The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-08-28

bundle and the money-bag in the
garden.
But when three months passed, and
the fiddler never returned, it was whis.
pered that thefarmer's son had been his
last companion /; and the place was
searched, and they found the cloak and
the bundle and the money-bag, and the
lad was taken to prison.
Now, when it was too late, he plucked
up a spirit, and told the truth but no
one believed him, and it was said that
he had murdered the fiddler for the sake
of his money and goods and he was
taken before the Judge, found guilty,
and sentenced to death.
But his old mother wa a wise woman,
and when she heard that he was con-
demned, she said:
"Only follow my directions, and we
may ave you yet for I guess how it
is"
So she went to the Judge, and begged
for her son three favors before his
death.
81 will grant Them" said the Judge,
If you do not ask for his life."
"The first" said the old woman, sis,
| that he may choose the place where the
gallows shall be erected ; the second,
that he may choose the hour Of his Exc
| cution and the third is, that you will
not fail to be present."
ct grant them all three" said the
| Judge. But when he learned that the
criminal had chosen a certain hill OF
the downs for the place of execution,
and an hour before midnight for the
time, he sent to beg the Sheriff to
bear him company on this important
occasion.
The Sheriff placed himself at the
Judges disposal, but he commanded
the attendance of the %iailer as some
sort of protection /; but the %iailer, for
his part, begged his reverence the chap
lain to be one of the party, as the hill
was not in good spiritual repute. So,
when the time came, the four started
together, and the hangman and the
farmers son went before them to the
foot of the gallows.
When the rope was just being pre-
pared, the farmers son called to the
Judge, and said
eff your honor will walk twenty
PAGES down the hill. where You will see
a bit of paper, you will learn where to
find the fiddler"
"That is. no doubt, n copy of the
poor mau's last confession" thought
the Judge, as he ran hastily to pick it
up.
But the farmers son had dropped it
as he came along, by his mothers di-
rect:on, in such a place that the Judge
could not pick it up without putting his
foot on the edge of the fairy ring. No
sooner had ne done so han he per-
ceived an innumerable company Of little
people dressed in green cioaks and
hoods, who were dancing round in a
circle as wide as the ring.
They were all about two feet high,
and had aged faces, brown and withered,
like the knots on gnarled trees in hedge
bottoms, and they squinted horribly
but, in spite of their seeming age, they
flew round and round like children.
"Mr. Sheriff ! Mr.. Sheriff" cried the
Judge, "come and see the dancing.
And hear the music, too, which is so
lively that it makes the soles of my feet
tickle"
"There's no music, my Lord Judge"
said the Sheriff, running down the hill.
cit is the wind whistling over the grass
that your lordship hears"
But when the Sheriff put his foot by
the Judges foot, he saw and heard the
same, and he cried out:
"Quick, iailer, and come down. 1
should like you to be witness in this
matter. And you may take my arm,
iailer, for the music makes me feel I'M
steady"
"There's no music, sir" said the
%iailer, "but your worship doubtless
hears the creaking of the gallows."
"But when the i%ailer's feet touched
the fairy ring, he saw like the rest, and
cried to the chaplain to come and stop
the unhallowed measure.
eli is a deIusion of the Evil One"