The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-05-28
TROUBLE AND THE KING.


SO very fond of pork and beans that he
liked to know the bed was ready long be-
fore it was time for planting the seed.
His little son Karl played about him,
md when he was tired Of playing, sat on
an old stump near by, and sang to him.
self.
When Hans had finished digging, ho
wanted his hoe, and so he turned to tho
stump, against which he had put II. but
Karl had taken it off, and with II was
digging up the ground near tho house.
When his father called him, he
brought the hoe back, but took tho rake
instead and wandered out OF sight. 30
when Hans wanted tho rako, IL also was
gone, and he became very angry, and
pitching the hoo on the ground started
to look for Karl.
Don't you do that again. said n
voice.
..Do what ~ said Hans, looking
around.
"Why, pitch your awful tools about
so. Ny good sensesl you must think
there IL no ono else IN the worldl"
Hans looked down. and saw farm
fairy standing on tho hoe-handles
'.Did hit your" he said. II didn't
mean to.
"It's we'll you didn't" said tho fairy.
"It would have been bad for you II you
had. But You have knocked tho roof OF
| my house in"
Huns took Off his hat and scratched his
head. This was pretty lookout. Offend
ing farm. fairy in the very beginning of
spring!
"Well, now," said he, slowly, IT don't
know what to do about IL. l."
Suppose you mend it, said the fairy,
sharply, and then he disappeared.
'If knew where it was, would"
said Hans, and he began to look about.
It then occurred to him that the house
must lie under the hoe, so he picked it
up and began looking closely for it.
He had twice before seen a fairy, but
had not the slightest idea what fairy's
house looked like.
Presently he saw that the iron part of
the hoe had broken into the earth, and he
began to look closely at that point. He
then carefully lifted a clod of the loosen
ed earth, found hole. le..underneath, looked
in and saw the fairy's house.
1t was small, square and beautifully
neat. The floor was strewn with pine
leaves, and in the corner was was dear
little bed made of soft. young, green
buds, and covered with a little blanket
made of birds's feathers.
Hans took off the whole of the roof,
and was very careful not to let any dirt
fall on the floor. He then measured the
hole, and cut green clover sod just the
right size, and fitted it in. with the green
part down.
He then went back to his work, and
tried to use his hoe instead of the rake,
but he could not make it do very well,
SO he became angry with Karl again.
f SfThat was very well done," said the
fairy, appearing on the stump. ssI'ts
side down. It looks well, and the worms
will now be more apt to go up than down.
1 do SO hate worms! What do you want
for pay?"
81 want" said Hans, Grossly, ssthat
what I shall put on that stump shall stay
there
every well," said the fairy, jumping
off in great haste sbut why did you ask
for such ridiculous thing as that You
might have had bag of gold or been
king or something like that"
$50 I might p cried Hans. stBut
take that wish back. I wish to be
king"
mo you WON'T" replied the fairy,
'sit's too late now. You have had your
wish.
The harvest that year was very good,
and the people all looked forward to
better winter than usual, and Hans said
to his wife Lisbeth, as one evening he
lighted his pipe, after supper, that when
the corn was sold he would buy another
pig.
Lisbeth nodded her head, for she, too,
liked pork and beans, and Hans then
<,,zonol tho door To 1oolr Of tho civ
Coming up the path was tall, thin,
unpleasant looking man. He wore
shabby old gray cloak, and carried
black box, bound with brass, and mark
ed Pandora" When he came near to
Hans he stood still, but said not word.
"Good EVENING"" said Hans.
The man nodded but he did not speak.
ssWhat do you want?" asked Hans.
ssTo come in, replied the man.
'sOh, you do" Hans said; "but don't
you think you might say by your leave
to man on his own doorstep?"
'sSome people would" the stranger
said; "I never do. I come when 1 please,
I stay as long as like, and I go away
when choose. My name is Trouble"
s'Troublep cried Hans. "Oh, Lisbeth,
here's Trouble, and the crops are all in,
and we meant to have such good timer
why dOnt you go somewhere eise.
said Lisbeth, sharply, as she came to the
door and stood by Hans. "We are poor
people,"
'.I am not hard to suit" said Trouble,
land can be just as comfortable with
poor people as with rich; SO if you'll just
step aside, I'll come in.
eff you will wait one minute, said
Lisbeth, more mildly, II will warm you
up some supper. Just take seat on the
stump, and I'll be ready inano time"
'sGet your best" said Trouble, sitting
down on the stump; 'sthat's what 1 al
ways take.
So, there was Trouble safely seated on
the stump, and there he staid!-
It was all in vain he begged Hans to
let him up; in vain he promised to go
away at once, for, even had he wished to
do SO, Hans had no power to break
fairy spell.
But, one morning, soon after Trouble
had SO firmly seated himself, Hans again
met the fairy.
"Look here!' said the little man, Il
can't have that fellow so close. His
breath reaches my house sometimes. l
can't stand it. Hewill have to go away"
ssHe can't do that, /" said Hans, firmly.
SGT wouldn't dare to stay in the country.