The morning call., 1890-09-08
THE SHRATT.

not been given before in English.l
GwC nee upon a time young farmers whole
kgs{ harvest had failed his hay was spo!leo,
b$;EA and bis cattle had died, so that he could
S<-' not even do tie work due bis landlord.
One Sunday he was sitting sorrowiullY at his
door as the people passed by to church. lhere
came up 10 INN one Michael. an oid Tramp, oi
whom it said that he could suck hne IN, gGMs
div call down hail on the crops, anG orinE5ais-
ease on men. Thanks TO his reputation ne WIS
never sent away empty handed Wheh lie came
S6Go6d.day, farmer" said he as he came up.
GOOD luck 10 you ~ was The answer.
what's the matter with you?" asked the ola
man You look miserable.
least, am glad to meet you. Folks say you can
do lot OF mischief, but That you are clever
man. Perhaps you can he p me?' -,
=" Folks think me bad because they are bad
themselves" replied The old man. "but what
The farmer told him all his misfortunes, and
the old man said: " Would you like TO ESCAPE
from your present poverty anG become tlch
II wish with all my heart could" cried the
farmer. -, ,.,., an, cold. ar
were as Young ard strong as you, II l were
brave and not afraid OF the dark, and II l knew
how 10 hold MY tongue-weil' Know "hat
Tel me what you mean. I'll do anything TO
get rich for, as things are my lie Is IL buiaeh 10
Then the old man looked cautiously round
about him and said softly: you know what
Inc "a: mer answered in horror: 81 don't
know. but have heard dreadful things.
/" III tell you then. II IS creature that any
man can make for himself, but 1t must be done
SO secretly that no human being sees MN. Us
body is a bgUomSItck, It's head DiOteh Jue, rs
nose piece glass ana us aims Two uS'" M
these things are easily got. On three thursday
evenings you must 90 all alone 10 eToss-ToaG,
set yoilr goblin upright and say The words VIII
teach YOU On The third Thursday The goDlln
Will come TO life" .;, -, or,o,, ,,a
ION, you're afraid? Then I've said too much
already.
Tie old man went on: This goblin is then
The servant OF him who has brought 1t 10 HE al
tie clossroad. 1t lives in his house, III NE gar
| let and must do whatever he BIDS IL. NO Que
| can see 1t nut its master. Ii brings him money,
corn ana hay as often as he likes, but not more
| at once than man can carry"
" But, II you know all mat, why nave you
never made one OF these admirable treasure
| bIingers for yourself. instead ol remaining
| Il have made up my mind TO do it a hundred
| times. and 'ye begun 10 do u a hundred times,
| but my courage always failed. friend OF
| mine. who had one used often to talk 10 me
| about II, but l was too tind 10 follow MS eA-
ample. My friend died, and his masleiiess
goblin lived long time IN lie village mere, ana
| played the people many 4 trick. Once lie tore
woman,s yatn all TO pieces, and, when my
away, behold there lay a heap OF gold under it.
After lhat ne goblin disappeared at mat time
| goblin Of my own; but now 1 am old ana gray
and don't think OF such things"
" have courage enough said the farmer;
'but wouldn't IL be better TO talk 1t over with
| the mIui>ier frst?"
| You fool You mustn't talk 1t over with any
one but least Of all with The minister. for, When
you call tie goblin 10 lie, you make over your
| soul 10 the devil"
The farmer started back in horror,
Don't be so frightened" said The old man,
80 make up for ii, you Will have long lie and
| everything heart could wish And when you
feel that your last hour is near, you may stl eS-
| care from the claws OF satan i you are clever
| enough to get lid OF your goblin"
How can do thaI?r
| al you SET him task he can't perform you
| are Quil OF lin. But you must set about 1t
cIevely, for it's not easy 10 get The better OF him
COLIN. SO he SET him to fiji a eask with walter
| carried in a sieve. Bnt the goblin carried water,
and carried waiei. Thdpever stopped TIL he had
filled tie cdsk with Tie tops That clun. 10 the
sieve
Then he died without getting rid vi the
''Weil, why was he so stupid? But one thing
/ must tell you; you must feed your goblin we,,
| to keep him in good humOr. farmer one put
plate OF broth in The attic Tor his goblin, as lie
had always been accustomed 10 do. a servant
NOTICED IT, are me BROTH ana gut sand IN me
cruelty; so he did every night till the farmer
found out The cause, and carried up fresh plate
OF broth. Then lie let him alone. And now you
Know all about It,"
The farmer was silent. By-and-bye he began.
