The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-14

my ZIG u 4lDN DlONlQtC 1Ol
him.
There was an easy chair in Toms
room and he seated himself in it apd
thought over the goblin story until he
felt little bit frightened for the
room was growing dark He then
arose and pressed a button that rang
a bell down stairs In little time a
servant raped lightly at the door.
asked.
Yes, Betty: it IS getting dark. and
father doesn't like me to NEEDLE with
! the light
The maid walked to projection in
the wall. and, giving it a slight turn
The chandelier was instantly illumin-
ated. the apartment blazing with light
/ Tom seated himself again before the
/ fire. and the servant went down stairs.
! All at once Tom noticed the electric
lights of the chandelier growing dim
mer and DINNER. He was surprised
at this, but his surprise increased when
on looking up at the chandelier he saw
hanging from it by the hands. q curl
Gus object which glowed in the semi
darkness as if it had been rubbed with
| phosphorus. Tom at once recognized
it as the lightning fiend. although he
felt sure it was much changed from
what it had been when his father had
seen it. It's long arms were thin and
fear. 1t seemed afraid TO let go of
| the chandelier, but at last it did so
and fell upon the table II sat up
presently and drew its hand YEARLY
across its brow. Seeing that Tom was
looking, it drew a deep sigh.
You are the lightning fiend? ?" said
Tom, by way of beginning a converse
ton.
Alas. yes said the goblin. again
hopping its brow
We'll. if you think to frighten me- -
! said Tom, you will find yourself dis
appointed. l know all about you: you
are negative and positive, and if you
go around a piece of soft iron by
means of an insulated copper wire, you
make that iron magnet. You can he
produced by dynamo revolving rapid
| "; 1t brings you up out of the ground
and we can also make you by different
chemical solutions. You see do know
all about you, and you can't brighten
me as you did my father long time
| ago. If l were to stand on a sheet of
plate glass you couldn't touch me
You can't brighten him now" said
| Tom, who had the same confidence in
his father that most little boys have
| in theirs.
No" said the fiend, deiectedly. I
don't want 10 friGhten anybody. The
frightening OF your father was the
I j
very sorry did it; no one can be more
SORRY
Il don't wonder at it,, said Tom,
for you burnt my grandfather's house,
and he was very poor then
oh, don't know that l mind the
burning of the house so much' said
the fiend with some return of his old
Jauntiness. 4 have burnt lots of houses
and will again. It's about the only
fun I have left. It is the frightening
of your father l do regret, not on his
account either. because. you see I'm
selfish brute. You see l had moth
ing ar all to do when your father
was a boy. but now l am almost
worked to death. Even when a little
to jump right down 70 the kitchen and
tell the servant you wanted her, and
that is not the worst of it."
Wei, what is the worst OF it?"
asked Tom.
I have TO do heavy work all day
Those street trans that run past your
door With a wire above them I have
TO pull; | have to run them filed with
people from morning until late at night
until all the people are home from the
theaters. and it's very hard work, l
tell YOU But that isn't the worst of
it, he added, as he drew his hand
across his anxious brow.
We'll. what is it?'' asked Tom, grow
ing very curious to know what might
be the very worst of il.
Long before the street cars stop I
have to light -he whole city and keep
it lighted until day-break. Think of
that, But that isn't the worst of it.
Il shouldn't think that anything
could be worse than having to work
day and night" said Tom. Most peo-
pie have to work only in the day
time"
"Ah, but there's no rest for me"
said the goblin. signing. ''All night long
as well as all day 1 have to carry
messages. Any little boy can call me
up have TO plunge under the sea
and carry the news to all parts of the
world PEOPLE used to be satisfied
when a steamer brought the news
across the ocean in eight or nine days.
but if ! am half a second in carrying
it TO any part of the world they think
L am slow. And then l have to look
after the signals of all the railways
in the world; but that isn't the worst
of it,
Dear me-" said Tom. wonderingly.
Whatever is il them"
We'll, ! run motors that drive sew
ing machines, fans. and all sorts Of
machinery, so that with lighting. mes
sage carrying, and all that / have to
do, what ] fear is that your father will
go on inventing more work for me,
and that's The worst of it," said the
fiend. signing heavily.
well, YOU won't have time to
brighten anv more little bows then
said Tom.
oh. don't talk about that any more"
said The fiend. angrily: I've had
enough of tiff l had never frightened
your father 1 would never have had
all this work to do. and he. perhaps.
would not be the greatest electrician
in the world. Harkr' said the fiend.
after a pause. that is your fathers
step; l must GO
He caught hold of the chandelier.
swung himself up. and Immediately the
lights blazed up in the ROOM
We'll. I'm glad" said Tommy. ito
know the worst of it,"
so, no. my boy, you've been asleep"
said his father as he entered the room
and saw Tom blinking at him
'Ob. no, father. l was just think
ing over that goblin story and very
strangely. while 1 was thinking the
goblin came. He rememb ered you and
was sorry he had frightened you, so
you see. it was true, and you did see
him..
Really said the father. and he
smiled at his sons earnestness.
And how did he look, just the same
as when l saw him2''
No. father he was tired out He |
has TO work night and day. and he
doesn't like it,
We'll. Tom. then this is a secret be- |
tween you and me: we've both seen the |
goblin IN two stages of his existence, |