Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-17

right and left, never ceaSing till he was
worn out with his labor. and want of
breath. He made the wailing demon prom
Use never to come for him again, and babe
him be off.
The devil wild with rage at the treat
ment of his messengers, determined to go
himself and bring this perverse man to
terms-for never demon could he get to
go, so great was their horror o. the dread
full Jack. The devil set off thinking his
presence would strike terror to Jacks soul.
that he would quail before him and there
fore be an easy prey.
One morning early he stood at the door.
Jack, peeping through 4 Granny, saw him
standing there, and his heart sank within
him, but he cudgeled his brain for some
way to escape.
The devil Numbered and roared that he
should come Immediately; that he was not
to be fooled with any of Jacks tricks; so,
knocking the door open, he seized the ter
ror stricken man and dragged him out OF
the house, his majesty not wishing to re-
main inside the house for fear he might fall
into some trap.
Jack begged to go back and kiss his wife
goodby and get a cane, for" said he, IT
am lame and the way is slippery with ice
and snow and l cannot walk far" The
devil would not let him go, though, but kept
a tight grip on him.
IAN right, - said Jack. THE way is long
1 y
are very anxious for my company you viii
have to carry me on your back. l know you
will not like that, for | am trite heavy,
twenty stones or so. As you will not let
me get my cane, Just reach me branch
from yon sycamore tree; it will help me
along and relieve you of carrying me-"
The devil, hoping to stop his tongue,
reached out his hand, and, 10 his utter sur
prise he could not break off the branch or
take his hand from the tree. Again Jack
resorted to the fail, and three were broken
to sphnters over the devils back.
His roars and howlings were like mighty
thunder and the stamping of his feet shook
the earth like an earthquake. Jack had a
good, stout arm, and he laid on with a
mighty vim from morning until night At
last, when he could do no more, he made
the devil promise he would never come nor
send any one for him, and not even have
him in hell
The devil gladly consented, for he had
not q whole bone in his body, his horns were
awry his tail out Of Joint and his cloYen
feet cracked with the stamping Jack went
TO bed, weary and sore from his labors, but
with an exultant heart, having cheated
even the devil himself
In the course OF time Death came He
had no powers of resistance against him, no
potent spell to turn his unerring shaft
aside. Jack died. His spirit scared up, up
to the gates of heaven and knocked at the
door. St Peter, recognizing Jack at the
portal said: 'sYou cannot enter here. You
had chance once 10 do so, bnt you did not
grasp it" And he shut the door in his face.
Jacks spirit then descended TO the gates
Of hell. There, also, he was refused admit
lance. The fiends when they saw him grew
pale with fright, for his evil reputation had
gone to the lowest depths, and even the
devil himself turned and FED to the utter
most part of his domain.
And so Jack was doomed 10 walk the
earth with lantern to guide his footsteps
on dark nights and in dim places until the
judgment day.
In some counties Of Ireland there will be
found some who believe this legend at the
present y.-[WashingtoR Evening Star.