The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-04-30

turn.'
Then she's no betterp'' cried the
alarmed man.
.Worse. if possible" said the imp.
''She does nothing but talk of what
she will do when she catches you
again."
perhaps it is rs well not to disturb
her." answered TIE husband, Fastening
away from the mouth of the pit. The
imp, well pleased, trotte9 at his heels,
and as they walked. proposed to his
benefactor a business partnership.
Suppose we 90 together to the town
of Vologda. Ill take to tormenting
folks, and you shall cure them. What
say you. peasant? Can't you see money
in the schemep"
The peasant, after cogitating awhile,
agreed to the proposition. When they
reached u fine house belonging TO mer-
chant who had wife and several
daughters, the imp insinuated himself
through the key-hole of the door, and
fell to playing tricks upon the women,
which fairly drove them crazy. The
doctor OF the village came, and the
priest came, and all the old sossips
gathered around the house. But no
thing cculd be thought of to relieve the
possessed women, till finally our friend,
tic peasant. dressed like II venerable
man, presented himself upon the TIRES
hold, offering to drive away the evil
spirit. In despair, the people allowed
him 10 see the patients, when 10. at the
first sound of the newcomers voice the
afflicted ones became quiet and submits
sive. In the end he succeeded in curing
them entirely, so cifectually putting to
flight the iiend that his grateful hosts
loaded him with money, and fed him ON
pies and beer.
This enterprise, repeated from house
to house, soon filed the pockets of the
partners. They were obliged to hide
away the gold that camo TO them in
bagfuls. At last, one day. the imp, who
was getting little uppish, remarked to
his friend, the peasant:
1t seems TO me that you've made
money enough by this time. I've about
made up my mind to leave the iirm.and
agree 10 let YOU have all the gold, if
you'll promise not to drive me away
from the next person take possession of.
It's time was having Il little fun on my
own account.
The next thing that was heard was
the illness of the Boyar's daughter, the
beauty of the town. She was quite out
OF her mind, they said, threatening to
eat everybody who came into her pres
en"e.
so that's the what you are up to, my
lad, said the peasant, suspectlng the
absent imp. He went to the Boyar's
house, where he was greeted ioyfully.
''Can you cure my poor daughters"
asked the unhappy ROyar. Promising
TO do his best, the pretended physician
told The Boyar to assemble all the towns
pee together with the coachmen of
the place. Moreover he gave orders
that at given signal from the window
of the sick-room, the coachmen should
all crack their whips, and the people
should cry out as he directed. This
done, he went into Il room, where the
Boyar's beautiful daughter flew ut him,
biting and swapping. Opening the win
dow, he gave the signal, when instantly
arose tumult OF shouts and cries from
without, and tho cracking of whips and
yells of "1'hc cantankcrous wife has
come"
On hearing this the imp rushed out of
the Boyar's daughter and appeared be-
fore the peasant, with hair standing
straight upon his head, his eyes staring
wide with terror.
1T can't be true. peasant? She hasn't
really come here?"
Louder and louder arose the cries,
1.-The cantankerous wife has GOMEZ"
"Wherc can take refuge peasant"
screamed the imp now thoroughly over
come with fear.
ALIAS, my poor friend, know not,
unless you 90 back TO the pit said the
peasant. at is certain she won't wish to
return there
Goodbye" cried the imp, and of
like flash to the pit, and to the COM
pany of the cantankerous wife also,
since she never came back to earth, not
even when the peasant welded the Boy
ar's pretty daughter. Hrs. Burton v
Harrison tn Harper'S Bdzar.