Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-03-15
GODFATHER DEATH.

Once upon time there dwelt stout
and jovial farmer, by name Jean Phil
ippe, at the hamlet of Quesne-Raoult,
about four bow-shots from Conde-sur-
PEscant. He had a wife and twelve
sons, solid, chunky lads all of them, and
he himself, though his hair was griz-
zling, was straight as poplar.
In the year of grace, no matter what,
his wife presented him with thirteenth
boy as New Years gift, boy that did
not give any sign of resembling his
robust brothers.
"You are as thin as cat In May, poor
little fellow" said his father, and, be-
sides, you have drawn all unlucky num-
Der in the lottery of life; but there is
one way to coniure evil fortune away
from you, and that is to give you just
and honest man for godfather. That
will be 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 swindle him out of four
feet of land; another had killed his hens;
a third had cheated him at cards one
Sunday as they were playing at the tav-
ern after vespers. So he rejected all the
jewellers In the hamlet, and then all his
acquaintance at Condo and the notables
thereof; yea, even the Justice of the
peace and the priest, the former because
he had decided against Jean Philippe In
case about fence, and the latter be-
cause at catechism he gave the first place
in the class to the burgomaster' son,
who, saving your presence, was not SO
bright as Jean Philippe's own boy, but
was indeed an ass.
III.
" 1t is not so easy task as thought, !"
said the farmer, with asigh, and, taking
counsel with his wife, he resolved that,
as there seemed to be no honest men in
that part of the country, he should take
his staff and go In search of one. So he
set forth on his pilgrimage, and pres
ently-of course it was at midnight, and
as he was passing through lonely
wood-he met a man who, by the pale
light of the stars, seemed to him as tall
and as thin as hop-pole, and who was
carrying scythe as long as himself.
Whoever you may be, good man. :"
said the farmer, hating this strange fig
ure, "lend me pipeful of tobacco.
My pouch is empty"
Without word the mower drew forth
tobacco pouch to the farmer, who,
while filing his pipe, had an oppor-
tunity of examining the strangers ap-
pearance. He was a strengthening
man, if he was man at all; his head
was bald and shining; his eyes were
small and sunken; his nose was fiat, and
his mouth, immoderately large, showed
few grinning teeth. His cheeks were
hollow, and his skin was like parchment,
and when he moved the Joints cracked
like swinging sign.
Thank you, friend" said Jean Phil
ippe, returning the pouch. "The now
ing business does not seem to be very
paying one. to judge from your looks
you are leaner than 1.-THE hen. Take
care of yourself, you had better, if you
want to make cid bones"
'Don't worry yourself, friend; my
old bones Will see yours under the
ground
"And the old mans little eyes spark
led like sprinkle of salt cast into the
fire.
"What are you doing out of doors at
this time of night?" he continued, ques-
| tioning the farmer.
"Well, you see, my wife has just been
brought to bed of a thirteenth boy, and
as the little thing is only skin and bone.
I have wished to see if [ couldn't better
his luck by giving him a just man for
godfather. Now, have been three days
and three nights on the search and
''And haven't found one? ?"
'And haven't found one. [ didn't
think righteous folks were so scarce"
"Suppose you take me?' said the
mower" with a grin intended for a
smile.
"You? Are you an honest man :
Well, yes, you look lean and poor,
and SO perhaps you are. But what is
your name?''
"Death p
"Death? The deuce! And so that's
the scythe that you
Precisely! That is the scythe that
| I"
"Hum! After all, said the farmer.
refectiveIy, 81 don't see that I could do
any better. Death is just. His scythe
cuts down impertially the rich and the
| 4 4 II