Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-12-05

not at stake. He then seized them by the
neck and thrust them into the cellar
How gloomy it was, cold, wet earth floor,
n darkness that could be felt all around
Hows and walls availed nothing; the two
prisoners seated themselves on an old barrel
and bemoaned their fate in silence The
landlord soon entered, bearing an empty
pitcher and some bread and water for the
felons
He filed his pitcher from wine cask and
went on his way Minis eyes bad grown
somewhat used to the darkness of the cellar
she had watched the landlord intently while
he drew the wine. As soon as he was out of
sight, she stole up to the cask, licked some
drops from the spigot, and found that they
tasted good. She remembered that the land
lord had turned the spigot, and she followed
his example. The precious, golden-hued
Muscatel gushed forth in generous streams
How much better this tasted than that in
sipd water Schuft now came up, and the
two regaled themselves like pair Of old to-
pers, and soon became hilariously drunk
The Muscatel had all run out Mimi tried
another cask, it was not sweet enough; still
another, it was Coguac, and had too pungent
a flavor the fourth cask, Nordhous, she did
not like; she wanted sweet wine and no 9TH
er. She therefore ran about and turned all
the faucets, and in a torrent like the rush of
mighty waters, streamed forth white wine and
red, Nordhous, Cognac, rum, molasses train
oil and petroleum. The cellar was flooded.
Schuft and Mimi sat like Noah amid the del
uge their ark Of safety being a hogshead that
hoated serenely on the face Of the waters.
The hogshead, which was an old one, began
to fill they must swim or drown. So they
swan; that is, Schuft swain and Mimi rode.
In this way they reached the cellar stairs the
OF. t,t.
sat, dripping. freezing aud trembling, to
await their doom.
The cellar had grown strangely silent the
rushing and roaring of the uufettered liquids
had ceased the casks hoated noiseessy on
their former contents.
football was heard Shaper was COM
ing with his empty pitcher. The key turned
in the lock- nud the two cvil-doers quaked for
fear
The door opened and Schuft made bold
spring for his life, jumping between the land
lords legs with such violence as to cause him
to lose his footing and fall down the stairs.
There he lay prone On the flooded cellar floor,
while Schuft and Mimi made good their es-
cape.
The dog with the ape on his bacte rushed
wildly through the town. needless of the bark
ing of other CANNES and the jeers Of the street
gamins who followed in pursuit They soon
found themselves outside the gates and upon
the public highway the same they had passed
over four days ago.
Hermann and little Arthur had gone on
their way, penniless and grieving for the loss
Of the two comrades they had no hope of see
ing again. Schuft very soon scented their
tracks and overlook them, with Mimi en-
throned upon his back Never was there
more joyous meeting Man, boy, poodle and
ape fell into each others arms with transports
of delight. They are still on their profession
al travels, aud are seeing better days.
Landlord Shaper swears that never again,
so long as he lives will he harbor another ape
or strolling player.
All this really happened in a provincial
town of Hanover in the year 1874.