Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-03-08

= Castle of Kerleau, the ruins of which ar
stlil standing. and Laurent, now become ;
rich man, had no longer any difficulty il
marrying his daughter Jeanette, was max
ing preparations for her nuptials with a ricl
young farmer He was anxious to have
magnificent wedding. and determined that
everything should be in the best style Sc
he bought the finest cloth that could be
found, and selected the most renowned tailor
in the country to make the clothes The
tailOrs name was Nicholas. and he did bis
work IN Il manner that no one could under
stand. lie was seen to cut out the cloth,
but no one ever saw him sewing; hewcver
the clothes which were entrusted to him
were always well made, were strongly sewed
and were always finished by the dav on
which he had promised them. As soon as he
had taken the measure, he cut out the cloth,
put the pieces into a box, and then went out
TO smoke and drink at a tavern Some said
that Nicholas was a wizard but great many
said that he had sold himself to the devil.
and they were not far from the mark for
when Satan knew that Nicholas had been
sent for to Kerleau to make the wedding
clothes, he came to him and said
al have got to have my revenge upon that
fellow Laurent. and | reckon upon YOUR
doing me good turn; now you must give
me bis daughter OF it will be the worse for
you Do YOU understand me, you tip
pier p
"All right, >" said the tailor. but how
and when shall deliver Jeanette to
you p
"Oh, l leave you to the choice of the
means; but as you are going to kerleau to-
morrow, tomorrow | must have Jeanette.
Now | warn you not to fail"
So the next day Nicholas was at Kerleau,
and began to cut out the cloth early in the
morning when suddenly he said to Jeanette,
who was watching him
81 " Good gracious what bother I'm
pulled up short for want of my tools. I've
left my box behind me, and can't get on
for want Of it.
"Oh, never mind, " said the girl, "I'll go
and fetch it for you
''You re no end of good girl, Jeanette,
said the tailor "here's the key you II find
the box on the board just beneath the win
dow But mind you don't open it, or you'll
meet with misfortune.
No, no, case your mind upon that score
said Jeanette. II won open it." And she |
ran of.
When she had got the box, she put it un-
der her arm, and carried it carefully without |
vcnturing even to look at it. Presently she |
thought she heard something inside it,
yes, there it was again a regular whis /
perlng, tlttering, and what a queer clatteI
what an odd noise it is. Il wonder wheth-
er | could see through the key hole; - SO she
took the key out. Bother | can't see any
thinC-the box must be double If [ were
to open-only a little bit No that won t do,
Nicholas told me that there would be some
accident if did. However, it was only to
irighten me that he said so He's a cunning
fellow, and does not want his secret to get
wind. It's all nonsense ; what could hap
pen II ! did Just look Tito it? If there is an
animal inside, it can't eat me, for it's not as
biz as | am"
Re soning thus, Jeanette, who was then
in the middle Of a wide common, gently
opened the lid Of a box about an inch, but
no sooner had she done this, than a host OF
little dwarls-not 50 large as your thimble,
each with a little red cap upon his head
leapt 10 the ground. and dancing around her
shTiekcd a the top Of their voices
"Some work, Mistress some work '
Jeanette stood quite stupifed, with her
mouth open, and looking at the little men as
they gambolled about her. But at this de-
mand fer work, she thought she was lost
unless she could satisfy them; SO she cried
out -
Come little red caps, pull up all the
bruShwood on the common
50 they Immediately began to pull up all
the tufts Of broom, and IN an instant the
whole common was cleared,
"Some work, Mistress some work ~ said
they again.
Now my little men," said Jeanette,
'climb up to the top of this pile and Jump
down into the box" Whereupon they
up to the top and leapt lightly
down As soon as the last was in the box,
Jeanette doublc-locked it, and ran with 1t
rs hard as she could TO the tailor.
s. Nicholas took all the pieces Of cloth
which he had cut, and stuck Reedles and
thread into them, and then opened his box !
10 give them to his dwarfs to sew but at
the sight of the little men, who stretched
1ut their hands, thoroughly stained green,
be cried out -
"What have you been doing Jeannette,
with my little men, that they have made
their hands 50 dirty2"
"Oh, she replied, Il am sorry to say that,
in running back as fast as | could, let the
box slip. and all the poor little men teil upon
the grass, and when picked them up for
,ot to wash their hands. ~ {
"Ah Jeanette" said the tailor, 'you | )
are very fortunate to have Jared no worse.
"Well, never mind" she answered, "and
IS your little men are hard at work, come :
and taste our cider I
s. Nicholas drank hard all day TO drown t
bis ve1ation, and at night he could scarcely 4
yet up to his room. However. when he was &
there, he opened his box, and tho dwarl5 all
Jumped out ana cried -
"Some work, Master some work.
Garry me down into the yard, SAID Nlch- .
1las, 81 want some fresh air, and my legs I
won't clrry me-" So they took him down
md placed him on the ground, saying -
'..Some work, Master some work
"Always that same accursed song SAID
Nicholas "Well, pick up all the chips that
he stone mssons have been making :
So tho little redcaps filled every corner OF
the ward and soon made heap OF all the
hips, and then they ran back to Nicholas
lgain, saying -
"Some work, Master some work
Bat Nicholas was snoring. and when they Z
lad half woke him, all he could say was -
go to the devil.
At these words the little demons carried of
he unhappy tailor, placed him on the heap OF j
,rit and chips which they had collected,
oiled him again and again in it, and rubbed Z
t into him till 1t reached his very marrow,
md he became stone. And then they placed J
lim under that turrett. where he stands to
his day. I