The Globe-republican., 1890-11-12

paying the lords for the right 70 work
had little left on which to be happy.
In the course Of time the king died
and the lords died bat the charters lived
and new kings and new lords profited
by them.
At las: the people got so restless and
made such grim threats that the lords
were frightened. and when a rebellion
was imminent she lords were on the
point of burning I'D their charters. But
this did not meet the views of the devil,
and he put il into the heads of the peo-
pie who were paying for the right to
work to buy the right of their lords for
a lump sum. OF course the lords were
glad to compromise in this way, and it
came about that each man VINO worked
in a 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 a good deal with
only little effor. and others found that
where they had the right to work they
could only make a little with great eff
fort; and thus it happened that the first
and those who bought OF them grew
rich and 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
ging to be allowed 10 work, and the moro
they begged the less attention was paid
to them. And when they did get chance
TO work they were not allowed to re-
ceive. no matter where they worked Or
how much they made. any more than tho
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. more the people worked and tho
more marvellous their N achineS the moro
! the charter owners charged thcC. for tho
right TO work. until even the machines
feiI .n,o the hands of Few, anu INC
| people could not make new ones, "a
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 20 work, and the poor were
| trying to hire themselves out. And so
it appeared that. happen what might to
make work easier and more fruitful, tho
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 the charter owners rallied at the
prophet as devil tthe devil having put
it into their heads to do sol. saving,
Have we not bought and paid for these
charters?"
And then arose priest who seeing
how the people We're oppressed and rob-
| bed by the 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 the priests taught that it
was not marvellous. for God willed it,
whereat the devil again rubbed his
hands together AMI gently switched his
tail, now this way, now that, saying to
himself, 1T 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.
See how the rich revel in the wealth
you have created" 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
priest shouted the devil. They are
in league with the rich. Make no half
way measures. Let there he 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 il was ablaze; and then the dew
lis scheme, so patiently planned, Gull
minated. Like rats from their holes
rushed a million debased and desperate
men, Half famlshed and all in rags,
aiming at nothing and caring for moth
ing, spurred on by revenge, hitting
right and left, burning. killing, plum