Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-12-18
The Magic Mill:

At Apolda stands the Oldwives' Mill.
In appearance it Is much the same as a
huge coffee mill, only that it is worked from
beneath instead of from above. Two large
beams form the handles by which the Mil
is turned, by two stout serying.ncn. The
old women are thrown in at the top, wrin.
klod and bent, without hair and without
teeth, and they re-appear below quite young
and trim, with cheeks as rosy as an apple !.
one turn does it--crack k.crack il goes, ex-
citing the very brain only to listen Yet
when those who have become young are
asked if it is not painful process, they
answer, d" Painful ! on the contrary, il is
quite delightful For all the world as
when one wakes in the morning after good
nights rest, and the sun shines into the
room, aud the birds twitter, and the trees
rustic"
A long way from Apolda, there lived
once upon time, an old woman. She had
often heard Of the Mill, and as she had
been very happy in her youth, she one fne
day suddenly determined that to the mill
she would go. IL was slow work, for often she
had to rest on her way, aud sometimes she
was stopped by fit Of coughing. BY de-
grees, however, she gradually passed over
the distance, and at last she stood before
the Mill.
wish to be ground young again" she
said, to one Of the serying-men, who. with
hands in his pockets, was quietly sitting
on a bench, putting rings Of smoke into the
STILL blue air.
What a journey it is to Apolda,' she
added.
And pray what may your name be ?"
said the man, with a yawn.
"Old Mother Redcap."
Sit down, then, on a bench, Mother
Redcap :" and the man went into the Mill
and opening a thick book, returned with a
long strip of paper.
" That's the bill, my boy, IS it ?" asked
the old woman.
" Not bit Of it," replied the other
grinding costs nothing at all only you
must sign this paper"
Signw screamed the old woman.
-" What sign my poor soul away, sup
Dlrt ANNt hhf htNIi Mtll 4 w AudAs dhl
pious woman, aud hope one day to reach
heaven :"
Its not quite so bad as that" said the
man, with grin. " This paper is only a
list Of all the folles you have committed
during your life. You will find it quite
compleie-io the very day and hour. Be-
fore you can be ground young again you
must pledge yourself to commit them all
over again, just in the very same order as
before-exactly as they stand here. To be
sure" continued he, gIaneing down the pa
per, " there's pretty good list, Mother
Redcap From sixteen to six and twen-
ty, every day one, except Sunday, when
there's two Then it seems to have been
little better till the fortes. There it
comes thick enough, must say Towards
the end however, it looks pretty much as
usual"
The old woman sighed and said
But, children it would never repay
one to be ground young again at such a
cost!'
"No, l admit, it never would" replied
the man every few indeed could it ever
repay, and so we have an easy time oil IT..
Seven red-letter days in the week The
Mill is always still, at least Of late years.
II was tride more lively long ago"
Now, couldn't we just strike out few
thiugs2" pleaded the old woman, with a
tap on the mans shoulder Suppose we
only say three things. wouldn't mind
doing all the rest over again, if it must
be So only let just three be struck out ?"
Z" No, no." replied the man "thai is
quite impossible All or none"
Here, then, take back your list said
the old woman, after some thought; 81
don't care a pin about your stupid old
Mill" and she went her way.
When she reached her home, the good
folks came to look at her, and in surprise,
exclaimed "Why, Mother Redcap, you
come back older than you went So there's
no truth in the Mil after all ?" She
coughed little dry cough and answered,
There is great deal Of truth in the Mil
but was frightened but after ala lit
tic more or little less Of this life-what
] docs II moitpr ~