Morris tribune., 1882-03-16
DEATH.
His Benevolent Conduct Toward the Eathel
OfHis God Child.


jovial- farmer, by name Jean Philippe, at
the hamlet Of Quespe- Raout, about fouf
bowshots from Conde -sur-r rEscant. He
had wife and twelve sons, solid, chunky
lads all OF them, and he himself, though
his hair was gri2Zling, was straight as
poplar.
In the year Of grace, no matter what, his
wife presented him with thirteenth boy as
a New Years gift-a boy that did not give
any sign of resembling his robust broth
ers.
~You are as thin ss cat in May, poor
little fellow, said his father, and, besides.
YOU have drawn an unlucky number in the
lottery Of life; bat there is one way to con-
iare evil fortune away from you. and that
is to give you just and honest man for
godfather. That will he easy enough to
do"
But when he sat down, and began to run
over the list of his friends and neighbors,
he found that the task was not such an
easy one after ALL One man had tried to
swim de him out of four feet OF land; an
other had killed his hens: third had
cheated him at cards one Sunday as they
were playing at the tavern after vespers. SO
he rejected all the dwellers in the hamlet,
and then all his acquaintances at Condo,
and the notables thereof; yea, even the JUS
tice of the peace and the priest, the former
because he had decided against Jean Phil
ippe in case about fence, and the latter
because at catechiSm he gave the first place
In the class to the bnrgomaster's son, who,
saving your presence, was not only not SO
bright as Jean Philippe's own boy, but was
indeed an ass.
at is not SO easy q task as l thought, "
said the farmer, with sigh, and taking
counsel with his wife, he resolved that, as
there seemed to be no honest men in that
part of the country, he would take his ststi
and go in search of one. SO he set forth
en- his pilgrimage, and presently-of course
it was midnight, and he was passing through
lonely wood-he met man who, by the
pale light of the stars, seemed TO him as
tall and as thin as hop. pole, and who was
carving Q scythe as long as himself.
Whoever you may be, good man, said
the farmer, halting this strange figure, lend
me pipeful of tobacco. My pouch is
empty.
Without word the mower drew forth q
tobacco pouch to the farmer. who, while
filling his pipe, had an opportunity of ex-
amining the strangers appearance. He was
& strange looking man, indeed-if he was
a man at all His head was bald and shin
ing; his eyes were small and sunken; his
nose was fiat, and his mouth, inmoderate-
ly large, showed few grinning teeth. His
cheeks were hollow, and his skin was like
parchment, and when he moved his joints
cracked like swinging sign.
Thank you, friend, said Jean Philippe
returning the pouch. The moving bust.
ness does not seem to be very paying one
TO Judge from your looks; You are leanel
than 1.-THE hen. Take care of yourself
yo9 had better, if you want to make ole
bones"
Don't worry yourself, friend; my ole
bones will see yours under the ground"
And the old mans little eyes sparklel
like sprinkle of salt cast into the fire.
What are you doing ont OF doors at thi:
time Of night" he continued, questioning
the farmer.
We'll, you see nay wife just has been
brouhgt to bed of thirteenth boy, and as th,
little thing is only Gkin and bone, hav,
wished to see if couldn't better his luck b,
giving him Il just man for godfather. Now
hive been three days and three nights OF
the search and"
And haven't found one?"
And haven't found one. 1 didn't thinl
righteous folk were so scarce"
Suppose yoH take me2" said the mower
You? Are you an honest man2 Well
yes, You look lean and poor, and so per.
haps you are. But what is you
n&me?"
Death"
Death? The deuce! And SO that is tn
scythe that you-"
Precisely. This is the scythe ina
l."
Hum! After all, said the farmer, re
aectively, Il don't see that could do an
better. Death is Just. His scythe cut
down impartially the rich and the poor
the great and the humble. Shake hand
on it, ged-papa, and Til answer that til
christening shall be worthy Of the spons
or"
Very good. When is to be?"
On Sunday next, ut Quesne- Raoult. In
quire for Jean Philippe, the farmer; an
enc viii show you the house"
"a bargain. Goodnight, friend. '~
Goodnight. Death"
Jean Philippe went home with ligh
heart. Wife," said he, I've secured
famous godfather, and If he only takes a
interest in the child. it won't die teething.
But as women, particularly when ill, are ar
TO be sasily alarmed and upset, he did nO
enter into any further explanations.
donned his bottle-green velvet breecheE
his silver -buckled shoes, and his camls
waistcoat, to do honor to the distinguishe
godfather. His wife and the twelve boys
and the godmother as we'll, wers arrayed i!
their Sunday best. In due course the god
father arrived, wearing long coat tbs
tapped about him like the sail round th
mas. Of a wrecked ship. He was univel
sally voted lean and elderly, but it was ad
United that he had distinguished air.
After the christening, which took plac
At Conde-.the little stone church at Maco
had not then been built-and at whlc
Granther Jacob played king Dagobert" Q
the chimes, the party returned to the farm
where notable feast was served. tt
farmer mad killed his fattest pig to do hor
or TO the occasion.
1t was a pleasure to see Death eat T
his own plate he disposed Of as much {
all the other guests fifteen in all, and q
Flemings-,and Jean Philippe could N
help envying him his appetite.
When at ten O'Clock the curfew sour de
at Conde, the stirrup- cup was drained, an
the god. father, having smiled benevolent
on his godchild and embraced his GOSSIP
bade the family good evening.
Jean Philippe insisted on seeing him hom
at least part Of the way, and they set on
arm in arm, 81 nging.
"Say, friend" remarked the farmer, {
they walked along, "though you have a ia
nous appetite, no longer wonder that 20
have so little fat on your ribs. You mui
have busy time Of it. How much tn,
is to say, how many do you NOV day
eh2p
"Oh, bout sixty thousanda day. shoul
say, on an average; sometimes, more some
times less"
SIXTY thousand day! Dear, deal
And how many did you NOV down to- day
If its q fair question:"
Not single one"
Not sin gle one7 Dear, dear! VIII
there are sixty thousand Christian foil
that ought to be under obligations to me.
"Well, not exactly. You see I take
holiday now and then, and this happened I
be one Of my lazy days, else couldn't hav
accepted your kind invitation"
But how do you tell whom to cut dow
and whom to leave2 because I don't sup
pose you do it at random"
"Of course don't; but IL you will com
home with me will show you with pleas
ure. Oh, no; it isn't far mere bowsho