The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-11-06

A peasant was taking g61< to Eal'
BE was mounted On donl<f. sd =
goat, with a bell tied arozod ifs z47<s
was following him. Thre< f6z1sz
this little company 60 p1Sz za1 41z'zs@
to enrich themselves
Said the one. May cary o ~. ::
fellows goat in snch > na1 the< be 49,
never be able to ask Il afzils q 7'se7
And the other cried, f<zrt - ~
| mounted. |"
'.Oh, truly, what an exploit e.
claimed the third. Ebnt #oz1zd zoe
say If I meant 50 TO desfoz him q hsz
clothes that he viii actually b c.z'ssa
to me?n
The first rascal following he tr6lsllcz
softly, by stealth took the bell fr9ls ne
goats neck, fastened it 20 the ASS ~,
and made of with his booty.
The man, still riding the ess, ht1<4 no
sonnd of the bell consf1utlr t6bz1d 1l11,
and never for ons instank Imagined =hsf
the goat was no longer there. I'll.
and-by he happened to turn around.
ture to yourself his astoniaEusnt
he could not see the animal that
had been taking to market 20 sell
everyone who passed his asked nes
his goat Presently the second
met him, who answered, At thf
OF yonder lane saw 3 man run
dragging goat along with hin
The countryman jumped from
saying. "Please take charge Of
keyy, nand ran after the thief u thes1
be supposed him 10 haye i<zksA
When he had been running hithef aed
thither for some time. he came hack 70
find that neither ass nor keeper x1s fo be
seen. Our two rascals had aireadY gc<
far away, both well content with their
booty. The third now awaited the
simple man, leaning against Nell By
which the latter must pass. Then with
loud walls. he began TO lament 90 bitterly
that the loser of the ass and goat v1s led
to accost o person who seemed thus
afflicted. Approaching he said " What
are you grieving about? I am sure you
cannot have had ~ much i'll luck Is /
have had. I have lost two enima1s, the
price of which would have made na7
fortune
ssOh, but think what loss mine Isl
exclaimed the thief. Have yon, like
me, ever let casket fullof diamonds fall
into we'll when you sre told 70 carry
them to the iudgef 7 shall perhaps Be
hanged for theft.
ssBut why do you not go down into the
well2" asked the countryman; q Is NOS
very deep"
.Alasi am not clever enough, said
the rogue. sI would rather run the
risk Of being hanged than drown mysslf,
which should certainly do: but II
there were anyone willing to DO me thi
service. would gladly giye him ten
pieces of gold.
Promise me those ten pieces Of gold
cried the poor dupe, thinking the sum
would more than repay him for the loss
of his animals, @and I viii get you yenr
casket back"
No sooner said than done. He threw
of his clother with such rapidity, and
descended into the well so quickly, that
the robber saw at once that be would
scarcely have time to possess himself Of
his spoil. The countrymen having
reached bottom Of the we'll without dnd-
ing any casket there, came up again, and
was speedily aware OF his new misfor.
tune. Thus clothes, ass, and goat had
allI gone di5syept dirsetions; and theis
unlucfy owner, with all his- t2i C.
scarcely find people charitable enough
TO be willing 70 clothe him.
The moral is, be carful Of ths company
you choose. Illustrated Christian
Weekly.