Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-11-21

Gth8 ehses oi asu<esus papsLt upon
which eli the terms Of the disbolical
treaty were set forth exactly.
Certainly replied Daniel. 4 have
been q business man long enough 10
know the proprieiy and necessity Of
written contracts. And as for you.
Jon must Of couare give bond for the
faithful execution of your part of this
business
That y something / have never
dons befors.' suggested the devil.
4 shall insist upon il" said Daniel.
firmly. This is no affair Of sentiment;
i i strictly and coldly business; you
~ q d certain service. and are to
receive certain rewards therefor-
Yes. your soul T cried the devil.
glsefully rubbing his callous hands
together. your soul in twenty-four
yearsl'
Yes. said Daniel. Now, no con.
tract is good unless there is quid pro
quo.'
That's 80, said the devil, $50 lett
get lawyer to draw up the paper for
me to sign
Why q lawyer ? queried Daniel.
"A contract is simple instrument; I.
as business man, can frame one euf.
6ciently binding
But I prefer to have lawyer do
it, urged the devil.
And / prefer to do it myself said
Daniel.
When a business man once gets bis
mind set, not even an Archimedian
lever could stir it. So Daniel drew up
the bond for the devil to sign. and
this bond specified that in case the
devil failed at any time during the
next twsntyfo years to do whatso-
ever Daniel commanded him, then
should the bond which the devil held
against Daniel become null and void.
and upon the same day should l00l
souls be released forever from the
devils dominion. The devil WINGED;
tAhe hated to sign the agreement, but
he had to. An awful clap of thunder
ratified the abominable treaty, and
every black cat within a radius of 100
leagues straiehsway fell to frothing
and yowling grotesquely.
Presently Daniel began to prosper;
the devil was faithful slave, and he
served Daniel SO artfully that no per.
son on earth suspected that Daniel
had leagued with the evil one. Dam
iel had the finest house in the city,
his wife dressed msgnihcently, and
his children enjoyed every luxury that
wealth could provide. Still Daniel
was content to be known as buiuess
man; he pursued with all his old.
time diligence the trade which in ear.
lier days he had found SO unproduc.
tive of riches. His indifference to the
! pleasure which money rut within his
reach was passing strange. and il
caused the devil vast uneasiness.
Daniel said the devil one day,
you're not getting ont of this thing
all the fun there is in it. You 90 po.
king along in the same old rut with
never suspicion that you have it in
your power to enjoy every pleasure Of
human life. Why don't you break
away from the old restraints2 Why
don't you avail yourself of the advan.
tages at your commando
i know what you're driving at.
said Daniel shrswdly. Politics
No. not at ALL demonstrated the
devil. What / mean is fun-gaye.
ty. Why not have good time. Dan.
ieI9'
But am having a good time, said
Daniel. My business is going along
all right. I am rich. I've got love.
ly home. my wife is happy. my chill.
dren are healthy and eontented. / am
respected-what more could I ask
What better time could / demand !?
You don't understand me- ex.
planned the devil. What mean BY
q good time is that which makes the
heart merry and keeps the soul buoy.
ant-wine, Daniel. Wine and the
theatre. and pretty girls. and fast
horses, and all that sort of happy,
joyful life !
Tut. tut, tutr cried Daniel; 'ne
more of that, sir ! ! sowed my wild
oats in college. What right have ]
to think af such follies-I at 40 years
Of age, and q business man. tooY
So not even the devil himself could
even persuade Daniel into life Of
dissipation. All you who have made
. study Of the business man viii agree
that of all human beings he is the
hardest to swerye from the conserva-
tive methods. The devil groaned