The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-11-26

work to buy the right of their lords for
a lump sum. Of course the lords vera
glad to compromise in this way and 1t
came about that each man VINO worked
in certain place bought the right Of his
lord to work there forever, him and his
children after him; and to sell the right
to others. 1t took good many years to
complete this change but when it was
done the devil rubbed his hands and
switched his tail gently, now this way
and now that, saying: "Surely the devil
will be to pay!'
And it was so.
Some of the purchasers from the lords
found that where they had the right to
work they could make good deal with
only little effort, and others found that
where they had the right to work they
could only make little with great eff
fort; and thus it happened that the first
and those who bought of them grew
rich ard the others remained poor. And
those that grew rich did just what the
lords had done before them; they sold
permission to work to the poor who had
no charters, and this proved SO profita-
BILE that they were able themselves to
| obey the old proclamation against work.
ing and yet to live in great comfort.
Like the lords from whom they had
bought, they were lazy and happy.
But the people were constantly beg
cling to be allowed to work, and the more
they begged the less attention was paid
to them And when they did geta chance
to work they were not allowed to re.
coive, no matter where they worked or
how much they made, any more than the
people who had charters to work in the
very poorest places in the kingdom. And
that was little enough, as every body
knew.
Withal the people increased and null
tiplied, and to help them out of their
trouble they invented great machines,
which did marvellous work; but neither
the people nor the machines could work
without permission of a charter owner,
and the moro the people worked and the
moro marvellous their machines the moro
the charter owners charged them for the
right to work, until even the machines
fell into tho hands of few, and the
people could not make new ones, be-
cause charters to work had become SO
valuable that except in the very poor
est places only the few were able to buy
the right to work, and the poor were
| trying to hire themselves out. And so
tappeared that happen what might to
make work easier and more fruitful, the
charter owners got all the benefit.
In these days prophet arose who told
the people that the charter owners had
no right to forbid them to work nor any
right to make them pay for working.
But tho charter owners rallied at the
prophet as devil (the devil having put
it into their heads to do SOY, saying,
'I!avc we not bought and paid for these
charters?"
And then arose a priest who, seeing
how the people were oppressed and rob-
bed 10y tho charters, denounced the
charters and demanded that they be
abolished: but the devil ordered the
priest to be put down, and he was put
down.
And yet every one marveled that there
were SO many poor and that the poor in
creased But tho priests taught that it
was not marvellous for God willed it,
whereat the devil again rubbed his
hands together ana gently switched his
tail, now this way, now that, saying to
himself, sit won't be long now until the
devil is to pay"
And he was right.
Pretty soon everything was in readi-
ness, and from advising King, and lord
and charter owner the devil turned to
advising the poor.
''Sec how the rich revel in the wealth
You have createdw he said to them.
why do You not burn and murder and
pillage? Is there no manhood in you?
Are you slaves?''
But at first the people protested that
they were opposed to murder and pill.
lage and asked why they should not
abolish the charters, as the prophet and
priest advised. which would need neither
murder nor pillage.
away with your prophet and your
priestm shouted the devil. '"They are
in league with the rich. Make no half
way measures! Let there be no COM
promise! Lay waste! Lay waste! See,
| will set you an example" and with
that the devil touched the tip of his tail
to the palace of a charter owner and in
stantly it was ablaze; and then the dew
IFS scheme, so patiently planned, cul-
minated. Like rats from their holes
rushed million debased and desperate
men. Half famished and all in rags,
aiming at nothing and caring for moth
ing, spnrred on by revenge, hitting
right and left, burning, killing, plum
dering, they laid waste the land.
The devil was indeed to pay!
LEWIS FEEELAND.
| The True Doctrine.
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