The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-08-07
The Magic Mill.

At Apo1da 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 mill is turned by two stout
serving men. Old women are thrown
in at the top, wrinkled and bent, with
out hair and without teeth, and they
reappear below quite young and trim,
with cheeks as rosy as an apple; one
turn does it-crick, crack it 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 "Painful on the con-
trary, it is quite delightful p
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
to the mill she would go. It was slow
work, for often she had to rest on her
way, and sometimes she was stopped by
fit of coughing. By degrees, how
ever, she gradually got over the dis
tance, and at last she stood before the
mill.
"I wish to be ground young again, "
she said to one of the serving men, who,
with hands in his pockets, was quietly
sitting on bench, putting rings of
smoke into the still blue air.
What journey it is to Apolda p
she said.
"And pray what may your name be ?''
said the man, with yawn.
"Old Mother Redcap."
"Sit down, then, on bench, Mother
Redcap," and the man went into the
mill, and, opening 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"
"Sign y screamed the old woman.
"What sign my poor soul away,
suppose? No, no never will l dc
that. 1 am a pious woman, and hope
one day to reach heaven"
Its not quite as bad as that" said
the man, with grin. "This paper is
only list of all the follies you have
committed during your life. You will
find it quite complete-to the very day
and hour. Before 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
tinued he, glancing down the paper
" there's pretty good list, Mother Red
cap From sixteen to six and twenty
every day one, except Sunday, when
there's two Then it seems to have
been a little better till the forties.
Then it came thick enough, must say
Toward 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 &
cost p
"No, I admit it never would" replied
the man. every few, indeed, could il
ever repay, and so we have an easy time
of it. Seven red-letter days in a week
The mill is always still-at least of late
years. 1t was trife more lively long
ago."
:" Now, couldn't we just strike out g
few things?" pleaded the old woman,
with tap on the mans shoulder
"Suppose we only say three things.
wouldn't mind doing all the rest owe,
again, if it must really be so, only lei
| just three be struck out"
No, no, replied the man, "that is
quite impossible. All, or none"
Here, then, take back your list,
said the old woman, after some thought
81 don't care pin about your stupit
old MILL" and she went her way.
When she reached home the goo(
folk came to look at her, and, in sur
prise, exclaimed "Why, Mother Red
cap, you come back older than yo,
went. so there's no truth in the mill
after all ?" She coughed little dr.,
cough, and answered "There is grea
deal of truth in the mill, but 1 wa
frightened and after ala little NOR,
or less of this life-what does i
matter ?"