The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-10-21

you'll live and die a lazy fellow" And
with this he went on his way briskly
to make up for the lost time, intending
to offer his new employer a bundle of
wool to cancel their agreement, and sct
up for himself.
On being left alone, Tom began cali
ing aloud on the Nix to come ont of the
water; but he might have bawled till he
was hoarse, for any attention that
seemed likely to be paid TO his adiura-
tions. Then he flung away his card
with great contempt, as a useless tool,
and sauntered up and down like a town
idler, with his hands in his pockets, and
whistling a tune. He next set to cary
ing his name on a tree, only he did not
get beyond the first letter, because even
this was too much trouble; and lastly,
he sat down under the tree. and picking
up psome stones lying within his reach,
began 6inging them into the lake, like
so many minute-guns, storming the
Niz's watory castle
BY the time he had exhausted theam-
munition within his reach, he suddenly
felt a wet hand laid on his shoulder.
and, turning round, he saw the Nix
standing behind him, in the same
garb as before, only with hair shaggi-
er and wilder than ever, and with eye
brOws ominously knit.
"What do you want?" said he; "and
why do you disturb my waters2"
81 am only fishing for luck, said
Tommy; "and if you will but give me
a wish, as you did my comrade, I'll new
er disturb your waters so long as live.
1t isn't fair he should have ali the luck
to himself"
"WeI," grumbled the Nix, GIL
give you three chances Of good luck. &"
"Whore are they?" asked Tom, hold
ing out his hand.
"You foolish fellow" said the Nix.
gruhly, sit is for you to make the
most of the chances by taking care to
wish for something sensible. 8"
And before Tom could ask another
question the Nix had disappeared,
though whether into his own lake SEEM
ed probicmatical for not even the
faintest eddy wrinkled the surface of
the water, as though the stalwart
sprite had taken a plunge below.
"NOw," said Tommy to himself, 81
won't be such a fool as Wat. No more
wool.carding for me And though
he's pleased to say larks never fall ready
roasted into ones mouth, I've but to ask
and have; only I'll have something bet
ter than larks. So now I'll wish that
by shaking this tree I'm sitting under,
there would fall down a roast goose and
all sorts of nice things for my dinner"
This was no sooner said than done.
Tommy shook the hee to some purpose.
Down fell goose, roasted 20 a turn,
besides all sorts of daintics, in suffic-
lent quantity to satisfy an alderman.
"NOw, this is what l like" thought
Tom; "to live on the fat of the land,
and have no trouble. I shall come
every day to this tree, as if it was an
inn."
But then he recollected that he must
wish again, in order to be able to shake
the tree, so as to produce the same re-
suits, and in three days his three
wishes would be wasted on three good
dinners, certainly, but evanescent, after
all, as the best of dinners must neces-
sarily be. So he saw thatwould not do;
only, being very thirsty, after partaking
of such highly seasoned dainties, and
thinking it too much trouble to rise and
fetch some water, Tommy cried out,
81 wish it would rain wine for the
next five minutes, and then l should
only have to open my mouth, without
even the necessity Of lifting a glass to
my lips"
Immediately a gentle shower began
pattering amongst the leaves, while
Tom laid himself on his back and
opened his mouth, into which there
kept dripping the most exquisitely fla
vored wine mortal ever tasted, to which
Lunel or Brontignac, or even Shiraz,
are but as the rinsings of bottle, when
compared to the streHgth and sweet
ness of this novel vintage. 1t is true
Tom was drenched to the skin during
the FIVE minutes the shower lasted;
still, he did not complain; there he lay,
in a half-fuddled state, thinking it
would have been very nice if such
shower had lasted much longer.
In spite Of the hazy condition of his
intellect he recollected that lie had one
more chance left; and now that he had
eaten and drank his fiji, he began
thinking what he should wish for next.
otis not I who should be foolish
enough to wish for a card full Of wool,
that's certain, said he to himself, with
a chuckl6; "but if ask for plenty Of
money can cat roast goose and drink
wine every day, and never have to do
an hours work. So / wish, with all my
heart, there would fall heavy shower
of gold and silver coins for the next
hour, and then 1 shall have a good time
Of it as long as l live"
His imprudent wish was no sooner
spoken than granted. Down fell, not a
gentle shower but downright torrent
of gold and silver pieces, harder and
heavier than hailstones-falling, too,
without intermission, and hitting him
smartly as they fell, In vain Tom roar
cd aloud to the Nix to stop the rain; he
might as we'll have argued with q whirl-
wind 1t still went on rqining gold
aud silver for the next hour at the end
Of which the foolish fellow lay buried
beneath his treasure, having forfeited
his life, like many another miser than
1o A., -,, 5000 fnor Toro 90 .,11