The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-02-23

Hs0 ~Vv't u"u S,NS VI u Steppeu wei
dressed man. Tho peasant got up ant
asked the seeming Lord what no wanted
and hoW he could serve him. The Strang
or, Offering his hand to the peasant, said
:" desire nothing more than 10 enjoy
q hOmely repast with you. Cook somt
potatoes in your usual fashion, and wher
they are ready I will sit down at youI
table and eat them"
The peasant laughed, and replied
a" You are some Count, or Prince, OF
perhaps some Arch-Duke; distinguished
lords like you have often such fancies
but your will shall be DONE"
The PEASANTS wife thereupon went into
the kitchen, and began to wash the pota.
toes, peal them, and make them into
dumplings, us they were used to prepare
them. While she thus proceeded with
her work, the peasant invited the lord Ia
como and look round his garden, which
yet yielded little produce. Now, in the
garden he had dug holes in order to set
trees
Have you no children to help you in
your work '" asked the stranger.
mo !" replied tho peasant; "but
once had sou, but he wandered out in
the world long while ago. lie was q
wild youth, and very spirited, aud So, in
stead Of learning any thing, he was always
up to some tricks /; at last hc ran away
from me, and have heard nothing of him
since"
As the man spoke he took young tree,
and placing It in one Of the holes, planted
n pole beside it. Then as he filed in the
soil, and pressed it down, he tied the stem
at the bottom, middle, and top to the pole,
with straw band.
'tBut tell me, " suddenly said the strang.
er, why you do not bind the crooked,
knOtty stem, In yon corner, which is al.
ways bent to the ground, likewise to q
pole that 1t may grow straighty"
my Lord, replied the peasant, with n
laugh, you talk az you know one may
easily see that you understand nothing Of
gardening. Yon tree is old aud knotted
by age and nobody could make it straight
again. Trees should DO trained while
they are young"
$50 it il with your son." said the
stranger; had you trained him when
no was young in right ways, ho would
not have run away; now, ho will also
grow hardened and knotted."
Truly, it Is long since he went away,"
replied tho old man, but perhaps he is
changed"
"Would you know him again if he
came back :" asked the stranger abruptly.
"Not by his face, indeed" replied the
peasant; "but hO has q mark upon him,
. mole upon his shoulder as large as 0
bear"
At these words the stranger drew of
his coat, and, barring his shoulder, showed
the father the MOLE"
You are indeed my son." said the old
man, and oil his love returned for his
"but yet, how can you be my son; you
have become q great lord, rolling in riches
and abundance; by what path have you
arrived at this Y"
Alas! my father" replied the son,
"the young trec was bound to no pole,
and grew crooked now Is It too old tC
become straight again. How have
gained thisl you ask ! have been O
Thief But do not be frightened; l am q
Master. Thief. Neither locks nor bolts
avail against inc; whatever I wish for |.
mine. Think not that steal like com.
mon thief; no, ] only take from the abun
dance Of the rich. The poor are safe, fol
| rather give to them than take from
them. So also touch not what car
obtain without craft or skill"
ALAS! my son." replied the old man,
II can have no pleasure in this; thief il
q thief, whether clever or not, and warn
you come not to any good end"
So saying he led him to his mother, and
whom she heard that he was her son, She
wept for joy, but when she was also told
that he had become thief, two rivers, a
It were, Of tears flowed from her eyes
At length she said:
" He is still my son, although become
q Mastsr.Thicf, and mine eyes have seer
him once more
The three then sat down to table, anG
he ate again with his parents the coarse
fare which he had not tastcd for 80 long
During the meal tho old peasant said e
his son:
"If our master, the Count of the Castle
above there, knew who you were and what
you were doing, he would not, methinks,
take you in his arms and rock you, as HI
once did at your christening; he would
rather cause you to DO hung on tho gal
lows"
"Do not be afraid, my dear father, ht
will do nothing to me; | understand my
trade too well. To-day even l will 20 e
him."
So when it was evening the Master
Thief got into his carriage and drove L
the Castle, where the Count received him
with coUrtesy, because ho took him fol
s0mO noble personNge. But when tbs
stranger disclosed bis real character, tn,
Count turned pale, aud sat in silence fol
some time. At last hc said:
"Since you are my gOdsOn will foregS
justice for mercy, aud show forbearanc,
to yon. But because you profess to be {
Master Thief | will put your art to tn,
proof, and II thcn you fail, you must kccE
your wedding with tho hangman's daugh
ter, and 'thVOawing Of the rocks shall b,
the music TO celebrate It"
Ay NtN SVuuS Vepteu tue MaSter
Thief "thihk Of three as difficult tasks q.
you can, and II I do not fulflll my preten
siOnA do with me Hs you will"
The Count considered for some minutes
and then said:
"EOr the first task you shall steal ou
Of It's stable my favorite horse; for III,
second you shall take away from my wit;
and me, whsa We are asleep, the counter
paRe under which We lie, without Oul
knowledge, and also the ring OF my Wife
finger. For the third and last task, yo,
shall steal out Of the church the parse,
and the clerk. Now mark I'll this well
for your neck depends upon It's due per
f0rmahce."
Thereupon the Master Thief went {,
the nearest town and there purchased tn
cd clothes OF . country wife and put then
e.. Then he dyed his face dsep brown
and fashioned wrinkles on II, so that no
body could have recognised him. Lastly
he filed q ANAL cask with old Hungar
wine, in which be mixed powerful sieer
ing drug. Then, laying the cask in