The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-01-09
Tie will in the Sea.
A CHRISTMAS LEGEND.

!, In olden' times once lived two brothers
one of which was rich, the other poor. When
Christmas was near at hand, the poor one
had not so much as bit of meat or d crust
of bread in the house, so he went to his
brother, and begged him, in Gods name, to
give him a trife. ,tsu beSalE 1sf7ds
Now, it happened that this was not the
first time that the rich brother had given the
poor one something, and was not particu-
larly delighted when he saw him coming. &
IF you will do as tell you," said he ID
the unwelcome visitor, "you shall have a
whole ham that is hanging up to be
smoked" 'f t1T ''
The poor brother said he would do what
he told him, and thank him, too. - q
"Thcrc it is" said tile rich brother, fling
ling him the ham, "and now 60 to the lower
regions"
/ "Since have promised it, must" OBJ
served the other, taking up his ham and 60
ing his way. ..' ~
| After wandering about the whole day, jus,
as it grew dark, he perceived bright light
at lo great distance from him.
1t must be here, thought he On going
somewhat further in the forest. he found an
old man with long white beard, who was
cutting wood.
GOOD evening" said he with the ham.
".Good evening" replied the man, .1whith-
er may you be soing?" -
"Oh, am only going tothe lover regions,
but don't know whether I've come the
fright way replied the poor simple hearted
man. z5a al sf1gG;isHi hTbzsr9 n .28ja
Yes, you are quite right" said the old
maa, ''the entrance is just here," and then
he added, "whcn you have got down below,
they will all want to buy your ham,, 70,
swine's flesh is a great rarity there; but you
must not sell it for money SO rather ask to
exchange it for the old hand-mill thatstands
behind the door When you come up again
then | will teach you what to do with the
mill. for it has its use, 1 can tell you."' a :
I On entering the underground dwelling,
everything happened just as the old man
had told him. All the irnps, great and
small, gathered round, and. began out-bid.
ding each other for the ham, s.i 9o1.s e = it 9
II had intended feasting upon it on holy
Christmas eve, with my wife," said the man
"bat, as you seem intent on having it, I'm
willing to part with it, bat Iawill not take
anything in exchange except the old hand.
mill that stands behind the door,, ~ !.
The chief imp did not at all relish, parting
with his mill, and he began to haggle and
bargain with the man, but the latter remain.
ed firm, 50 at last the imp was fain to lei
him take the mill away. When the man
had emerged from the underground dwelling,
he asked the old wood -cuttcr how he used
the mill, and when he told him, he thanked
him. aud returned home, but let him make
what speed he could, he did not reach it till
twelve o'clock 1T night. 8fsasfa
/, tsWhere in eworld can yorh,rc hcrnI?''
said his wifc, as h2 aasin, Ifl'vs y Ell sit
4 ting here and waiting hour after hour, a.il
had not as much as couple Of splintcrs TO
I lay across each other under the gruol-pot, TO
cook our Christmas dinner ~ ~ a, i], y, {.
"Oh," replied the man, 81 could not come
sooner, for had soma business 70 mind, and
was obliged to gpa long way about il, But
you shah see what p have brought back viii,
j me-" 2si t2 s25L ssrsaTtq
He then placed the min 81 81 the table. d and
then made il grind, first ofali candles then
a table cloth : then f,od and beer--in short,
all that was wanting FIR Christmas feast
aud whatever he called for, the mill ground
lit Immediately. His wife, stood, by, and
crossed herself many time over, and was
very anxious to know how her hasband /; had
come by the mill But this he took care moi
to tell. KS rsiW ~ fssIFEEc xsY0y
SIT matters pot h9Y I .gqt #, wifes"v " said II
he, "you see that it is good mill, whose
water does not cease to A9H fpa that's
enough" "
And then he ground eatablcs and drinka.
bles, and every possible .daipty, for Christ,
mas week; and on the third day he. invited
This friends to a banquet !, When the .riol,
brother saw what feast was in preparation
he turned hot ana cofd with svexation. for he
rudgcd his brother tHe last wihdAii.'
| "On Christmas eve,n said he to the othen,
guests. |" he was so miserably poor that, be
came to ask me for aatrifle in Gods name
and now, all Of . sudden, he is as grand as
/ il be became an earl or . king Then turn,
ing to his brother. he said. l.iy halia a ii
Whore on earth did you get all these
riches p" s -. .a,,. .'-s ,.g, ~, y - =,
\ "Behind the door," said the ether, wi,t
4 had no mind to let the cat out of. the bag "
But toward evening, when be. had taken a
drop too much, he could not keep his ccln
! sells any longer, but brought out the mill. s,,'
Here is the golden goose that has brough
!. me all my riches" said he, and made TIN
mill grind first one thing and then another
4 On seeing this, the brother wanted 70 buy
4 the mill Of him, but. the other would Il mo-
hear It at first. AT length, however, hi
brother seemed to wish for It so very much
he would take three hundred pounds for it
only he bargsined not to part with it till tn
harvest time; s'sfbr,sf said he, sff 7 keep
till then, / shall be able to grind epoasb fs
many q year to come. go. esrai I -, {, s,s
| N a. = -. sp