Connecticut western news., 1890-12-17

Whether the roeS and chamOiS enjoy the same privilege or are subject to the same penalty seemed to be an open question, as few persons care to wade through the snow, to climb mountain, or even to take up their abode in a wood, in order to listen to their discourses. Even with re. spect to domestic animals everything has not hitherto been rendered as clear as we should like it to be. For example, g village priest was kind enough to furnish us with the following story, which was written down at once, as much as pos sible in his own words. It is a sin to listen to what the animals say, and it always brings ill luck. A farm servant from distance did not believe the story "a sin which, it may be feared, was shared both by the present writer and hls informant. Still he retained such a half belief as induced him to hide him. self in the stable. The two horses which it contained talked to each other as fol- lows: "We shall have hard work to do this day week." 'tYes, the servant is heavy" ''And the way to the church yard is long and steep" The man took to his bed and died. He was buried that day week. Here we have at least the Christian idea of a sin that is punished "a little too heavily, one is inclined to think-but what are we to say to the following story, which was told in the Slav dialect of Carmola by 8 travelling workman, at once translated into Ger man and noted down. The story was read aloud in rough German, which was translated almost sentence by sentence to the narrator, who firmly believed in the truth of the tale, and corrected by him in one or two small points, which were directly altered. It is evidently a far older, or at least more authentic, yer sion than the last:
 HOW TO HEAR THE ANIMALS TALK.
 No one can hear the animals talk un- less he has boots with nine soles and fern leaves in them. There was 8 farm servant Qknecht) in the Gail Thal who had a pair of very strong shoes made. which were afterward frequently re- paired, so that they had the requisite number of soles, though he did not know it. He lived in loft above astall where two oxen were kept, and between the loft and stall there was trap door, which he often left open. One Christ mas eve he went to visit girl with whom he was in love in 8 village about a mile and 8 half away. The path led through wood, in which there were a great number of ferns. He staid too long, and hastened back in such hurry that he did not stop to fasten his boots, the laces of which had become loose. It is to be supposed that this was the req son why some fern leaves got into them As soon as he had reached the loft he heard great lamentation below, and called through the traphole to ask what was the matter. As no answer was given he put out his lantern, but re- mained standing. "What are you com plaining about?' asked voice below. ''Why should not complain" answered B second voice, "when in six months l am to be slaughtered?" "That is quito true, but 1 have 8 better reason to lament, for shall be slaughtered in two days for a funeral feast. and you in six months for marriage. which is better" "Who will die, then?' s'Our mistress.~ 7
 AoW8 4ou hAOW Su0 h6AS 6b C6I kk10k always sits beside her at meals and eats out of her plate. Tomorrow there will be great dinner, and the cat will come as usual, but she will be angry and push it roughly away. It will spring to the top of the stove; there it will stay for a time, but when the soup is brought in it will jump down upon the table, and from thence over the tureen and it's mis- tress' head. In doing this it will let a hair fall. and that hair will choke her. 1"
 Here the conversation ended. Next morning the servant looked gloomy among luis jovial fellows, and his mas ter asked him what was the matter. For long time he refused to reply, but at last he entreated his master to have the cat killed at once. It was no use telling 8 story that nobody would be- ieve, he said, but his whole manner made such an impression on the propri- etor that he consented to his request. The wife, however, said she was fond of the cat; it had been long in the house, and if it were killed for a mere fancy she herself would go away. Everything, of course, happened exactly as the oxen had foretold. In six months the master married again, and said: "I don't like to see that OK; it used to draw with one that was slaughtered at my first wife's funeral Have it killed for dinner ; One does not quite envy the wedding guests their beef. This was not, how ever, the moral the narrator drew from the story. He said: "One can sec how much more cattle know than one thinks; if the servant had not happened to have fern leaves in his boots they would have spoken just as they did, and nobody would have known anything about it. ' We for our part can only leave the story to those who are interested in such mat ters, in the hope that it will not prove as indigestible as the beef was likely to be.-London Saturday Review.
 A Now Christmas Game.
 For the benefit of those who may have become tired of the old fashioned games usually played at Christmas we suggest the following:
 Gather party on Christmas eve, ol early Christmas morning, and then hunt
 up lot of poor people who have DC r~s~x