There !. good deal about ii that don't ike
Michael"
You asked my advice, and I've given it.o
said the old man. Choose for yourself. Poverty
and want have come upon y9ff.~ his Is the only
way 10 eseape them .asfnd become rich man.
and II you use your wits. you'll be able TO cheat
lie deyIl<J. your soul besides.
IDe farmer thought little, then said: TEL
me what am TO say on The Thursdays"
What will you give me for it?" asked the
Once I've got the goblin, you shall lead the
| life OF a ord"
Come Oh thenl" said the old man; aud they
After that Sunday the farmer was never TO be
seen in he village. He neglected his field work,
, and his crop, such as 1t was. was spoiled. His
| house looked desolate aud fOrsakeu. His SER
! want dawded from tavern 10 tavern and his maid
lay at home ,nsssh5a9Et that
was not lIeII SSseeSs4o the work himself.
n | MeaL<ine the farmer sat In his smoky room,
WHflhe door boiled and the window curtains
I drawn, working diligently day and night at his
goblin by the light OF a pine torch. he had got
| together all that was needed for II, Including
| even the distaifs with which an old woman 100
. years old had spun. He put all the pieces care.
fully together, set the jug on tue broomstck,
fastened on n piece oil broken glass for a nose
and painted the eyes and mouth with red paint.
Then he wrapped the body In colored rags as he
had been told to do; and all the time he thought
with horror that now he had tile power TO call
this uncanuy creature to life, and that he should
have TO keep 1t beside him all his days. But
when he remembered the riches 1t was 10 bring
his adherence subsidized The goblin was soon
finished, and next Thursday, after dark. the
farmer carried II TO IL cross-r0ad In lie loiest.
There lie SET his goblin upright, sat down on a
stone and watched 1t. But every time lie locke
at il lie almost tainted with terror. Every puff OF
wind went through his very marrow, and when
an owl hooted in the distance he thought be
already heard Inc goblin grooming, and his blood
frOze in his veins. When day broke at last lie
took the goblin and stole cautiously homo.
The second Thursday lie did just the same. AT
last the lllrd THURSDAY night came, and now the
! the moon hidden behind thick clouds. when
the farmer. at dead Of night, reached the cross.
road with his goblin. He set it upright rs before,
| but thought as he did so: Suppose / were to
break II in a thousand pieces, 60 home and woTS
hard an; and steadily need have nothing to dc
| But / am mserably poor" he answered him.
self, land This creature VIII make me rich. Come
what NAV, things can't be worse with me-"
He looked round anxionsiy, turned tremblinrly
to the goblin, dropped three drops OF blood from
his finger upon II. and said the Charm which the
old man had taught him.'
Suddenly the moon came out from behind the
clouds and shoue down on the place where the
farmer was standing before his goblin. The
farmer was petred with horror when lie saw
tile goblin coming TO life. The creature rolled
his eyes horribly, turned slowly round and round
and when lie again came face 10 face with bis
master asked In croaklng voice. what 10
you wanl?'
ready baI-mad with fear, He fled as II Tor dear
lille, not ing whittier The goblin ran. rafting
and gasping after him. and kept crying: "Wny
did you bring me to life il you are to forsake me
| now?"
But the father ran on aud never looked be.
| hind.
|
wooden grasp and cried: "You have failed in
your bargain by running away. You have
pledged yourself 10 the devil and now you'll
gain nothing by it. You have set me free.
am no longer your servant, but l will be your
lofment0r and plague you 10 The last hour oil
| your life."
The farmer rushed madly into his cottage
put The goblin, invisible 10 all but him, fol-
| lowed.
From that day forth the farmer failed In what
| ever he undertook. Nothing bur weeds grew In
his fields, his cattle always died. his roofs fell In
ana when lie took hold OF anything II broke In
| ms hands. Neither man nor maid would enter
ms service, and at last every one held aoof from
him. as though he an evil spirit, bringing Ill
luck wherever he appeared.
| harvest had come round again, and the farmer
was mere shadow OF himself, when one day lie
met old Michael Tho old man greeted him and
looked mockingly In his face.
| On, US you - cried the farmer. "Pm glad to
nay nase fallen In with YOU you hell hound Where
d'U Suui promises your riches and good fortune
a,ran ,S SUN myself TO tho devil, and Pm in hell
aif,.eSa n,y,;.. And it's all your fault5
Won S0 OILY. softly" said the old man "wbo babe