The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1860-12-29
5tlftItiulna..
THE LITTLE REDCAPs OF KER.
!. LEAUt=; Fiji
~ .tR VII ppprr,, 80 l . ,,E.2

| STOOD there Tor many atees ,.':.' -. -
II In the days when good Christian
reached Heaven by faith and good works
i Satan was forced to exercise bis wits 1,
draw them into his snares: he was there
fore much more frequently to he SECT
among men at that time than lie Is nov
Il flor in these days he has no need 10 com,
tous, as We OF orr&own accord 70 I,
him But whatever forethought h,
Knight exercise, and whatever pains III,
| evil spirit might take, his most CAREFUL,
prepared plots would sometimes fail, eyer
when brought to bear upon the siInpl,
ones. !. ii, - '..'.. !: -.
There was, then, at that time, in The
commune Of Eleven, poor peasant
| named Laurent; he was n widoBer. and
had no other possession IN the world thar
beautiful daughter. the pearl Of The
country, who went ny the name of fair
Jeanette; but though the love Of money
was then less prevalent than it IS now
no one enyitd the good man his treasure
and nolle of the lads Of the parish, though
they were always delighted at an oppor
tunity Of dancing with Jeanette, and paid
her tile compliments, ever thought 81
marrying her. r. ,:.. .@a.s
',,Ahlif j had but a good farm" saiu
poor Laurent to himself, cid make Jean
nette worth being locked after by the
best lads III the commune; but with tho
poor wages of q day-laborer, how can
put anything asideS II the Count 81
I1argoet would only give me some assis
lance, would clear some Of his land
for him, and we should both be gamers by
the bargain 81. ...gt ......s
Hunger, they say, brings the wolf ont
Of the forest, and father Laurent, having
laid all the plans, paid visit to the castle
Of Bargoet, and proposed 10 the Count to
take part Of bis land, and get il into
order, II he would mike him good ad.
vance. .. ..,.... =. =: -. -.
Every good said the Count; II will
give you a hundred crowns, Il good herd
of cattle, and all the tools yon want, but
by this time three years you must have
cleared, and planted, and hedgcd, all the
aaTlsii rhas n Hliontusig toss aIi e. i.i.ss
Thoroughly delighted with his bargain,
Laurent confidently set 10 work He
built cottage for himself and his daugh-
ter, aud stalls for the cattle for in those
days, with q hundred crowns. great
mally stones could be put one apoa
another ~. ..,.... -..--.. .. =. f.. j..
When once they we're lodged, the good
man engaged lahorers, who cut bitches,
piowed tile land, aud sowed great Field,
while they. lived the whole year upon
what was borrowed. But, at the expifa-
ton of twelve months, Laurent found
himself far poorer :han at the beginning,
for he was in debt, and be had hardly
any corn. as the harvest had been bad,
his Iaborers, who had been badly fed, and
not paid at all, had all left him. = ..--..
, Que day, when the unfortunate Lau-
rent was digging q trench alone, and the
sweat was running in streams from lis
brow, and his limbs were aching with fa-
tigue, he lamented his hard lot, and,
clutching his hair, cried ont: F.
YES, ] would, I'd give myself to the
devil for mere nothing" @~...-
Here / am, at your service, said Sd
tan, who was Immediately ut hand.
mo, no, by no lneaUs, thank You"
said Laurent; 81 prefer working alone"
We'll, but III work for you, and with
out wages" .........'
"Oh, no! yon never give anything for
nothing" said the peasant
Come" said Satan, dent 90 on ar
guingi but let's make q bargain. pity
you, for | am good hearted fellow, and
III work for you year and a day
for nothing, Oh the condition that You'll
always supply me with work; but the
very first time it fails, J." .
You'll carry me Off" said the peasant.
"WeII, then ] decline" ......,'
"By no means, you old idiot!' said
Satan; ut isn't you ia have, but your
daughter" -:. ..,..-. ~ ...... .
YOU'D have my daughterl Go along
with you'll" said the exasperated Laurent
well, but You always. remain poor,
you'll have no means Of getting your
daughter married" =
"Well, then, let her be an old maid all
her life; | don't care" - -.
ayes, its possible you don't care; but
how about herr -..-
T. Poor Laurent set himself TO think.
"There's great sight o work to be done
here, and shall easily employ him for a
year apd day; he'll be awfnIIy cunning
if he cOntrtges to do all / shall give him"
"Well," he said, at length, d"
"You Fefnse?" said Satan. s.-
"No, on the contrary, ] accept
"Well. then, master, what shall j do?"
Finish this ditch, while ] 20 and
rest" -,
As long as there were fields TO be
plowed aud sown, grass to be cu., corn to
be thTaGhed, and wagons to be built, all
went on well. and they were quite at their
ease; but after eight dnys of hard labor,
there was not much left to he done, and
the fear of finding nothing for his work
man 10 do began to torment tho good
map, who looked at his daughter with
fear and trembling. Day and night he
racked his brain TO end some means OF
occupying the activity Of Satan; he lost
his appetite, aud be daily grew thinner
and saddeE, =.