The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-01-12

horribly. There was but one last
throw On which they wagered ALL
Ezekiel shook the dice and threw fif-
teen, but Peter threw eighteen, and a
coarse voice behind him said -" So
| that was the last" He looked around
and there behind him stood the gigan-
tic Dutch Michel. Terrified he LET
/ fall the money which he had already
1 gathered up. But the stout Ezekiel
did not see the forester. He asked
for the loan of ten guldens. Peter
felt in his pocket, but there was moth
ing there and now for the first time
j he remembered his wish, that he might
/ always have as much money. as the
stout Ezekiel. Everything had van
4 ished like smoke. The landlord and
Ezekiel would not believe him and
falling upon him flung him cut of the
door. No star shone in the sky as he
went home. but still he could distin-
guish dark figure, which strobe be-
side him and at last spoke -" All is
over with thee, Peter Munk, all thy
magniticence is OF an end, and / could
have told thee as much before, when
Ethou weuldst not listen to me. Thou
Irseest now what one gets by disdain-
j ing me. Tomorrow can be found
ian day at the Pine Tree Hill' Peter
answered nothing and ran home as
fast as he could. ta}I -
Next day when Peter went to his
glass works, the sheriff and two Off
GERS were there, with an utter absence
of all ceremony. He did not stay
long to quarrel with them, but ran off
to the Pine Tree Hill as fast asif the
ShaPiffso nf57narc xxyoto of hnpfe -
| Suddenly in the forest a gigantic rafts-
man appeared with his pole before
him, it was the Dutch Michel. IL
Soonest thou at last? 2" he said
laughing. Did they want to fay you
alive and sell your skin for the bene-
| fit of your creditors? But then who
would bargain with that niggard, the
Glass Manikin; follow me to my
house and then we shall see if we
can't agree on a bargain" And be-
fore he had time to think Dutch Mi
chel took him in his hand and carried
him off with him. Finally they
reached the house. The room into
which Peter was carried was exactly
like other peoples rooms. Michel
showed him a seat, placed o jug of
wine on the table,, and. then there fol-
lowed such telling of the joys of the
world, of foreign lands, beautiful cit
les and rivers, that Peter at last ex-
pressed his great longing for them all.
Yes indeed, but thou must first get
rid of something out of thy body,
that pursues thee every place and con-
stantly worries and tortures thee. p
| Dost thou mean my heart ~ asked
Peter. But how can I manage so
that it will no longer go? have long
tried hard to leave it behind, but it
was no use II. Thou canst not, but
give the little thing to me and thou
wilt ever after be merry, nothing
more will trouble thee" How can
/ give away my heart without d ying ~
Well to be sure If were to cut it
out like a surgeon thou wouldest die.
But with me it is different. Come in
and convince thyself." With these
words he led Peter into chamber
which made him feel quite comfort
bic. Onswoeden rackets stood glass
jars, filed with transparent liquor,
and in each jar lay a heart; but ON.
the label of each jar stood the name.
there was the heart of the Sheriff of
F., the heart of the stout Ezekiel, the
heart of the king of the dancing floor,
.4GG
Look, these have all thrown off the
sorrows and troubles of life and none
of these hearts beat any more" "Bnt
what do they have instead ~ 'fTbis,"
answered the other, "a heart of stone."
Poor Peter could not avoid shudder.i
That must be coid," said he. No,
only pleasantly COOL" But I hope
for money and you give me stone."
I Al. h
would be enough for thee to begin
with. If thou art clever thou will
soon be millionaire" Good Mi
chel!" cried Peter, g Give me the
stone and the money" N thought
as much, thou art a clever fellow after
all. Let us take another drink lH-
They seated themselves again in the
room and drank until Peter dropped
off into a heavy sleep. is''
n Peter Munk the charcoal burner
was wakened by the clang of the post
horn. He sat in a handsome chariot
and away lie went int the wide,
wide world. i3l
+ Light hearted, the charcoal Peter
drove away from his home. "A He
scarcely thought for an instant of his
mother and the home behind him, for
pockets were stuffed with gold and
bills, and wherever he came, he be-
haved in way tha. astounded the
people. Two years pissed thus in the
world, but real happiness he never
had !, only where a heart had noughtl
to do with it, in eating and drinking,
did it go well with him, Weariness
and satiety-not home sickness
drove him, finally, back again to the
Black Forest.-He had no sensatit n |
as he saw the high frs, the DARK for
;ests again. His first visit was to the
Dutch Michel, who received him with |
his old Kindness and to whom he
complained of his desolateness-but
the wood spirit laughed and thought,3
only work was wanted, tedium alone |
was embittering his life-not the
stone heart. He presented him with |
another hundred thousand gnldens |
and bade him farewell like a good old
friend. Yz. ss,s.a5s sssFil "a
Soon it was known in the whole
Black Forest that Charcoal Peter /
Munk was there again. And things |
went merry once more ne was q reg
ular usurer now, that was his work.
Soon half the Black Forest was in his !
debt, and the Sheriff his best friend. |
for he gathered in his money for him
in the most merciless manner. He to-1
tally refused to listen to anything
about his mother, who had fallen in
to poverty and want. When on Sat
urday ev, nj lgsss she knocked at his door
he would fling her q six batz piece |
and slam the door in her face. Att
last Peter got the idea of marrying, |
curiously enough his choice did not
fall on daughter of q rich manufac-,
tprer, but on the child ofa poor wood
chopper. To be sure she was thei
prettiest maid in all the Blackl Forest. /
But it did not long go well with Lis 4
abeth, for she had no heart lot stone,
like her spouse, but very soft one |
aa.,ld pof hao.. l. 4 ~ N