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

moment the steeple CLOCK stFVY8 I'VE
and as soon as the last stroke bad rungl
the Master-Thief began 10 cry with
clear, loud voice - - = - IL
Hear oil you sinusEsl heArs ihAsrJ thl
end Of the world Is come, the eteEnal day
IL near; hear, heart Whoever VIII 60 to
Heaven with me, let him creep into thu
sack. l am Peter, who opens and shuta
the gates Of Heaven, See out there in the
church yard the dead wandering about,
collecting their bones together. Come,
come, come, and Cresp into the sack, for
the world passes away" 4HN' '*'' "
His wordsresonnded through the whole
village; but the ParsOn and Clerk. who
lived close to the church, first understood
what he said and when they perceived
the lights wandering about IN the church.
yard, they believed that sOSuething uN'
common was hanpeniDg, end went into
the church. They listened for . while "a
the preacher; and at length the clerk
nudged the ParsoH, and said to him
1t would not be . bad plan if We
made use Of this opportunity before the
dawning of eternal day, to get to Heaven
in an easy way"
"Oh, certainly I" Seplied the Parson,
I" that is exactly what think {; II you de-
sire 1t, we will forthwith enter on the
journey" -,7,---.----
"Ycs I" said the Clerk d" but you have
the precedence, Mr.. ParsOn; I will follow
you"
So the parsOn mounted the chancel
steps, and crept into the sack which the
Master-Thief held open, closely followed
by the Clerk. Immediately tho Thiel
drew the neck Of the sack tight, and
swinging It round, dragged It down the
steps, aud so often as tho heads Of the
poor fellows 10 It knocked against the
floor, he cried to them
"Ah now we arc going over the noun.
tainsi" ,...0 =.
When they were out Of the church he
dragged them in The sams manner thrQpgh
the village, and called the puddleS which
the sack went into ''the CLOUDS. BY!
aRd'by they came toEthS castle AadAaS -
dragged tho sack pP the slepsnlIt tAenlaA
them as those which led to, the gate N
Heaven, and said he
1--WE shall soon be IN the entrance.
court now" HHH'8' Ia q ~ 'sF9Q
As soon - he got to the-top, hsPushed
the sack into the dove.coto and, whoa the
doves fluttered about lie told tho Parson
and Clerk to listen to the ehgcls dutter-
ing their wings Then he pushed the
bolt to aud went away. .'ni''d 81 uiif
The next morning the er-Thisi
presented himself before the Count, and
told him that he had performed the third
task, and drawn the ParsOn and Clerk out
Of the church. --44l--,' lGl,-.
"Where have you LEFT them :" asked
tho Count, ------,-.-.-.., ---.-,----
They are lying In the sack In the dove:
cote," said the Thief "snd fancy them.
selves in Heaven" - >7-itu.''
The Count went himself, and saw thai
the Thief had spoken the truth bat be
freed the two poor men from their i'm.
prisonmeht. After he had d0n6 50, be
said TO the Thief ,.if,tc " cs ~ a'a.
You are indeed an apch-thieG, and
have won your wager. For ,thiA tune you
may escape with . whole skin, but take
care to keep away from my provinces
for II you venture again into my power,
you shall be elevated on che gAllown" !
The Master Thief then to0k hin leave;
and after he had said good. bye to hiG
parents, he went away to distant coun-
try, and nobody has seen ~ heard Of him
since. Ts.'