a couple of half-tarthings struck for you
| will give you change for them, and theI
for one, the bottle-imp will be mine
50 spoke the horseman, and, withou
waiting fer an answer, rode slowly bacl
into the wood
But where shall find you when hav
the hal!-iarthings cried Richard afte
him.
AT the Black Fountain, answered the horse
man; amy old woman here can tell you wher
it lies and with slow but long strides tn
hideous horse bore away his hideous rider