Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-27
STAR.
I II Z BOT tt Elm P

1
was determined soon again to be rid of the
| thing, he felt no scruple in resolving, by its
means, to revenge himself on the cruel Lucre
| tia First he filed his pockets with ducats,
whose weight almost pulled him down to the
| ground, and deposited the whole sum with the
nearest lawyer, receiving legal acknowi.
4 edgemcnt, only keeping back certain mum
Der of pieces of gold, with which he hasteped
| to Lucretia's house. Here he made the bot
tie imp perform all kinds of juggler's tricks,
and convinced her that it was the very thing
she had thrown into the stream. She Instant
| ly wished to possess such plaything; and as
| he, apparently in sport, insisted on receiving
money for it, she gave him ducat. There
| upon he took his leave as quickly as he could,
in order to draw from the advocate part of the
money deposited. The lawyer opened bis
| eyes wide at the demand; ho did not know
the young gentleman he said. Richard pull
| ed the acknowledgment out of his pocket, and
| found it merely blank sheet of paper The
advocate had written the receipt with kind
| faced in few hours. So the young man had
| now only about thirty ducats in the world
Such being the case, Richard felt that he
| must starve or do something to gain bis bread
| and he determined to become a pedler With
his thirty ducsts he bought and fitted up q
boz, and carried it through those streets
where few weeks before he had rioted in
| "SNlSu hOWtftIY Ills WaIee W6Ic In FAVOR.
and he sold than off so quickly, that he hoped
| if this went on, to become ere long q rich man
again, and to return to Germany happy, espe.
cialy in his escape from the accursed bottle
imp. With such thoughts, he repaired in the
evening to a tavern to rest himself, and put
| down his box. curious guest said to him :
What strange creature have you got there
fellow, in that pbial, that tumbles about 81
Queerly !' Alas! he perceived that among
bis other purchases he had unawares retakeS
tho bottle imp. He offered it eagerly to each
of the company for three-pence-he himself
had paid for 1t but four-but mono would take
so ugly and useless thing; and as he persist
ed in pressing his worthless wares on them,
they pushed him, box, bottle, and all, out at
the door.
Richard in despair fed out of the city, and
did not rest till he had quilted the Venetian
Territory, the scene where ell his woes begun
horror seizu II him of all great cities; be
knew not what to do, or where to get rid Of his
inseparable companion. At length he deter
mined to become a soldier, hoping easily to
part with his wretchcd bargain in the camp.
lie heard that two Italian States were at war
with each other, and prepared to attach him.
self to either side So, having drawn again on
his inexhaustible bank, he aTrayed himself IN
rich gold-wrought cuirass, splendid plum
ed hat, two-frst rate light guns, bright pol.
ished sword, and two daggers, and mounted
on Spanish steed rode forth with three we'll
armed followers on COED horses
Such a combatant, and one, too, who desired
no pay, was sure to be welcome in any army
and Richard soon found himself in a camp,
where he lived Very comfortably, and in wine
and play seemed to have forgotten his anie-
ties. Sharpened by former i'll success, he took
care not to offer his bottle imp too formally for
sale, but saying nothing about it, waited to
make the bargain unexpectedly in jest.
Oae morning the call TO arms washeard; the
whole forces we're collected, and in a little
while the plain was seen full of the infantry
Of both parties, engaged in hot action, while
the cavalry were drawn up apart The horse
Of the enemy, being inferior in number, re-
treated before the superior force, and for q
while Richard enjoyed himself wonderfully,
caracoling on his splendid horse, his weapons
rattling, and himself in safety. But present
ly infantry and cavalry began to mingle in
general affray musket-balls hissed around
Eorsemen fell, and as strengthened by largo
reinfOrcements, the enemy's horse came down
apon them, Richard thought, "What fool i
was to come here" l am much nearer death
than was on my sick bed, and if one of those
Kissing balls catches me, then I am the prey
of the bottie-imp and his master forever "
Just as he was thinking, his Spanish horse
was seized with a panic, and went rearing and
plunging backwards till they reached q wood
not far off. He spurred him about under the
lofty trees till he became exhausted, and stood
still. Then he dismounted, took off cuirass
and shoulder belt, uHsaddled the horse, and
feebly stretching himself in the grass, said:
90 w ell, am scarcely fit for a soldier, at least
| with bottle-imp in my pocket He tried
to think Of what next to do, butfell fast asleep.
After some hours Of quiet slumber, sound
| of mems voices and footsteps struck his ear
| but nesting in his cool, comfortable cauch,
| and rssoluteiy Indifferent to the noise, he was
| sinking still deeper into delicious sleep, when
a laundering voice shouted to him Are
ycu dead, you scoundrel? only speak If you
are, that one may not waste charge Of pow
der" Thus urple easantly awakened he looked
MP, and saw a musket cooked ct his breast,
held by q grim looking foot soldier, while
others were rifling his property. He begged
for mercy, crying in the utmost anguish, 80 if
they scouid shoot him dead, that at least they
should first buy the little phial in his right
hand doublet pocket"
,"Stupid fellow" laughed one of them "I
won't buy it from you, but take it from you
certainly :" and SO he drew out the imp, and
put it in his breast.
And welcome" 3" cried Richard, "if you
can only keep it; but unpaid for it won't t stop
by you" The soldiers laughed, and went off
with the plunder, not troubling themselves
further about the man, whom they took TO be
half crazy. Richard felt in his pocket and
f0unQ the po1al I1eTe- hc isuouScu, anu Acio
IL up aftssthem. The man who had taken it,
in establishment clutchsd his dress, found it
not, and ran back for it
81 told you," said Richard, I" You couldn't
keep it So Only give me a few pence for It
The soldier now took a fancy to the frolic-
some thing, which now, too, as was his custom
when handled, showed itself very lively in
| the expectation of the approaching close of its
service. But the threeperce charged for it
| seemed to the soldier too much SO Richard
said impatiently, "W Well, skinfint, as you
will; give me a penny, and take your prop
erty.i Thus was the bargain concluded the
money paid, ard the little Satan handed over
Richard now bethought himself what to do
lie stood there with Hight heart, but with
light pocket too, and no means of filling it,
| for he dared not return to the corps Of caval-
| ry from which he had shamefully fed 50 he
proposed to these foot soldiers to join their
company. He soon discovered that they be-
longed to. the opposite side, whore he would
not be known; and now, that he is rid Of the
bottle-imp and all his cash, he felt not indis-
posed to risk his life for the chance of booty