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

| jack o. Lantern which runs thus: Away
| back in the shadowy times of long ago
lived u man, Jack BY name. Jack what2
mo scald IN song hath told no saga taught, y
but it makes not one whit of difference to
my story.
He lived by the banks of stream, close
by ford, and was known far and wide as
| the meanest, most churlish and inhospita-
Bile old curmUdgeon in the land. A beggar
| would never think of asking even for q
crust at his door, for well ne knew the surly
reception in store for him.
Jack had wife, more's the pity; and the
poor soul had nothing to sweeten life's
| hard crusts. No neighOor cared to cross
| her husbands inhospitable doorsili, and if
they met him on the road they turned their
| eyes another way, so as not TO see him, so
evil was his reputation.
Once it was fair day and Jack had been
| detained in the village until late. His hesrt
| sank IN him as he thought of the lonely
wood through which he would have to pass
| TO reach the ford. The night was dark and
dread tales of murder and evil sprrits came
/ TO his mind.
But his fear was not as strong as his
| greed, and he decided to press on rather
| than spend his silver for nights lodging;
| for well he knew no one, for friendships
( sake, would give him a shelter for the night.
| So he rode boldly of.
Lower and lower sank his spirits and
darker and darker grew the path as he
| neared the fatal spot. Half dead with
| fright, his teeth chattering and his breath
| coming in short gasps, he entered the
| wood.
Suddenly he heard groan; again and
again he heard it; the blood almost froze in
Jacks veins and his scanty hairs stood on
end with horror. He tried to push on, but
| the means still rang in his ears, and not
knowing why he stopped and began search
Ing for the cause of them.
Jack was no coward, no matter what
other bad qualities he possessed. He was
not afraid of anything when he was cor
nered, so, be it spirit OF devil, he de-
termined to investigate Summoning all
his courage, he asked:
''Who and what are you that makes these
unearthly mOausl'
Just then he saw extended at his feet for
he had dismounted from his horse) an old
gray-haired man, his clothes thin and
ragged, who CRIED:
'For the love of heaven take me to some
human habitation; [ have lost my way,
cannot cross the ford, and am dying of HIM
ger and cold"
Something within Jack spoke; his good
spirit, that had never moved him before in
all his life, induced him to wrap the poor,
shivering old man in his own heavy coat,
place him on his morse and carry him to his
own home. Jacks wife started hack IN
surprise when she saw the burden he car
ried in the house, and she was quite sure
he had gone crazy or been bewitched when
he ordered bed to be made for the feeble
stranger and the best the poor cottage
afforded to be set before him.
The stranger was warmed, cheered, COM
forted and put to bed and was soon asleep.
Jack hardly knew himself in this new role,
but something had impelled him that he
could not diSobey; he needs must do that
and nothing else
dazzied by the brilliant light that shone
around the room (no one had a separate
bedroom at Jacks cottage), and when his
eyes had become accustomed to the Won
drous light he saw beauteous vision; an
angel, clothed in white with snow-white
wings, gazing at him.
Mortal, " said the angel, II am one of
the spirits commissioned TO watch over the
sons of Adam. l heard thy neighbors say
not one spark of human kindness dwelt in
thy stone. cold heart; not a grain of COM
passion: but they were mistaken. A little
grain lay hidden unused in thy heart
''TO try thee | took the form of feeble
old man. 1 am thy stranger guest, whom
thou has housed, warmed and fed. l have
shared thy hearth; for this thy kindness
blessing shall rest upon thy home and 1
grant thee three wishes. Weigh well what
thou aSketh. -
Il should like" said Jack after some re-
Election. ''that whoever shall sit in my es-
pecial chair shall never be able to lift the
chair from its place nor get out of it until [
allow him. l would have the hand that
touches anything in my tool box on the wall
(for Jack was cobbler) unable to move
the box or take the hand out until l give
permission.
Lastly. would have whoever plucks a
branch from the sycamore before my door
unable to let go his hold until 1 say so.
People take my avis and pluck my tree,
and 1 will not have it.
The angel looked at Jack with sorrowful
eyes and grieved expression as he finished
his wishes; but he granted them and de-
parted.
Foolish man to ask such paltry things
when so much was within his graspi From
that moment Jack was excluded from
heaven, for he had eternal blessedness for
the asking, but asked it not.
The angels blessing rested on Jacks
household, everything prospered with him
and his children, but no one loved him; no
one ever cared for him.
Years after, perhaps fifteen or twenty,
he was resting in his easy chair with his
pipe, when suddenly he perceived strong,
disagreeable odor, something like brim-
stone. He looked up, much surprised, and
his eyes lighted on a demon standing in the
doorway tall. dark being, graced with
two horns, cloven feet and long tail, which
he carried gracefully under his arm-so the
legend says.
Jack quaked with fright, but putting a
bold face on, as he usually did when driven
to the wall, politely asked him what he
wanted.
''You,'' said the demon. ''ny master sent
me to conduct you to him, and he will give
you warm welcome"
''All right said Jack, rising from his
chair and politely motioning to the demon,
''pray be seated you must be weary after
your long journey. Rest yourself while l
put on my Sunday clothes, for never could
l appear before his satanic majesty in these
old duds will be wild We in jiffy."
The demon seated himself comfortably in
the chair, for it was soft and easy. Jack
Immediately took a new fail that stood in
the corner and whaled the poor demon
within an inch of his life. In vain he
shrieked for mercy, howled, begged and
prayed; he could not move the chair nor
get up from it.
Unfortunate demon that he was Jack
laid it on with right good will Eye cam to
take me wild ye to your hot hole, did yezl
I'll tache We to come after a dacent gintle-
'man?" (Jack's brogue was very broad
when he was excited
Jack never stopped until the fail lay in
splinters, and his arms ached with the ex-
ertion. Then, making the demon promise
never to come for him again, he let him go,
and gladly he went imping of, vowing
vengeance on Jacks head.
Satan very ut fail,11a |