Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-02
THE MAGICIAN'S LITTLE JOKE.

From the London Fun.l
About the middle of the fifteenth CEN
tury there dwelt in the Black forest
pretty but questionable young maiden
named Simprella Whiskiblote. The first
of the names was hers in monopoly; the
other she enjoyed in common with her
father. Simprella was the most beauti-
full fifteenth century girl ever saw.
She had colored eyes, some hair, and two
lips very near alike, which partly ccv-
cred lot of teeth. She was gifted with
the complement of legs commonly worn
at that period, supporting q body TO
which were loosel y attached, in the man
ner of her country, as many arms as she
had any use for, inasmuch as she was
not required to hold the baby. But all
these charms were only so many objec-
tive points for the operation of the pa
ternal cudgel; for this father of hers was
hard, unfeeling man, who had no bow
els of compassion for his bludgeon. He
would put it to work early, and keep it
going all day, and when it was worn out
with hard service, instead of rewarding
it with steady employment he would
cruelty throw it over and get fresh one.
r. is scarcely to be wondered at that a
pirl harried in this way should be driven
10 the insane expedient of falling in
love.
Near the neat mud cottage in which
Simprella vegetated was dense wood,
extending for miles in various dlrec-
tons, according to the point from which
it was viewed. By method readily un
derstood, it had been so arranged that It
was the next easiest thing in the world
to get into it, and the very easiest thing
in the world to stay there.
In the center of this labyrinth was q
castle of the early promiscuous order OF
architecture, an order which ves until
recently much employed in the con-
struotton of powder works, but is now
entirely exploded. In this baronial hall
lived an eligible single party-a giant so
lall he used a step ladder to put on his
hat. and could not put his hands in his
nockets without kneeling He lived en-
tireIy alone, and gave himself up to the
practice of iniQuity, devising prohibitory
ti1uor laws, imposing the income tax,
and drinking shilling claret. But seeing
one day, he bent himself into
the form of horse shoe magnet to look
into her eyes. Whether it was his mag
netie attitude acting upon Z young heart
steeled by adversely, or his chiEaiEio for
in moi eating her, know not.
| know that from that moment she be,
came .riotously enamefed OF him; and
the reader may accept either the scien'
tic or the popular explanation, aesQFu-
ing to the bent Of his mind.
She at once asked the giant ia mar
riase, and obtained the consent OF his
parents by betraying her father into
their hands, explaining to them, how
ever. that he was not good to eat, but
might be drunk on the prsmises.
The marriage proved a very happy
one. but the household duties OF the
bride were extremely irksome. 1t Ia
tigued her to dress the beaves for din
ner: it nearly broke her back to black
her lord S boots without any scahoioing'
1t took her all day to perform any kindly
little office fof him. But she bore 1t ah
uncomplainingly, uRiii one morning he
asked her to part his back hairi then
the bent spring sapling of her spirt
sez IN and hit him in the face. She gath
cred ap some French novels and retired
to a lonely tower 10 breathe out her soul
in unavailing regrets.
One day she saw below hes ~ the
forest q dear gazelle, gladdening heC
with its sSft black eye. She leaned out
of the window sd said s'catl The ami
nal did not move. fksc she waved her
syms-abOve described-and said 5 cat
Th:s time he did not move as much as
he did hafore. Simprella decided he
must have 9 III against her; so she
closed her shutters. areZ down the blind
and pinned the curtains together. a
moment later she opened them and
peeped out. Then she went down TO ex-
amine his collar, that she might order
one like il.
When TIE gszelle saw S.mprella ap-
prosch be arose, ard beckoning with his
tail made of slowly into the yeod. Then
simprella perceived this vas aVper-
natural gazelle-a variety now extinct,
brt which then pervaded the Scharwz
wald in considerable quantity-sent oy
some good magician who owed the giant
4 ersSge 10 pilot her out Of the forest.
eoai3 egoeei Der JOY at this dis
eovery; she wbistiad = a.rga, sang a
Latin hymn, and preacked 3 t4nel@+
discourse al in a breath. Such we're the
artless methods by which the fall heart
n he faeenty century was compelled TO
express IFS gratitude Cor benefits; the
advertisine Cll1mns Of the daily papers
we're not then open r lie beneiaetors
pen.
AT would have been vel, bui Tor me
fact that 4 vas not. To following her
leliversr Simprella observed that his
rollur was inscribed with he mystic
uoris-H Hands Ofi' She tried tsr9
10 OBEY ths Injunction; she did her level