The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-02

danced so much bei,sr than the Dance
| King that he soon got the name of Dance
| Emperor. He also got the name of Dice
| Peter. for he gambled all day long; and
the more the Fat Ezekiel won from him
| the more, of course he had in his pocket.
1t was not long before his glass factory
| went to ruin. Debts swamped Peter be-
| fore he knew it. One night as he left
the tavern late thinking with rage and
| grief of the loss of his property, he saw
| the Glass Man in the path.
| Instantly he seized the little fellow and
screamed: Il will make my third wish
| but the next moment he roared with
! agony. The manllNn had transformed
| himself into red-hot glass and disap
| peared.
After his burned hand had healed he
said to himself: well, even though they
! may sell me out, SO long as the Fat
| Ezekiel has money in his pocket | cannot
| want" He went to the traven that Sun
| day. and then and there learned curious
| example in arithmetic.
! The Fat Ezekiel and he began to game.
| For once Peter won continually. At last
| the Fat Ezekiel cried with curse; Here
| is my last hundred ! will stake it all.
If you win you must lend me some'
| Peter won. He thrust the 500 into his
pocket The Fat Ezekiel asked him for
! some. Peter felt for money. He could
not find penny,
The Fat Ezekiel swore furiously that
| Peter was sorcerer and had wished his
| money away by witchcraft. The people
| cried that he ought to be burned. They
| fell on him and beat him terribly.
The next day officers of the law sold
| his factory In despair Peter went to the
| Tannenbuhl and called Mr.. Hollander
| Miche!' AT once the giant stood before
| him and said, Gomez"
He led Peter to a steep precipice. Leap
| ing down the rock if it were a flight
of stairs. he made himself grow like a
steeple, and help out a hand as large as
table, With voice like funeral bell
he said, Hold fast to my thumb
! AS soon as Peter was on his hand the
Hollander Michel shrank to his original
| form, and in an instant they stood before
house deep in the gorge.
do you know what is the trouble with
you?' cried the Holander Michel, pour
ing out wine. ''It is your foolish heart.
You would be surprised If you knew how
pleasant it is to be without it. See
here"
He threw open door. There was a
room full Of glass jars. In each one lay
a heart. Each jar was labeled, and Peter
read the names of the Fat Ezekiel, the
Dance King, the Long Schlurker the
Chief Magistrate, the money lender of the
district, and, In short, the names of most
of the wealthy men, far and wide.
They have all taken a nice. stone
heart in exchange" said the Hollander
Michel. 1t Is very cool in summer and
it never causes foolish pain when you
see other people suffering. If you will
exchange | will give you 100000.
"Doner' cried Peter. The next moment
he was riding in an elegant coach, and
saw the Black Forest in the blue distance
behind him. He wondered at himself
for feeling no sorrow at leaving his old
mother and his old home. But then he
put his hand on his heart and UNDER
stood. 1t was quite still and cold.
For two years he rode through the
world He saw everything; but nothing
gave him joy, neither picture nor house
nor landscape nor music. He could not
l,even smile. 1t was not homesickness, but
merely boredom, that finally drove him
home again.
AS soon as he reached the Black Forest
! he went to the Hollander Michel and said