The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-12-05
ILL LUCK AND THE FiDDLvR.


into the world 10 see how things looked ia
the spring time
by sad by be came 10 cross road, and
whom should be see si,iiHs there bu, III
lack himself.
Nov st Nichols bad . pocket Of hazel
nuts, which he kept cracking and eating
a. be trndged along the road. and Just
tben be came upon one With . worm hole
in il. When be saw III luck. II came into
bis head to do good turn TO poor sorrow
ful man
Good morning, Il.luck. says be.
Good morning. st. Nicholas. says III
luck.
They tell me. says st. Nicholas. ths,
you can 20 wherever you choose, even II
Il be through key bole; nov is this so'
Yes, says Ill.luck; IL is
Well. look now. says ST. Nicholas, can
you 60 into this hazel nut'
Yes. says lll.luck; can do that.
should like to see you, says 81. Mich
o'ss, for then / should be OF a mind TO
believe what people say OF you.
Well, says lll-luck, have not much
time to be pottering and playing. but to
oblige an old friend. Thereupon be made
himself small and smaller, and-phstl-
he was 10 the nut before you could wink
Then what do You think ST Nicholas
didP 10 bis band be held a little plug Of
wood, and DO sooner had III luck entered
the nu. than he stuck the plug in the hole
and there was mans enemy as tight as a
fly in bottle.
Sol says st. Nicholas. That's q riece
OF work well done. And he tossed the
hazel nut under the roots OF an oak tree
near by.
And that is how this stoy begins.
Well. the hszel nut lay and lay and lay,
and all the time nobody met with III luck
But one day who should come that way
but rogue Of a fiddler with the fiddle un
der his arm The day was warm and be
was tired, so he sat under the shade OF the
oak tree to rest bis legs. by and by he
heard shrill little voice piping and cry
ing, Let me out! Let me eut Let me
out!
The fiddler looked up and down, but he
could see nobody. Who are your says
he.
l an III luck Let me outl Let me
outl
Let you out9 says the fiddler, not II
II you are bottled up here il is the better
for oil OF us, and SO saying he tucked bis
hddle under his arm and off be went.
But before he had goue six steps be stop
ped He was one Of your peering, pryiug
sort. and he liked more than a little to
know all that was to be known about this
or that be CHANGED to see or hear. won
der where III luck was to be in such .
tight place as he seemed TO be caught in
says he to himself, and back be came
again. Where are you, Ill luck9 says
he.
Here | am, says III luck here in this
hazel nut under the roots Of tho oak tree.
Thereupon the fiddler laid aside bis fid.
die and bow, and fell to poking and prying
under the roots until he found the nut
Then be began twisting and turning il in
his fingers, looking first on one side and
then on the other. and all the while III
luck kept crying, Let me outl Let me
out
1t VAS not long before be found the Int
lie wooden plug. He picked and pulled
1t the wooden plug. until at last out il
came. and -phst! popl- out came Ill luck
along with it.
Plague take the fiddler. say /.
Listen! says III luck. II has been many
! long day that have been 10 that nut
and you are the man that has let me out
For once in way will do good turn to
! body. Herewith. without giving the
iddler time to answer, III luck caught him
by the belt. snd--whizl-avsy be flew.
BY aud by he came to . garden, and
there be let the fiddler drop on the soft
grass below. Then away he few to attend
10 other matters Of greater need.
When the fiddler bad gathered bis wits
together and himself to bis feet. be saw
lwsy at the eud OF the garden . great
'plendid house, built Of white marble, with
, fountain In front. and pescocks strut,ing
IN the lawn.
Well. the fiddler smooihed down bis
isir and brushed his clothes . bit, and
"a be went TO see what was to be seen .,
be garden house at the end OF the gar
len.
He eptered the door, aud nobody said
10 to him. Then he passed through one
Dom sitter the other, and each wss Hper
han the one be leh behind. Mshy ser
ANTS stood sroubd. but they only bowed
nd never asked whence be came. Al Last
10 came 10 room where little old man
at q, table. The table vas spread with
feast that smelt SO good that il brought
'ater to the 6ddler's eyes. and oil the
'lstes were OF pure gold. The little old
nan sal alone. bnt smother place vas
prcsd as though be VAS expecting some
ae. As the fiddler came 10. the little
Id mao nodded aud smiled. Welcome
70 CRED; and have you come At lass'
Y-s. tsys the fiddler. bsye. 1t vas
II luck that brought me.
DO not Say that. ssid the old msn. 81,
osn TO the table aud eat. and when | have
Old you al. you will say ii vss 20, III
uet but Good luck ths. brought you.
The fiddler did a. be vss hidden. Down
10 sat =, the table, aud fell 10 With knife
A a.. - Al a. n 4