The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-08-21

the place.
off it don't do any good, it will at least
do no harm to try it" thought the old
lady.
"Just as you think" answered Mag.
'But the sooner you do it the better"
She turned again to leave the house,
when the woman called after her, asking
whether there were no charges.
"No, ma'am, I take nothing for this.
May God preserve you from harm p
As the old witch passed through the
gate she said to herself with chuckle {:
$50 far my bargain is all right. Now for
the old man.
She took a roundabout way, so as not
to be suspected. "Sir, l came this way of
purpose" thus Mag accosted him, "to
warn you of danger that is threatening
you
"Who are you?" asked the man ab-
ruptly.
'I am Old Mag, the country fortune
teller
81 have no business with you. Go
your way and let me in peace" and the
man turned away from her to take up his
work.
~ did not come here TO tell your for
tune" persisted Mag, "but to warn you
against certain danger"
''Get out O. this I'll not hear another
word"
"Well, then, be murdered for aught /
care" said Mag, turning abruptly to walk
away.
Murdered Who talks about murder?"
'I do, and so do other folks, too
Gam I to be murdered, you say ?"
"Yes, you
"Who wants to murder me p
"Nobody else but your own wife.
"You're liar, and be confounded p ex-
claimed the man, almost in fury.
"Hem well that needs to be proved.
l heard people say SO and I thought it
right to come and warn you. You would
do well to have an eye on your wife, and
try her, anyhow"
Show will she murder me, and why ?"
''She will try to cut your throat with
your razor, while you are asleep, SO people
say, and that is as soon as she gets a
chance. Why she wants to do it, don't
know"
"I will try her." said the man sullenly."
"If it is false, then l will settle with you"
'I only tell you what heard people
say. Try her yourself and you will see,
Good-day, sir" With this Mag left, say
ing to herself, "The old gentleman is all
right, too. / will soon have my shoes"
At noon, when the man went home for
his dinner, he watched his wife closely.
Noticing that she viewed him, now and
then, in a stolen, distrustful way, he grew
suspicious and began to look and act sour
and sharp. "Ahal" thought his wife, ''I
see the trouble coming already"
After dinner he lay down as usual to
take his nap; but this time to try his wife.
Having shut his eyes he soon began to
snore, and thus pretended to be most sound
asleep. His wife kept on doing her work
after dinner as usual until she heard him
snoring. Then she went into the room in
which he was lying on the lounge, and to
find out whether he was sleeping soundly
enough for her purpose, she managed to
make noise by upsetting a chair. He
did not stir, but snored away as strongly
as before.
On tip-toe she went to the bureau,
opened it cautiously and took out her hqs-
bands razor: Having removed it from its
case, she again stepped on tip-toe up to
where her husband was lying. She stopped
down towards him, holding the razor in
her hand to cut the hair away from his
throat; when to her greatest dismay, he
jumped up, seized her hand, from which
the razor dropped to the floor, and in his
ragged hurled her into one corner of the
room. The story now goes on to tell us
that from this time forward the old couple
never had day of peace, so that at last
they had to separate.
The next day about noon Old Mag came
along the same road. She found the Dew
il sitting on the same stone, waiting for
her. When he saw her approaching he
got up, climbed over the fence, and putting
the shoes to the end of long pole, made
ready to hand them to her.
"Why, old fellow, what do you mean? ?"
laughed the witch. aAre you afraid Of
me?"
"Indeed l am and ought to be" an
swered the Devil "you did in one day
what could not do in forty years. That
beats me I have reason to fear you..
Here, take your shoes you have earned
them well for your skillful and successful
work"
Dear readers, will not go bail for the
truth, of this story, just as it is; but
truth it is. There are such devils in hu-
man form, that through their malice sue
ceed in leading others into sin, thus bring
ing misery and death to the soul and doing
what Satan himself, maybe, could not do.
A child, when asked why certain tree
grew crooked, replied Somebody trod on