The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-06-13

ish them; then came terrible famine,
and men, wandering half-naked through
the fields for want Of q roof to cover
their heads, suffered cruelty from hum
ger, without being able to die of it.
| If Misery had only known of this
i frightful state of things she would not
have been willing to prolong it. even
at the price of life, but accustomed of
old to privations and intirmities, she
and Faro suffered less from them than
others; and then they had become, as it
were, deaf and blind, and Misery did
not take much account Of what was go
ing on about her.
Then men set themselves to work,
with as much ardor to seek their final
end as they had hitherto done to avoid
it. They had recourse to the most SUBJ
tie pOisons and the most deadly weap-
ons; but weapons and poisons only in
jurcd their bodies without destroying
them.
Formidable wars were decreed.
With common accord, in order
to render one another the service
of mutual destruction, Nations
rushed to arms, each against the
other; but they inflicted the most fright
full calamities without succeeding in
killing single man. A Congress of
Death was assembled; the doctors
flockcd to it from the four quarters of
the globe; there came white, black, yell
low and copper-colored; and they all
sought together for y remedy against
/ 1sfn ,s,sth<,,< bnsmr ob1n r., HnI -
prize of ten millions was offered to
whomsoever it might be that should dis
cover it; all the doctors wrote PAM
phlets on life, as they used to do on chol-
era, and they did not cure this disease
any more than the other.
1t was more dreadful calamity than
the dcluge, for it lasted longer and
there appeared no sign of its ever COM
| ing to an end.
Now, at this time, there was in Condo
u most learned physician, who spoke
almost altogether in Latin, and whom
they called DIR. Dc Profundis. He was
most worthy man, who, in the good
old times, had helped off many u poor
body into the other world, and who
now was Disguised at being unable to
cure any one. One evening when he
was coming from dining with the Mayor
of Vicq, he lost his way in the marsh.
Chance brought him near Misery gar
den, and he heard u plaintivc voice,
which said
"Oh, who will set me free, and who
will deliver the land from Immortality,
Il hundred times worse than the pesti-
lencer'
The learned doctor lifted up his
eyes, and his delight was only equaled
by his surprise; he had recognized
Death.
"What, is it you, my old friend,'
said he, "Qmid agis IN he 7,yro pcrche,l?
What are you doing up there in the
pear-tree?"
"Nothing at all, Dr. De Proft,ndis,
and that is what makes me SO unhap-
py," replied Death; "lend me your
hand to get down."
The good doctor gave him his hand,
and Death made such an effort to get
himself out of the tree, that he lifted
the doctor off the ground.
The pear-trce Immediately seized
hold of him and held him in its
branches.
De Profundis struggled in vain; he
was obliged to keep company with
Death.
There was much establishment the
next day and the day after when he
failed to appear. As he gave no sign
Of life they had him placartled and ad-
vertised in the Gazette, but it was la
Dor lost. De Profundis was the first
man that had disappeared from Condo
for many a year. Had he then found
out the secret of dying, and had he.
heretofore SO generous, kept it for HIM
self alone?
All the inhabitants of Condo set out
upon the search, and they beat up the
country SO well in every sense of the
word that they came upon the garden of
Misery. At their approach the doctor
waved his handkerchief as signal of
distress.
''This wayr' he cried to them. This
way. my friends; here he is, here is
Death! l was right in my pamphlet,
said we should find him in the marsh of
Vicq, the true nest of the cholera.
have got him at last, but non aossmnaus
decexdere-we can't get down from this
cursed pear-tree."
''Long live Death!' shouted the Con-
deans in chorus, and they approached
without fear.
The first corners held out ther hands
to Death and the doctor, but, like the
doctor, they were taken off the ground
and seized by the branches of the tree.
Very soon the pear-tree was entirely
covered with men. Wonderful to re-
late, it grew in proportion as it got
hold of people. Those who came aft
erward took the others by the feet,
| others hung on to these, and all to-
gether formed the rings of several
chains of men which extended to the
distance of a musket-shot. But in vain
was it that the last ones pulled with all
their might, they could not pull of
their friends from the accursed tree.
They took it into their hands to cut
down the pc ar-tree; they started off to
hunt up axes, aud began to chop all at
once; alas! they could not even see the
marks of their blows.
They looked at one another entirely
COMPOUNDED, and did not know what
saint to call on, when Misery was at
tracted by the noise, and asked the
cause of it. They explained to her
what had been going on for so long a
time, and she comprehended the evil
she had unintentionally caused.
II alone can set Death free, and
consent to do it, but on one condition,
that Death does not come for us, Faro
and me, until I have called him three
times"
agreed said Death.
"Coms down, I give you permits
siOn!' said Misery, and Death, the doc
tor and the rest fell from the tree, like
SO many over-ripe pears.
Death set himself at work without
leaving his place, and sent off those who
were in the greatest hurry, but every
one wanted 70 be first. The great man
saw that he would have too much on
his hands. To assist him, he raised an
army of doctors and appointed DIR. dc
Profundis general-in-chief.
A few days sufficed to Death and the
L \ - ~EA Al.