The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-12-03
THE OF CARL TODSCHALK.

MANY are the arrows which father .)ulius
shoots at the folics and vain wishes Of Ordi
nary mortals. From his bursting quiver
have chosen n shaft: and he has not only
gracefully yielded the bow, but has even
shown me how, in spite OF its length, it
may be drawn without hurt to living crea-
tUrc.
Ii was lust as the most viglant cock in
the village was Tapping his wings, pr"para
torv to waking the mllkmaids and other
carly rlsers, that Merlin, the wizard, rose
to 20. lie had been entertained Ike 4
price. All night he had drank the rosicst
# wine, and had sung the roarIn@c~t of
catches; and faithfully. bumper for bump
er, and catch for catch, had Carl Todscha!k
responded. But Merlin must nov 90.
though Curl assured him hat flask of wine
vet remained, the like of which the Kaiser
himself could not hoast. Some other time,
Merlin said, hutn now. One little favor,
however, his guest would ask Of him before
he went: If there were any three things in
this wOrl that Carl TodS ak desired, M"r
lin requested he would name them instantly.
Carl shook his head here was n chance.
Bat what should he chose ?-he, who was
the hAppy man Of the village, with nothing
10 !iesirr.
"Comn nnw." urged the wizard, ''three
wishes wealth, power, fame"
"NAy, nav" broke in Carl, ''none Of those
for me. I'll tell you, thought he added,
frightening up, "s0mctmes my old friend
Bierhnl, calls in to see mc-to talk Of days
gone l,v. to taste my wine, and to sing some
OF the rare songs which only he Knows
But no matter how good the wine is, nor
how much ontreat h. will 20 when the
clock stliEes ten. Now, if you could only
hrwltch the chair in the corner, in which he
alwavS sits. so that nobody can rise from it
witnout my permission, hrppy and grateful
will be"
lit is granted" said Merlin. "Two
wishes vet remain. Choose quickly and
wcII.'
For the last two summers my pear tree
has been robbed hy the thevIng gIpsl.s.-
Canyon give to it, branches the power Of
-rzlng the thieves and squeezing them till
they roar for pam -
1T shah he as YOU desire and woe to
him who shall venture within the grasp of
the branches. And now for the last wish. :
81 would like to live fifty years more,H
said Carl.
The wizard nodded, and. with great
clap Of thunder, disappeared through the
floor, to attend to some business in China
There are many quaint and entertaining
legends current in the village of Frleden-
schlaf (where the events happened precisely
as thev are related here) about the wonder
full Tree and the marvellous Chair, the
choicest of which would Gil many Of these
stately columns. But, leaving these stories
for the amusement of the good villagers,
We, by the power in US vested, take grand
leap Of fifty years, and accompany the pres
ent history in its ma iestic course.
The fly years rolled around, and found
our Carl as hale and hearty an old man as
you could encounter in a days Journey
The last day of the year had came. ltw's
winter. Never was seen before such COM
Portable room, such roaring fire, such a
Jug of punch singing mellow glces on the
mob, or such fine old gentleman, enjoying
all these good things, as were within the
walls of Carl Todschalk's house on that
bitter December day. AS Carl lifted the
Jug from the fire, and poured some of the
rich bubbling liquid into glass: knock
at the door caused him to pause for an
instant.
"Dear me-" he said, pouring the punch
from one glass to another to coollt, "who
on earth pays me visit on such day as
this Z"
A tall form, envelopcd in a long black
mantle, stood in the doorway. In his right
hand he held keen gi,tering sword. In
his left was an hour glass, in the top Of
which, Carl noticed, but o few sands re-
mained.
"My name," said the gloomy stranger, ''is
-DEArH." .......
"You--you--com -come--very suddenly"
stamered Carl.
s.Many men have told me that; doubtless
many more will repeat it, bis visitor an
swered, seating himself in the chair. -.
s'Yes,'' said Carl, into whose mind a
peculiar thought had suddenly tapped. 81
will be ready in moment" he added, and
then began heuping wood on the fire.
"Whv do YOU do that (" asked the stran-
ger. cit is already too hot"
SIT will be hotter presently, | promise
you," replied Carl. pitching on log after
log, till the FIRE snapped and snarled, and
roared, as though it were pack of hungry
wolves pursuing some wretched traveller.
The fire is scorching me! Let me up.
Hn. what is this -
Death was Prisoner in the Enchanted
Chair.
"I'll serve out for this" cried Death,
after fruitless attempt to relenSe himself,
evil you?" qu"th Carl. ''We'll see:
Here, Aennchen, bring up every stick Of
wood from the cellar, and let WlIhe..u help
you. Quick - .,
"Stop, stop" roared the prisoner in
the chair, "would you roast me like a
goose 90