Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-08-12

that do worse than nothing, they have
l their hands into all sorts of mischief, such
as making girls irep their dishes, breaking
them all to pieces; making little boys
tear the buttons off their clothes, or let
ting the rain come through the roofs Of
houses. Ny brothers and myself always
were in the kitchen, but we generally
managed to do enough work to make up
for the mischief that was done now and
then. There was one class of kobolds
who used to be silly and vain on account
Of their feet. They kept them concealed
because they were shaped like the feet of
geese. Nobody knew why they covered
them up at that time and if they wished
to keep it secret 1t certainly was no.
body's business to interfere. These ko-
bolds always performed farm work. Some
Of them came to q sheppard who had
some fine cherry trees growing on the
top of a mountain. It was hard work to
climb the mountain, but they came every
year to pick the fruit and store it away.
One night the shepherd watched them
and thought 1t was strange that they
should keep their feet covered so care
fully In such warm weather. He was
determined to find the reason. The next
day he sprinkled the ground all along
the foot of the mountain with ashes, and
the following morning he discovered
footprints, but they were as though
geese had been walking there. He did
not remain quiet after that night, but
jeered and laughed at them the next
night, SO that the poor Kobolds were so
ashamed that they never showed them
selves to man any more. But they pun
ished the shepherd; he became an idiot
and remained SO for the rest of his life.
"We have not been treated any better.
They actually drove us out of our home,
because we used to eat little of their
fruit once in a while. They were not
satisfied In driving us away, but required
every one of us to throw piece of gold
In the box as we lett the country. The
king went to the magistrate as last re-
sort and Begged him to leave us unmo-
lested in our old home. But it was of
no use, and after we had all left the
country their box was filled with gold
We had contributed "How do you hap
pen to be here, thenl queried the boy.
'Once in while certain homesickness
siezes us, which we yield to and we
make short and stolen visits to favorite
places. "Now," he concluded,
II hope you will defend us whenever
you hear them abuse u.s. "That ILL.,"
answered Paul with firmness. "Do not
60 YETI he continued as the kobold
moved away. But before he could catch
him number of other little figures came,
and hurried him off. Paul rubbed his
eyes, and could see nothing but darkness
around him. Instead Of kobolds he saw
numberless stars twinkling down upon
him from the sky, and FidO lying at his
side. sleeping composedly. He was
thoroughly frightened now, and whistIed
to his dog; picked up his satchel con-
tanning tue money, gave Fido the basket
aud started tor home with all possible
speed. He could not trust himself 10
find the way III the darkness, so he told
Fido TO go home, and followed him with.
out fear. In his excitement, he forgot
all about the kobolds for time. But
when he felt that he was near homo again.
he thought of the strange incident, and
ascrlbed his sleep to one of tfe ugly tricks
of the little fellow, who probably enjoyed
his discontinue and the anxiety of his
mother at home.
He ran faster at the thought and found
his mother looking anxlously out in all
directions for him. In her Joy at seeing
him again well and uninjured she did
not stop to ask any questions but i'm
mediately prepared his supper. During
the meal he told her all about the nsuph-
ty tricks the kobold had played on HIM,
and told his mother 1t was not his fault
that he was belated. His mother looked
at him seriously and saw that he was in
earnest. She told him there were great
many people in the world who liked to
shift the responsibility of wrong-doing
on others, and it certainly was convenient
to find such tribe of kobolds, who were
willing to bear the burden. He went to
bed rather crestfallen. but made up his
mind to be responsible for his actions in
future.-FlOr0 Unna.