The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-03-10

of porphIry. And ct,curiously enough,
jean Philippe could distinguish the shin.
ing If each Individual lamp.
"Th'sc.' said Death. care the lamps
of all the mortals upon earth When
one Of them goes out it means that some
one up above us is to he cut down
"Curious--vcry. And the golden
lamps p
"The golden lamps are kings aud
princes; the silver one are dukes the
brazen ones are counts, and so on down
to the small tin lamps, which are com
mon people. All are labelled, you see"
The farmer wandered up and down
the gallery fer some time in cstacy He
noticed that the lamps of many noble and
powerful lords, which might have been
thought full of oil were running low,aNd
that many of the brightest lights were
in the meancst sockets. When he had
enjoyed the spectacle long enough he
said to Death:
Say, god-papa, where are the lamp?
of Qucsne Raoult, if you have no objec
tion to my seeing them 2
"Nonc whatever In the first gallery,
third section, on the left hand side.
VII
While the farmer proceeded on his
tour of inspection, Death sat down and
began putting an edge on his scythe
against the days work From time to
time cxclamatious of surprise or meiri-
ment came from the gallery, across the
sound of the stone passing over the edge
Presently Jean Philippe reappeared,
looking decidedly astonished.
II say, death, he cried excitedly, I've
come to tell you that my lamp is almost
out of oil.
That is likely enough" replied Death,
running his thumb along the blade.
The deuce you say! Then it is pretty
near my time?'
Death nodded.
II say,pcrhaps you are sharpening that
scythe Toto
"Precisely! !! and Death gave scien-
tific whet to one part of the edge that
seemed triil. dull.
"Why, bless me, this is very uneXpec.
ted y said the farmer; then, siding up
to the mower he went on, mysteriously {:
81 say, old man, You see consider you
as one Of the family; is there no way
could smuggle Il little oil into that
lamp
"Smuggle a little oil into that lamp ?
Why, what do you take me for 2
"Were all alone, you see, and Provi-
dence II never suspect anything irregu-
lar
ats against the rules You had better
fall to your prayers, friend J!
''All care for is to hold over till Lent,
so that you and | can have little Mardi-
grass festival. / tell you, sir, we'll have
such time as you never saw pancakes
till you can't rest, and beer-itll be my
treat all the time"
mo, nonsense, friend. This scythe is
about ready"
Merely drop or two, You can take
some from that big pot bellied lamp Of
the parish priest at Conde--its so full
that it's fairly choking up the wick. Be
sides, it'll only let the good man enter
on his reward so much the sooner, don't
you see
Impossible, friend, impossible. Las
week when you were in search of {
godfather you couldn't find one rigidly
honest man among all your acquain
,ances; luckily you stumbled upon me
What's the consequence? AS soon "a
you have found just person you try t'
buy him up with a miserable pot of beer
You're a queer Christian, you are"
Jean Philippe was about to make som'
reply when he heard faint crackle an,
a sort of sigh in the first gallery, thir'
section, on the left hand side.
His lamp had gone out