The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-12-21
CHRISTMAS STORY.

III q ldTS0 1OuSc, W0eE6 Ill LQ6 CQl6I
rooms were panneled, there lived,
| once upon a time, a farmer, whose i'll
| fate it was that a servant of his that
was left alone to guard the house on
the night of Christmas-eye, while the
rest of the family went to church, was
found dead when the family returned
home. AS soon as the report of this
was spread abroad, the farmer had the
greatest difficulty in procuring SER
wants who would consent to watch
alone in the house on that night; un-
til at last one day a man, strong fell
low, offered him his services to sit up
alone and guard the house. The far
mer told him what fate awaited him
for his rashness, but the man despised
such fear, and persisted in his de-
termination. ..-...i-.-.. .ss $
On Cbristmas-eve, when the farmer
and all his family, except the new
man servant, were preparing for
church, the farmer said to him.
Come with us to church; 1 cannot
leave you here to die" E y3 TgfgJT
But the other replied, s.I intend to
stay here, as it would be unwise in
you to leave your house unprotected !;
and, besides, the cattle and sheep must
have their food at the proper time Z
s'Neyer mind the beasts" answered
the farmer. Do not be SO rash as to
remain in the house tonight, for when
ever we have returned from church
ON this night, we have always found
every living thing in the house dead,
with all its bones broken"
But the man was not to be persua-
ded, as he considered all these fears
beneath his notice; so the farmer and
the rest of the servants went away
and left him behind, alone in the
house. e
AS soon as he was by himself, he
began to consider how to guard against
anything that might occur, for dread
had stolen on him, in spite of his cour-
age, that something strange was about
to take place. Atlast he thought that
the best thing to do was first of all to
light up the family room and then to
find some place in which to hide him.
self. As soon as he had lighted all
the candles, he moved two planks out
Of the wainscot at the end of the room
and creeping into the space between
it and the wall, restored the planks
to their places, SO that he could see
plainly into the room, and yet avoid
being himself discovered.
He had scarcely finished concealing
himself when two fierce and strange
looking men entered the room and
began looking about.
One of them said, ~ smell hu-
man being"
"No, replied the other, s'there is no
human being here.n
They then took a candle and con-
tinued their search, until they found |
the mans dog asleep underEone of the |
BEDS They took it UP, and, having |
dashed it. on the ground till every
bone in its body was broken, hurled /
it from them. When the man-ser-
want saw this, he congratulated him
self on not having fallen into their
hands.
Suddenly the room was filed with.
people, who were laden with tables
and all kinds of furnitue, silver, cloths
and all, which they spread out, and
hvaing done SO, sat down to o rich
supper, which they had also brought
with them. They feasted noisily, and
spent the remainder of the night
drinking and dancing. Two of them
we're appointed to keep guard, in or
Ter to give the company due warn
Ing of the approach either Of anybody
DE- of the day. Three times they went
put, always returning with the news
hat they saw neither the approach of
my human being, nor yet the break
Of day.
But when the man-servant suspect
I'D the night to be pretty far spent, he
Jumped from his place of concealment
INTO the room, and elashing the two
Dlanks together with as much noise
ls he could make, shouted ike a mad
man: .az8 z3IEH ~ - =
.sThe day the day the dayl"
On these words the whole company
rose scared from their seats and rush
I'd headlong out, leaving benind them
not only their tables and silver dishes
put even the very clothes they had ia
Ken off for ease in dancing. In the
hurry of flight many were wounded
md trodden under foot, while the rest
,an into darkness. the man servant af-
er them, clappipg the planks together
md shrieking, aThe day the day y
1ntii they come to large lake. into
which the whole party plunged head
ong and disappeared.
From this the man knew them to
De water elves.
Then he returned home, gathered
,he corpses of the elves who had been
killed in the flight, killed the wound
I'd ones, and making good heap of
hem ali, burned them. When he had
inished this task he cleaned up the
louse and took possession of all the
treasures the elves had left behind
hem. .. =. .as-.s - "a.
On the farmers return, his servant
old him all that had occurred, and
'howed him the spoils. The farmer
praised him for brave fellow. and
him on having escaped
with his life. The man gave him half
he treasures of the elves and ever af-
prospered exceedingly.
This was the last visit the water
lives ever paid to that house.
I'LL L