The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-09-19
The Three Huuclibacks,

The Three iuuchbacks.
At n short distance from D0uai, ther,
stood castle on the bank of Il rive
near bridge. The master If this castl,
was hunchbackcd. Nature had cxhaus
ted her ingenuity in the formation of hi
whimsical figure. In place of under
standing she had given him an immense
head, which, nevertheless, was lost be
tween his two shoulders; he had thicl
hair, u short neck, and horrible visage
Spite of his deiormity, this bugbcal
bcthought himself Of falling in love
with n beautiful young woman, the
daughter Of poor but resDactable bur
CESS of Douai. He sought her in mar
riagc, and as he was the richest person
in the district, the poor girl was de
Iiyered up to him. After the nuptual,
he was as much an object of pity as she
Tor, being deyoured by jealousy, he
had no tranquility night or day, but
and prying and rambling everywhere,
went suffered no stranger to enter the
castle.
One day during the Christmas festival,
while standing sentinel at his gate, he
was accOsted by thee hump-backcd min
strcIs, They salutcd him as u brother
as such asked him for refreshments, and
at the same time to establish the fratcr-
nity, they ostentatiously shouIdcrcd
their humps at him. Contrary to cxpcc.
tation, he conducted them to his kitchen,
gave them capon with peas, and to each
piece of money over and above. Before
they departed, however, he warned them
never to return on pain Of being thrown
into the river. At this threat OF the
Chatclan the MINISTRIES laughed heartily
and took the road to the town, singing in
full chorus, and dancing in gr0tcsquc
manner, in derisOn Of their brother
hump Of the castle NE, on his part,
without paying further attention, went
to walk in the fields.
The lady, who saw her huband cross
the bridge, and had heard the minstrcs,
called them back to amuse her. They
had not been long returned to the castle
when her husband knocked at the gate,
by which she and the MINISTRIES were
equally alarmed. Fortunately, the lady
perceived in neighboring room three
empty golfers. Into each OF these she
stuffed minstrel, shut the covers, and
then opened the gate to her husband.
He had only come back to espy the con-
duet of his wife, ~ usual, and, after Il
short stay, went ont anew, ut which you
may believe his wife was not dissatisfied.
She instantly ran TO the Golfers to release
her prisoners, for night was approaching,
and her husband would not probably hc
long absent. But what was her dismay
when she found them all three suilo-
Gated? LamentatiOn, however, was USE
less. Tie main object now was to get
rid of the dead bodies, and she had not
Il moment to lose. She ran to the gate,
and seeing peasant 60 by she offered
him reward of thirty liyres, and lead
ing him into the CASTLE she took him to
one of the Golfers, and showing him it,
contents told him he must throw the
dead body into the river. He asked for
Il sack, put the carcass into it, pitched it
over the bridge, and then returned quite
out of breath to claim the promised re-
ward.
81 certainly intend to satisfy you,"
said the lady, "but you ought first to
fulfill the conditions of the bargain
you have agreed to rid me of the dead
body have you not? There, however,
it is still" Saying this, she showed him
to the other Golfer, in which the second
minstrel had expired. At
this sight the clown was perfectly CON
how the deuce! come back |
A sorcerer!" he then stuffed the body |
into the sack and threw it, like the other, |
over the bridge, taking care to put the |
head down and to observe that it sunk.
Meanwhile the lady had again changed
yhe position of the Golfers, so that the
.hird was now in the place which had
,een successfully occupied by the
.wo others. When the peasant returned
he showed him the remaining dead
body. "You are right" said she, che
must be magician, for there he is
gain" The rustic CRASHED his teeth
With rage. " What the deuce am | to
10 nothing but carry about this humps
back? He then lifted him up, with
lreadful imprecations, and having tied
stone round his neck, threw him into
he middle of the current, threatening,
t he came out third time, to dispatc
lin with a cudge
The first object that presented itself
o the clown, on his way back for his re-
ward, was the hunchb lcked master of
he castle returning from his evening
walk, and making toward the gate. At
his sight the peasant could no longer
etain his fury. "Dog of Il humpback,
re you there again? so saying, he
prang ON the Chatelain, threw him over
is shoulders, and hurled him headlong
nto the river after the Ministries.
81 II venture wager you have not
zen him this last time" said the peas
Mt, entering the room whero the lady
'as seated. She answered, she had not.
You were not far from il" replied he ;
the sOrcerer was already at the gate,
ut ! have taken care Of him-be at
our ease-he will not come back now"
The lady instantly comprehended =
hat had occurred, and recompensed
lie peasant with muck satisfaction.
The man who is not afraid of war or &
slow fever Is generally afraid to take