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

Richard.
TO what purpose = replied the spaniard
1t stays with no one helps no one but him
who has fairly purchased it,
The youth grew ANXIOUS: it was uncom-
Portable sitting there together at nisht in
that lonely place, in spite of the captains
declared pacific intentions; and then there
lowered before his fancy all the delights
which the bottlc-imp would procure for
MN. lie therefore determined to risk the
hail OF his remaining cash on it, uu'y try
ing first whether he could beat down somo-
thing of the price.
Fool . laughed the captain-.it was for
your good asked the highest price, and for
the good of those who buy it after you, that
some one may not too soon get it for the
lowest possible sum, and SO 90 irrecovcr-
aoly TO place 1t would be impolite to mem
tion
20 never mind, said Richard good-hu.
moredly 4 shant be in a hurry t. sell the
wonderful thing again. If could have it
for five ducats -
20, as you please, said the Spaniard.
Then, in return for the money, he hand
ed to the young man a thin glass bottle,
wherein by the starlight Richard saw some
thing black dancing strangely up and down.
As trial, he Immediately wished he had in
!
had just paid, and instantly felt ten ducats
there Then both went back to the inn
with new and cheerful faces the Spaniard
soon took leave without staying for the gor-
geous banquet which Richard Immediately
ordered, paying down to his distrustful host
the price beforehand, while the bottle-imp
kept filling his pockets with the desired
ducats.
hoover would themselves like to possess
such an imp, can best fancy what sort of
lie our young friend led from this day
lie bought castle and two villas, and sur
rounded himself with every kind Of splendor
and luxury. lie spent some time in revelry
at one oil his country seats, with n crowd of
! idle and dissipated young persons of rank
! amongst whom was IA gay and distinguished
| heauty OF the place called Lucretia. One
day he was sitting with her in the garden
on the bank Of swift deep streamlot
laughing and jcsting, till at last Lucreta
espied the bottle which Richard wore in his
breast, by gold chain, and playfully held
the phlal up against the light. At first she
laughed at the strange capers of the little
black creature within, then crying suddenly
in alright Ugh lisa toad ! flung chain,
phial and imp into the stream, which swept
all out of sight
lhe poor young man strovc to hide his
concern, lest Lucretia should question him
further, and have him taken up for surcery
Butas soon as he could get away from her
ne retired to think what was to be DONE
lie had yet his castle his villas. and heap
/ OF ducats in his pocket lie then felt for
his money, and, to his glad surprise, found
the phial and the imp in his hand Lon
he cried cxulting, Il possess a treasure of
OF which no earthly power can rob me- and
he would have kissed the phial, only the
little black thing making antics within ap-
pcared to him Il littl" too r~;,si..r'.i.
nls wildness and extravaganza now in
creased ten-iold; he left not u wish ungrati-
fed, and was wont to laugh at the Spanish
/ captain for having given up such treasure
and, as he had been told, retired into a
cloister But all pleasures come to an end;
and SO Richard found, when in the midst OF
his rotous he fell dangerously ill., lie re-
ccived no help from his bottle-imp. on whom
he called for aid ten times over in the course
of the first day; but instead of comfort, he
| had dream, in which the bottle fond APP
pcared to be dancing merrlly among the rest
! OF the bottles, knocking and smashing them,
and screaming forth songs of triumph at the
near end of his servtude
All, how long seemed to the sick man the
rest of that night. lie dared not close his
eyes; yet, while open, the imp was CON
stantly before them. He rang for his SER
wants, but they slept sound SO he was OBJ
liged to lie all alone in his anguish. resolv-
ing if God would let him live to the
morning, at all events to get rid Of the bot
tie imp.
When morning came, he determined to
secure first what property he could, and in
addition to the castle, villas and all kinds
of costly furniture, he collected a great
] ,I Il n, ,b L.,
pillow. Then, somewhat calmed. he con-
sidered how to get rid of the imp; and an
opportunity presented itself. The doctor.
who came that day to see him, was very
fond Of ali kinds of strange animals, which
he kept in spirits; and he showed him the
creature al one of these, knowing the doc
tor to be too pousa man to accept 1t in its
own character. The creature had become
very lively, and played such antics in the
phial, that the good man, wishing further
to examine it, proposed to buy it of him.
To satisfy his conscience in some degree,
Richard asked as much as he could -four
ducats, two dollars, and twenty pence.
Bnt the doctor would give only four ducats,
and said he must consider even of that for
Il few days. Then in his terror the poor
fellow offered the bargain for three; and re-
ceiying the money, he at once gave it to his
Meanwhile, his illness became more vio-
lent than ever lie lay in a cons tant de-
lirious fever and though by degrees he
came to himself again, his complete recov-
cry was delayed by trouble of mind about
his ducats ior as soon as he became sensi-
BILE, he searched for them under his pillow
and found them gone lie got up, and be-
gan to consider how to turn his pr lperty
into gold. But 10 there came people with
qutttances signed by himself for money paid
Tor the price of all his possessions for in
the days OF his folly, in order to win Lucre-
tia 5 favorable ear to his addresses, he had
given her blank forms to fill up as she liked.
Thus he mustn now prepare to 60 forth al
most beggar.
The doctor came to him with a very grave
! face
We'll, sir doctor, cried he, in a burst Of
= ill-hGmor, if after the fashion of your
tribe, you como with long bill, give me
some poison into the bargain for have not
p penny to buy a loaf with
Not so,' said the physician graycly. Il
give you the price Of my whole attendance
free but here is very rare medicine which
| have put in that cupboard, which you will
find neediul for the restoration Of your
, health, and for which you shall pay me tive
: ducats Will you .
With all my heart - cried the young
l. merchant joyiully and having paid the
sum to the doctor, the latter at once left
n the apartment. When Richard put his hanc
/ into the cupboard, he felt the fatal bottl,
between his fingers, wrapped in scrap o
r paper, on which was written
Thy body l sired to cure,
, Thou my FOULS ruin to insure
Q But yet my wisdom, higher far,
Contriyed thy evil scheme to mar
The srategem thy praise demands
a Thus play back into Thy hands
Thy bottemp, and with the elf,
. Give the rogue rope to hang himself
0 a terror seized poor Richard at tn
- thought that he had now re-bought the bot
v | tle-inD. and at "A very small uripa Still