The sun., 1900-12-30
WITCH AND WIZARD STORIES.
Edgar Merritt. the Train Roy. and Hts Painful
Experience with Black Magic.
eopv,lgM. 300. oy charles Ban.n LOOM.


books, papers and candies on the n. \, aud
q. road. WAS ordinarily respectful. but he
had had bad luck on the trip had taken In
counterfeit dollar, and 50. when the wiz
ened-up man with the ypllowi-h white beard
and the t-Dike and neighboring eyes. wanted
to get dollar-tifty book for quarter he
forgot and answered the old man rudely.
IL never paws to he rude, and even II 1t
did rudeness would be- poor thing to G1i-
tivate. for IL is like "a wild cucumber vine
for growth. and single summer is sufficient
to cover the whole OF Il boys manner with
incivility. But in this case 1t was exceed
ingly unfortunate that Edgar had spoken
disrespectfully to the old man, for the latter
was. In fact. the neanest wizard in all New
England He had escaped the wizard hunt
ers Of page 1856 In your United States history.
and although he was going on 800 years old
be looked like an ll-rressrved man Of IS.
He was In an ugly mood that morning.
for he had lost his chance of connecting with
the train for Salem and he vented his spleen
on the train boy.
"Abracadabra'- said he under his breath.
may all the books you sell return To you
until you are sorry that YOU were rude 70 so
great a wizard as l."
Edgar, wholly uncon scious that his books
had been bewitched. walked on down the
aisle He had already forgotten his words TO
the old man. and soon he met a friend of hii
at the forward end of the car, bank Presl-
dent who sometimes chatted with him and
encouraged him with stories of his bovhood.
for he had risen from the poorest beginnings,
Edgar was always glad when he was p'.-
senger on the train, and a. he had now shown
his books to every one in the car he sat down
beside the banker and said Good morning,
sir | suppose you don't want to buy any
books to-day"
Well no. my boy. never read on trains.
and when get to the city won't have much
time for reading. The time TO sell me books
Is when I'm headed the other way. like to
make UP lost time when i sit down In my
sitting room after dinner.
What do you mean by making up lost time,
sir?" asked Edgar.
why. mean that IT, when I was a boy.
YOU had come along to the little shanty where
I was born with your stock of books l would
have looked upon II as the greatest day OF the
year The only book had TO read was the
last ten chapters OF Robinson Crusoe." but
/ learned to read out of that, and the first
money ! earned ! spent in buying the oom-
plete book. You boys. nowadays don't
know what 1t is TO struggle"
IT'S a struggle sometimes TO sell books.
sir. said Edgar with a bit OF a smile.
is it' How many have you sold this
morning."
"Only three. and one man gave me coun-
terfeit dollar. and a mean old man on this
train had the cheek 10 offer me a quarter
for a dollar and a half book. have my
own troubles"
WE'LL" said the banker. you have had
bad luck. III buy a book. and put 1t In my
r ~ ai
Bad for the eyes"
The banker bought the book and put Il
into the pocket of his coat. which he laid
over the back Of the seat. Edgar thanked
him. and In a few minutes he picked up his
tray and went into the baggage car.
But. Of course, the book that he had Just
sold was under the enchantment Of the mean
old wizard. and II Immediately left the
pocket OF the banker and unseen by mortal
eyes. 1t went back to Edgar's tray.
At the next station about a hundred people
got on. so In few minutes Edgar went
through the train again. calling out; AN
the latest books Of the day. Buy the popular
successes"
This time he had very remark able luck
He sold eight books, more than lie generally
sold on an entire run. And, strange TO say.
one of his patrons was the old wizard. who
actually bought and paid Cor one Of the most
expensive books, remarking:
I'm tired of looking ont Of the window:
guess III read. hear every one talking
about this book" As he took It. after paving
for IT, pulled ont n rencll and wrote on the
fly leaf. Cotton Mather Hopkins There"
said he, now that's mine"
Fdcar had sold his books as he was going
down the train and when he lad reached
the end he turned To come back Some Of the
purchasers had started 10 read their books,
some. like the banker, had put them in their
coat pockets. but those who were reading felt
themselves irresistibly compelled TO lay them
down. and once out OF their hands the books
few back 10 Edgar's tray
The old man was the first to say anything
All the rest were SO alarmed at missing their
books so suddenly that they supposed that
they we're suffering from some Authorization
(which word is still in the dictionary, young
ster, nm glad 70 say and they did not feel
like speaking about the occurrence But the
old man who had caused all the mischief
piped up in his squeaky voice,
Here. you train boy, Bring back my
book
Il haven't got your book" said Edgar.
indignantly
lie was just abreast Of the old man on his
NH'll it NdNl 'Hl", ana MI ftOlkInS,
with wonderful agility for a three hundred
year-old, rose to his feet and snatched the
book out OF the tray
Isn't that my book that paid for' What's
this? cotton Mather Hopkins Salem. Mass q"
Edgar colored. but he said hravcly:
You must have put the book there your
self. sir. That's certainly your book but
the last time ] saw II YOU were reading il
The old man was 50 exceedingly rnpleas-
ant looking, while Edgar had such frank
ROSY face that the passengers who heard
the conversation sided with the bov and one
oi them said: I've been watching that boy
and IN sure he didn't take book from on "
But Just then very vrathy looking man
who sat In front ~ Edgar and who had been
listening To the conversation, rose and said:
Well. my name is Simon Swan. and bought
All in n Day and wrote my name in II
laid /, down for n minute and looked ont Of
the window and II was gone in n moment
If am not mistaken. This is the COPY
And he picked NJ hook which bore on
the inside cover scrawly signature TINT
looked like Lemon Snow" hut which waS
undoubtedly simon Swan
At this Edgar burst into tears "It's