Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-10-11

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ASKED NICK.
But there, it is no use growing now on
the day of my twenty-tfth anniversary
in the wood-chopping line. Providence
has stood by mo so long, and l don't
think shall be forgotten in the future.
Do your duty with all your might, with
ell your strength, with all your ability,
and with an unwearying spirit of energy
and perseverance; that is my motto,
and success is bound to follow some time
or other"
BY this time Nick had taken his top
coat off and laid it and his hat down in
the grass. Then he took his axe in his
hands, and, after looking at the tree from
its base to it's crown, he gave the first
blow. Thick splinters flew in all direc-
tions and Nick dropped his axe and
jumped back from the tree.
whats the matter" he said; "did
not hear noise somewhere like the
whining of q child"
Then he resumed his task. But he had
only made one more blow at the tree
when he was stopped again. This time
he heard these words: "Get me out p
"Who is it that calls there?" Nick
asked, who was not in the least afraid.
alt is l, the goblin of Blinkingdale m q
thin voice replied.
But where are you to be found?"
81 am in the oak you have been hew-
ing at and hallooed out because was
afraid you might xiii me-"
well, tell me where l ought to strike
In order to eXtricate you without doing
you any bodily harm, replied Nick Nick
son.
1.-The axe is too big and too sharp alto
gether," now said the voice from tn
tree; "take your pocket-knife and start
cutting the bark about two feet from the
ground. But be very careful or you will
hurt me-"
Nick now took his knife and he began
cutting the bark. Piece by piece flew
out, until at last he got to O hollow
space, when the voice inside the tree let
out q shrek that was so loud and terrible
all the trees in the wood seemed to be
shaken by it.
Now, you have cut my beard, you old
villain of woodchopper," cried the COB
lin. "Oh, will kill you if you are not
careful"
"Look here, Mr. Goblin" said Nick,
"if you mean to kill me when you get
out, think will leave you where you
are and go home. Good-by."
"For gracious sake don't do that, my
good man y hal!ooed the goblin; 81 did
not mean what said then, but you did
hurt me, and no mistake. But be care
ful of my beard it is very long, and it
hurts very much if you pull only one of
the hairs out. Now l will tell you some
thing else. If you get me out without
doing me any more harm / will give you
a great reward. and make you the rich
est man in the world
Nick was well satisfied when he heard
that, and he worked with renewed vigor.
In a few minutes the hole was large
enough and the goblin came out. The
woodchopper was astonished when he
saw the creature. The little fellow was
just eight inches high and lis appearance
was very funny. A long cap with plume
at the end hung down over his back and
his beard reached down to his toes. Nick
looked very much surprised when he re-
membered that this little man had been
able to shrek so loud.
"How did you get into that tree?"
asked Nick of the goblin.
ITO tell you that would be very long
story to relate. Be it sufficient for you
L
twenty-five years today. You have got
me out of my long imprisonment, and
will give you reward when the time
comes"
With the last word the goblin had van
iBhed.
"Well, but where Is my rewardP" cried
Nick. at is all very well to say | shall
have it when the time comes, but when
will that beP Oh, you mean little scamp
Of a goblin, to get me first to extricate
you from an oak tree, where you were
buried for twenty-five years, and then to
run away from me because you are too
4tingy to thank me for it. All this is an
ungrateful, cruel world. Just when
thought that I was to be made rich, too.
All, well never mind let me continue at
my work of woodchopping, but will be
careful not to have any more to do with
goblins."
In few moments the roots Of the tree
lay bare, and behold what did Nick findi
At the very base of the oak he saw little
black ebony box. He picked it mp and
noticed there was no lock to it. On the
top was written the two words: "Open
mep But the words were spelled back
ward, and when Nick looked at them 1t
read in his mind, "em nep0." Nick
never uuu DoeH very SndT III DOCK learn
ing, and 1t never struck him to try and
make some sense out of the words lem
nepO." He saw that he did not know
what 1t meant and he did not trouble any
more. When he went home he took the
box along with him, thinking 1t would
make toy for one of his children.
Arrived at his little cottage he found
one Of his neighbors sitting on the door
sep. Nick showed him the little black
box, told him where he found 1t and re-
lated to him his adventure with the COB