Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-07-12

q SIeet OF ttSbeSbos paper oPOA NAhASu ast
the terms Of the diabolical treaty were
set forth exactly.
Certainly, replied Daniel. Il have
been business man long enough 70
know the propriety and necessity OF
written contracts. and as for you, you
must of course give a bond for the faith
ful execution of your part of this busi
ness.
@ghat is something have never done
be ore.
Il shall insist upon it, said Daniel
firmly. This is no affair of sentiment
it is strictly and coldly business; you are
to do certain service, and are to receive
certain reward therefor"
@Yes, your soul. cried the devil, rub
bing his callous hands together. "YouH
soul in twenty-four years!"
"Yes, said Daniel. "Now, no con-
tract is good unless there is quid pro
quo.
"Thats so, said the devil, $50 let's
get a lawyer to draw up the paper for
me to sign"
why lawyer" queried Daniel. "A
contract is a simple instrument. |, as a
business man, can frame one sufficiently
binding.
But prefer to have lawyer do it,
urged the devil
And prefer to do it myself, said
Daniel
When business man once gets his
mind set, not even an Archimedan lever
can stir it. SO Daniel drew up the bond
for the devil to sign, and this bond speci-
fed that in case the devil failed at any
time during the next twenty-four years
to do whatsoever Daniel commanded
him, then should the bond which the
devil held against Daniel become null
and void, and upon the same day should
one thousand and one souls be released
forever from the devils dominion. The
devil WINGED; he hated to sign this
agreement, but he had to. An awful
clap of thunder ratified the abominable
treaty, and every black cat within a
radius of 100 leagues straightway fell to
frolhing and to yowling grotesquely.
Present Y Daniel began to prosper; the
devil was a faithful slave, and he served
Daniel SO artfully that no person on earth
suspected that Daniel had leagued with
the evil one. Daniel had the finest
house in the city, his wife dressed mag
nifcently, and his : children enjoyed
every luxury that wealth could provide.
Still Daniel was content to be known as
a business man; he deported himself
modestly and kindly; he pursued with
all his old time diligence the trade
which in earlier days he had found
so unproductive of riches. His indiffer-
ence to the pleasure which money put
within his reach was strange, and it
caused the devil vast uneasiness.
Daniel, said the devil one day,
you're not getting out of this thing all
the fun there is in it. You go poking
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 restraints? Why don't you avail
yourself of the a lvantages at your com
mand?"
Il know what you're driving at. said
Daniel, shrewdly. "Politicsi"
No, not at all, demonstrated the
devil. @What / mean is fun-gayety.
Why not have good timer"
But am having good time, said
Daniel. My business is going along all
right I am rich. I've got a lovely
home, my wife is happy, nay children
are healthy and contented, ann re-
spected-what more could ask? What
better time could demand?"
AYou don't understand me- ex-
planned the devil. what l mean by a
good time is that which makes the heart
merry and keeps the soul youthful and
buoyant-wine, Daniel! Wine and the
theater, and pretty girls, and fast horses,
and all that sort of happy joyful lifel"
Tut, tut, tuti cried Daniel; mo more
of that. siri / sowed my wild oats in
college. What right have l to think of
such silly follies-I at 40 years of age?"
So not even the devil himself could
persuade Daniel into life of dissipation.
All you who have made study of the
business man will agree that of all
human beings he is the hardest to swerve
from conservative methods. The devil
groaned and sbegan to wonder why he
had tied up to man like Dani la bus
mess man.
Pretty soon Daniel developed an am
bition. He wanted reputation, and he
told the devil so. The devils eyes
sparkIed. AT last, murmured the
devil with sigh of relief, at lastl"
"Yes," said Daniel, = want to be
known far and wide. You must build
church for me.
WHAT" shrieked the devil And the
devils tail stiffened up like a sore
thumb.
"Yes, said Daniel calmly, @you must
build church for me, and it must be
the largest and handsomest church lii
the city. The sittings shall be free. and
you shall provide funds for its support
forever.
The devil frothed at his mouth and
blue fire issued from his ears and nos
trils. He was the maddest devil ever