Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-15

careful examination, handed it back tc
the visitor.
mo, no, keep it, said the latter, pass.
ing one leg over the other with a self
sufficient air; keep it as souvenir Of
our very pleasant interview"
must understand by this" said the
bailli, carefully depositng the gold, how
ever, in large leathern purse; " must
understand, / say, by this, that if gold
costs you such small pains in the manu-
faciuring, you would rather be paid in
other coin; but as am at loss to know
what recompense would be agreeable to
you, must beg. of you to name your
own conditions"
The stranger reflected for a moment.
II desire" said he, at length, that
the first individual who shall pass over
this bridge may belong body and soul to
me. -
Agreed, ," said the bailli.
Its a bargain, then, said his visitor;
let us prepare the deeds-dictate your
self" n
The bailli took pen, ink, and paper,
and prepared to write. Five minutes
afterward formal agreement was drawn
up, which was signed by the stranger in
his own name, and by the bailli in the
name and on the part of himself and
his parishioners.
By this act the stranger formally en-
gagged to erect, within the space of one
night, bridge strong enough to last for
five hundred years; and the magistrate,
on his part, conceded as payment for
the said bridge, the full right and title
of the stranger to the first individual
whom chance or necessity should com
pei to cross the Reuss over the stran-
gers marvellous yiaduct.
By daybreak the following morning
the bridge was completed Shortly
aherward the portly form of the bailli
appeared on the road from Goschenen;
he came to assure himself that his
strange visitor had kept his promise.
" Good morning" said the stranger.
" You see am man of my word.
And / also" returned the bailli
Howl my dear Curtius," exclaimed
the stranger in tone of astonishment,
is it tpossible that you are going TO de-
vote yourself for the safety Of your
peopleT n
Not exactly" said the bailli dryly,
depositing at his feet sack which he
had hitherto borne over his shoulders,
the cords of which he begun leisurely to
unite. Not exactly, my friend; not
exactly"
Why, what's all this" said the
stranger, endeavoring, from the other
side of the river, to discern the bailli's
strange movements.
"Hurrooshl" shouted the bailli, all at
once.
And dog, dragging kettle at his
tail, dashed, terror-stricken, from the
sack, and, crossing the bridge, rushed
bowling past the strangers feet.
Halloa, therel cried the bailli,
laughing. Don't you see your pay
ment for the bridge running away from
you; why don't you pursue it, mon
seigneur2"
The devil-for it is no use any longer
hiding the fact from our readers, it was
the devil-the devil, then, was furious;
he had reckoned on human being, and
was obliged to content himself with
dog. Meanwhile, as he was in good
company, he put the best face he could
upon the matter, pretended to think the
whole affair an excellent joke, "a righte
merrie conceit," and laughed heartily SO
long as the bailli was present. But no
sooner had the magistrate turned his
back, when he set to work, tooth and
nail, in order to demolish this specimen
of his handicraft; but, alas he had con-
the bridge so conscientiously |
that he only turned his nails and broke |
his teeth without being able to displace |
a fragment.
All at once he perceived what he took |
to be the advance of large concourse
of people. He climbed upon a rock and |
distinctly perceived the clergy of Cos
chenen, cross at head, and banners wav-
ing in the breeze, coming in body to |
bless the devils bridge. Our friend was
now convinced that he had no longer
any business there. He descended sor-
rowfully from his perch and, meeting a
poor COW on his way, as the only object |
he could vent his spleen on, he seized it
by the tail, and, giving it turn or two
around his head, pitched it into the river.
AS to the bailli of Goschenen, he
never heard any more of his internal
architect. Only, the first time that he
had occasion to open his purse, he burnt
his fingers severely, the golden ingot
having returned to the original state it
had been in when drawn from the FIRE.
The bridge, as the stranger had prom
sed, lasted FIVE hundred years. A new
bridge has now stolen its name, but the
'emains of the old one still exist beside