The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-08-16

and master each went his way That
night, as the learned man sat in his
study, it happened that a bat came flying
In at the open window That was moth
ing strange But that on the bat rode a
little man, not larger than finger, and
that the little man dismounted and
bowed deeply before the master seemed
to him very wonderful,
"What do you want hereP p lie asked
the little man, not in friendly way
Go to a romancer, and do not disturb
rational people in their work"
But the small man did not let it con.
fuse him; he came nearer, sat himself
Oh the pounce box and said:
"Do not send me from you I hav.
kindly feeling for you because yor
rescued me to-day from bad strait -
The mole that you loosed from the snare
was myself"
"Indeed And who are you in re-
alityS" asked the man of letters as b,
examined the little man through biz
glasses. He had fine figure, and if th,
glasses had not been gray the master
would have seen that be wore greer
coat and golden yellow cap
Il am the meadow sprite. Ranupcu.
lus." said the pigmy. "My servant.
take care of the grass and plants. Some
wash them with dew, others comb then
with sunoeams, and others again con
vey nourishment to the roots. The las
named wanted to watch this morning
at work, and not to be known took the
shape of mole In this way fell into
the trap from which your hand saved
me. am here now to thank you and
give you reciprocal service"
"Indeed! Let me hear" said tht
master.
"You are learned man." Ranuncu.
lus began again; "you know the flowers
and herbs that grow on mountains, In
woods and fields; hut one
flower you do not know"
"What one ?" the master eagerly ask
ed.
"That is the flower called heart's-
ease"
mo, do not know it."
"But do" said Ranunculus, sand
will tell you where to find it. II you
'ollow the mill-stream, which you know,
ill opposite its source, you will come to
! rock. There you will find a hole.
which people call tie Little Wight.
Hole Before the entrance bIooms the
little flower heart's-ease, but only on
Trinity Sunday, at the hour of sunrise,
and whoever is on the spot can pluck
he flower. Have you understood ev-
,rything 7"
Perfectly"
"Then farewell" said the small man,
md be mounted his winged steed, and
Id through the open window.
The master rubbed his forehead, and
hook his head in astonishment. Then
le lost himself in a folio volume that
vas bound in swine skin.
Two days after this occurrence, at
.vening, the lovely daughter of the mill
er sat before the mill, and near her the
grandmother. The spinning wheels rat
led. and the old woman told of Dame
Perchtha, who give the industrious spin
Ter fax-knots which change to yellow
gold, and of similar wonderful things.
She also told of the sleeping man who
tits in the Little Wight's Hole," slum-
,ering near immeasurable treasure -
Every hundred years he is visible, and
{ then a young woman kisses the Sleep
ng man three times, be will be released,
md the young woman will own the
reasure. Thus the old woman talked,
md the pretty girl listened, and spun
he story further, like the fax thread
hat her white fingers turned. In the
heavens the stars came out, and, because
t was when the elderberry stood in
bloom, sweet weariness overcame the
young woman's eyes. She sought her
chamber, and went to rest.
In the night it seemed to her tha,
here came in little man who wore a
green coat and golden-yellow cap
The small man appeared friendly, and
said to the girl:
Lucky child! For you and for nc
other is appointed the treasure in the
Little Wight's Hole. Tomorrow is the
day when the sleeping man is visible
At sunrise he sits slum5ering at the en-
trance of the hole; and If you are no
and kiss him boldly three
times upon the mouth, you will hav'
broken the spell and won the treasure
But guard yourself well, and do no
speak one word during the work of re-
lease, nor make one sound, otherwis,
the sleeping man sinks three Thousand
fathoms deep in the earth. and must wal
another hundred years for his rescue"
So spake the wight and vanished. Blu
the maiden awoke and rubbed her eyes
A sweet scent as of fresh hay filed tn,
room, and through notch in the win
dow shutters glaoced the dawning NOR
ming. The courageous Young woman
rose from her bed and dressed herself
Lightly she left room and house, ant
with garments tucked up stepped through
the grass to the Little Wight's Hole. Ii
the boughs the wood birGs already stir
red, and half-asleep tuned their throa,s
The white mist sank to the ground ant
moved in strips over the meadow, anG
the tops OF the fir trees colored them
selves golden. There stood the beauti,
full daughter of the miller at the entrance
to the hole; and truly, as the dwarf had
predicted, there on a mossy stone sal
the sleeping man. The girl came nea,
giving loud scream for the sleeper
looked just like the master; he even
wore gray glasses on his nose. Fortu.
nately she remembered the dwarfs warn
ing, and noiselessly, but with heart beat.
Ing high, she approeched The sleeper te
perform the pious work of redemption
and it did not seem so terrible as sh,
had thought before. She softly stopped
over the sleeper and kissed him on the
mouth. The man moved as if be would
awake.
The maiden kissed him the second
time Then the man opened his tiret
eyelids and looked at her through th,
gray glasses like ghost. But sh,
stayed stesdfast and pressed the thirc
kiss ON his lips. Then the awakened
man sprang from his seat with sucl
haste that the glasses slid from b,s eyes
and we're shivered to pieces on the rock,
ground. And he saw again, after lon,
time, dazzling sun. spring verdure, vari