The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-05

riches. Could he afford to let it slip and
r-a IS folly for the rest of his life?
"A- right. mister; I'll buy him if youn
wait reasonable time"
D.. made arrangements 10 meet her la
ler nd then hurried to his fathers farm,
-..la a COW that was grazing in the field,
and sold the animal for Il roubles-say
Zs With this sum in his pocket he went
10 tae village Nishie Verestshaki. found
lte woman, and was introduced by her TO
t.e real vender of the devil. she herself
rl.a ng TO touch the money, for the poor
erea IRE really believed what she had been
saying. The real vender, willy peasant.
arranged all preliminaries, received the 10
olh's' and drank the health of the buy
er ln cherry brandy. He then went out
into HE yard to bring in and deliver up the
devil. and, as the peasant afterWard ex-
planned to the magistrate: Judging by the
informal row that went on outside, / was
aIlid that he had been carried off, like
many another rash man before him"
After no end of shouting and swearing
and bad language. which had the effect of
keeping up the illusion, the man came
back and said he had had a chat with a
large collection of devils, not one of whom
would consent to serve any mortal for
such a paltry sum 8 ten roubles. In fact,
they all felt rather hurt by such a proposal,
mes. The mooshik finally took out the
etyen remaining roubles and handed them
To The vender, who returned to the yard,
where there was another unearthly Shn-
dy really a devil or a row. At last the
yender came back, heated and flushed, and
announced that one devil had agreed to
che terms on condition that he might be-
SIN work In fortnight.
And take care that when you are COM
ins to fetch him you bring white bread,
oranges, and sweets" added the vender
The moOnshik promised to carry out in
sufuctions and went his way.
Meanwhile the cows disappearance had
been noticed, and the farmer at once ac-
cused his son of the theft The son frank
y admitted his guilt, but said that he had
used the money to purchase a devil that
was better than any quantity of milch
COWS, Offering also TO allow his father to
share his futre wealth.
Share your wealth, indeedr' exclaimed
the old farmer with a sheer. Il want none
OF your money. / must have riches of
my own" And without more ado the old
man sold two other cows and handed the
price, 20 roubles (say S4S.75), to his son,
saying:
Here, take this money and buy me a
pair of devils-hard- industrious
deyils-and see that you don't mix them
mp with yours BE off now at once to
Nishie Verestshah and bring them as soon
as you can"
As appeared in the evidence at the trial
the son did as he was told, but the devils
would not consent to begin work for
fortnight Meanwhile, remembering his
teachings from his priests, the son re-
pented of his sin in endeavoring to have
"a devil in his service, and without saying
a word to any one quilted his wife, family
and home, and set out on pilgrimage to
"A pal uufa tn. II.
tain pardon and peace in confession of his
sinful desires In the matter of purchasing
devls-his wife and children starving at
home and his father wild at the thought
Of being cheated out of both money and
devils The monks condemned him to
make numerless genuhections, to fast
till he nearly tainted, and to pray with
out cease. At last. his sin being fully
atoned for and his soul at peace, he re-
turned home a wiser and sadder man, to
devote his days to honest labor for the
support of his family
On his return he was arrested on charg-
es of being concerned in the illegal sale
of devils and for stealing the COW. He
is now behind prison walls while the public
prosecutor works up the case. or he was.
at least, when the newspapers giving these
facts were published. The only person
mixed up in the matter who is left in
peace is the pious woman who first offer
ed the devils for sale at 10 roubles a head.
Apparently 1t is just as Illegal in Russia
to make capital out of ones sltepticism
though 1t does seem a pity that the Odessa
blacksmith. Shisl1of by name should be
punished for his method. which iuciden-
tally contains a heap of good sense. The
worthy Shiskoff met a friend who hap
pened to be flush with money.
DO you know what the devil is?" asked
the blacksmith.
7 a. no
ply.
''wen, would you like to know?" inquir-
cd the tempter.
BY all means"
Very good. I'm your man, then. What
win you give me?"
"A roGble. Here it is
Agreed. Just put your hand into my
coat pocket That's it. Now, what have
YOU got?''
Nothing at ALL
Exactly Well, the devil is nothing at
all"