Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-06-13

doors.
Laugh, laugh, you double idiots!'
murmured Michael. ut does not appeal
to me such remarkable thing that 8
man should carry his saddle when it will
not carry him.
At last he reached the hotel, where he
alighted and demanded a chamber in
which to remove his travelling garments.
He opened his valise with care and laid
out upon the bed the articles of his toilet
in the order of their Importance.
Thinking first of his hair, he considered
whether itshould be powdered to blonde
or like hoar frost. The last appeared to
him most tender, so he took the puff ball
of swans down and commenced opera
tions upon the right hand side; but when
he had finished it appeared as if an invis-
ible hand had powdered the other side of
the head blonde in manner to make it
part yellow and part white, like an Or
ange half peeled.
Michael, astonisbed, hastened to mix
the powders with the comb, and being in
too great hurry to comprehend the
reason-for thought demanded much
leisure with him-he extended his hand
toward the spool on which the satin rib
bon destined for his queue was wound.
The spool escaped his grasp and fell to
the floor. Michael ran to pick it up, but
it seemed to fly before him. Twenty
times he stopped to seize it, and twenty
times it eluded his impatient hands. One
would say it was kitten playing with a
bone. Finally he lost patience, and see
ing that the evening was advanced, he
resigned himself to wear his old ribbon,
and made all possible speed to put on his
morocco shoes.
He first buckled the right shoe, then
the left and his eye, arrested by the lat
ter, led him to admire the elegance of
the member, which had nothing plebeian
in it, when he perceived that the first
buckle bent nearly to the floor. He oc
cupied himself in placing it better. A
brief interval, and the second shoe needed
attention. Michael had hardly set this
right than the other demanded new care
He persisted thus for whole hour with
out being able to have both equal in ad-
justment.
Furious, he put on again his travelling
shoes to end it, and then reached for his
velvet knee brecches; but now another
marvellous thing! At the moment he APP
preached the bed the breeches launched
themselves from it, and began to circu-
late about the chamber with thousand
provoking gambols.
Michael, petrified, remained for a
moment open mouthed, with arms ex-
tended, contemplating with bewildere.l
eyes this strange scene. But leave you
to think what you may when he saw his
vest, his coat, his hat join the breeches.
taking their respective places and form
ing an imitation of himself, parodying
his attitudes.
Pale and terrified he rushed toward the
window, but at this moment perceived,
under the three cornered hat, the grin
ming face of Master Drack, who made
mocking gestures to him.
Michael uttered cry.
"Ah, miserable jester, it is you, them"
he exclaimed. upon my soul 1 will
make you repent of your insolence if you
do not return to me my clothes immedi-
ately!"
At these words he sprang upon the ap-
partition, but Drack, with retrograde
movement, was at the other end of the
chamber. The young man, whom anger
and impatience made beside himself,
precipitated himself anew upon the COB
lin, but this time he passed between his
legs and out upon the staircase.
Michael, in rage, pursued him. he
climbed to the fourth story, reached the
garret, where Drack turned himself like
a clothes horse until he took the fancy to
escape by dormer window. Michael,
exasperated, took the same road. The
malicious goblin promenaded from roof
to roof, trailing the velvet breeches, the
vest, the coat, in all the cutters, to the
great despair of Michael. At last, after
peregrination of several hours, travers-
ing these mountains of the cats and swal-
lows, Drack climbed high chimney. at
the base of which his adversary was
obliged to pause.
He bent toward the breathless and dis
couraged young man.
"You see, my pretty FRIEND" said he.
laughing, "you have forced me to spoil
your ball dress upon the moss of the
roofs; but, happily, what I see here
under the warm, white smoke will remedy
all that"
AS he spoke, Drack agitated the velvet
breeches above the pipe of the chimney.
What are you doing, you fool?" cried
the young man.
II will send your clothes to the
bleacher, cried the goblin.
And the coat, the vest, and the hat.
followed the breeches into the smoky
abyss.
The young gallant seated himself upor
the roof with groan of despair, but he
rose almost Immediately.
"Very well," said he with resolution.
II will go to the ball in my travelling
attire.
A bell sounded from neighboring
clock. 1t was midnight. Michael counte,!
the IL strokes and could not restrain
cry. This was the hour appointed by the
relatives to make known among the suit
ors present the one which the young lady
preferred.
Unhappy one that l ami" he ex-
claimed. when l shall now have ar
rived all will be over The guests and
the parents will mock at mel"
And that will be just, my great man, y
replied Drack with biting sneer; "for
you said to me, TO those who arrive too
late nothing remains but regrets Being
thus served, hope the lesson will pre-
Of
at the weak. And remember hrncrforth