The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-01-26

FROM THE GERMAN.

A poor man, who had twelve children, for
whose bread he had to work day and night,
was in despair when the thirteenth came IN
to the world. He rushed out of his house
determined to ask the first person he met to
be the godfather to the newly born. A bright
and beautiful form appeared to him.
"Poor man." it said, III pity thee. / will
hold thy child at the font; will care for
him, and he shall be happy all his life"
But the man answered: II know thee II
will not have thee sfor. a godfather, for thou
givest to the rich and leavest the poor to
hunger" so tsts S. E sfH
Thus he spoke. who knew not that Provi-
denee is allwise in gifts, who only felt that
poverty is bitterness. So he turned from his
friend, and sought further, and soon a dark
shape appeared.
''Wilt thou have me to be the godfather of
thy child ~ it said. " l will heap gold on
him and he shall enjoy all the pleasures that
NO" cried the man, II know thee too
well; thou dost deceive. and lead men to
sorrow and to sim CsEe gEsF pas
He went on, and presently meagre-legged
Death stallsed before him. a. -..z,
Take me for thy godfather, said he; Il
make all men equal" +a
Il accept thee" answered the man. ''for
thou sparest neither rich nor poor
Il promise thee,' said Death s'that thy
child shall be rich and honored, for nothing
lacks to him who takes me for his friend
When the boy had grown to be a man,
his godfather came TO him, and led him forth
into wood then, showing him an herb he
said:
Now will 1 fulfill my promise. Thou
shalt be G great physician. When thou art
with the sick, if thou seest me at the head,
thou mayest be sure this weed will cure; but
if / stand at the foot, no art will save, for |
shall have chosen. But, beware Use not
this herb with the desire to defraud me, or
thou wiltsweep the day
The Young physician's name became fam
Gus throughout the world from far and near
men sought him, for his word of life or death
never failed fortune smiled ON him, and he
became rich. At last the King fell, and the
skillful doctor was called to his aid When
he reached the royal bed, Death stood at the
foot and stared in the sick mans face. But
the sick man would not despair; for the
sake of such patient, he resolved to outwit
the godfather, trusting to be forgiven for the
first offense. He therefore turned the King $
head. so that Death stood no longer at the
foot, but at the head Hethen administered
the healing herb, and the King was cured
and arose Death scowled on his god-child
and raised his long finger with threatening
gestures. ~#szas 81
"This time pardon thee, he muttered
but betray me not again, or woe to thee.
But sickness again entered the palace, and
the King wept day and night over his only
daughter in his despair, he promised that
she should be the wife of whomsoever saved
her. The physician came and found Dealt
waiting at her feet5; but the maiden's beauty
and innocence tempted him to defy one,
more his godfather. In vain Death frownet
and shook his clenched fist the bed of pain
was turned, the herb was administered, ant
health and strength returned to the sufferer
Then the stern godfather, thus twice cheated
of his prey, seized his god-child with his ice
cold hand, and dragged him into his hom
beneath the earth. There burned million
of fames-some large, some less, some yer,
small, in Unreasonable rows. At every me
ment some were extinguished, and other
kindied; SO that constantly appearing an
disappearing, they seemed ever In motion.
'.These,' said Death, aare the life-lights Q
men, These highest and brightest belong t
children ), the next in size to married people
in their first, best years; the least to tn
aged-though some children and young pee
pie have also small flames.
The physician asked to see his own, an
Death pointed to a feint giimmering light
which seemed on the point of expiring
"That," said he, ''is thine :"
"Ohl dear godfather" said the tremblin.
man, ''let me enjoy more life must be tn,
husband of the little maiden have saved I;
SIN vain dost thou ask" replied Death
'the old flame must die before new one car
be lighted
"Oh, put it on another table that may kin
die as this expires r cried the physician.
Death feigned to grant the petition: but
when he touched the little Pickering flame.
1t fell and was extinguished, and Deaths cold
hand clutchad his rodnhild