Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-07-19

| most of a he glorirl in the circumstance
| that he wa business man.
| Have you anything for me to do to-
| day?' asked the devil one morning. He
had grown to be a very meek and cour-
teous devil; steady employment in
righteous clrlses had chastencd him to IA
| degree and purged away somewhat of
| the violence of his nature. On this par
ticular morning he looked haggard and
| lily 5, and he looked, too. as blue as a
| milestone.
81 am not feeling robust, explained
| the devil. $40 tell the truth, | am some
what i'll. "
81 am sorry to hear it. " said Daniel,
"but as am not COS jIlct ng Il sanitarium
| can donothing further than express my
regrets that you are ailing. OF course
| our business relations do not contemplate
any interchange of sympathics; still, I'll
| go easy with you to-day. Nou may go
up to the house and look af cr the chill
drcn; see that they don't smoke ciga-
retlrS or quarrel, or tease the cat or do
anything out of the way.
Now that was fine business for the
devil to be in, but how could the devil
help himself? He was wholly at Daniels
mercy. He went about the humiiating
task
The crash came ut last. 1t was when
the devil informed Daniel one day that
he wasn't going to work for him any
more.
"Eou have ruined my business, said
the devil, wearily. A committee of
imrs waited upon me last night and told
me that unless severed my connection
with you permanent suspension of my
interests down yondcr would be neces-
STATED. While | have been running
around doing your insane errands my
personal business has gone to the dogs
! wouldn't be at all surprised if were
to have to get a new plant altogether.
My reputation has suffered: | am no
longer respected, and the number of my
recruits is daily becoming smaller L
give up make no further sacrifice.
"Then you are prepared to forfeit your
bond:" asked Daniel.
Not by any means, replied the devil
81 propose to throw the matter into the
courts.
THAT will hardly be to your interest"
said Daniel, "sincc, as you well know,
we have recently elected honest men to
the bench, and as | r,collect, most of our
Judges are members in good standing of
the church we built some years ago.
The devil howlrd with rage. Then,
presently, he began to whimper.
For the last time, eNpoatulatcd Dan
il, "lct me remind yru that sentiment
does not enter into this affair at all. We
| are simply two business parties cooper
ating in a business scheme. Our respect
i've duties are exactly defined i'll the
bonds we hold. You keep your contract,
and I'll keep mine. Let me see, | still
have a margin of Is years.
The devil groancd and writhcd.
"They call me Il dude, "whimpercd the
devil.
who do?" asked Daniel.
"BeelZebub and the rest" said the
devil. Il have been trotting around do
ing pious errands so long that I've lost
all my sulphur and birthstone flavor and
now smell like spikenard and myrrh.
"Pooh." said Daniel.
"Well do, insisted the devil. "Nou've
Inundated me SO that l haven't got any
more ambition. Yes, Daniel, you've
worked me shamcfully hard!"
"Well, " said Daniel, Il have a very
distinct suspicion that when, 13 years
hence fall into your hands, shall not
enjoy what might be called sedentary
life"
The devil pluckcd up at this sugges-
ton. Indeed you shall not" he NUT
tered. I'll make it hot for you!"
But come; we waste time, said Dan
iel. II am a man of business, and can
not fritter away the precious moments
with you. Tomorrow is Sunday. You
are to see that all the saloons are closed.
81 shant-l WON'T" yelled the devil.
But you must" said Daniel firmly.
"Do you really expect me to do that"
roared the devil. "Do you fancy that
am so arrant fool as to shut off the very
feeders whereby my hungry hell is sup
Piled? That would be suicidal. "
Il don't know anything about that,
said Daniel. 81 am a business man, and
by this business arrangement of ours it
is explicitly Stipulated"
81 don't care what the stipulations
| are. Slllthttl ll't ucNll. L III
with you, and may be consumed by my
own fires if ever again / have anything
to do with business mani"
| The upshot of it all was that the devil
forfeited his bond, and by this act Daniel
was released from every obligation unto
the devil and one thousand and one
souls were ransomed from the torture of
the internal fires.
UnObservant Man.
"Thc majority of people are not very
observant in small matters, said GER