The Washington times., 1913-02-07
For The Times Children
Just Before It's Bedtime
HOW THE GOBLIN HELPED TENY.

II
lbs mother married did not trea,
Tony kindly.
He made Tony chop all the
wood and weed the garden, and when
he did not feel like walking to the VIII
lage for his drink he made little Tcny
20 for it, and sometimes it was very
cold weather.
Tony's mother was afraid of her hus-
band and did not dare interfere. SO poor
Tony often went supperless to bed when
he did not do things as quickly as his
step father thought he should.
One day he told Tony to go to the
forest and gather fagots. and not to
return until he had bundle twice as
large as himself.
He gave Tony only a crust Of bread
for his dinner The day was cold and
poor Tony went shivering into the for
est.
After he had walked long distance
he thought of his bread: he took 1t out
of his pocket thinking he would eat 1t
before he began to gather the wood, but
just as he put II to his mouth he heard
a voice say, Tony. IL you want nice
dinner put your bread In the hollow Of
the old tree"
Tony looked around and say the old
tree, but he did not see any one. so he
stood very still and looked all about.
Don't You want nice dinner?" ask
ed the voice again.
This time Tony looked In the direc-
ton from which the voice came and he
saw a very queer looking little man
looking at him from big round eyes.
n n
Tony, but was thinking that II put
my crust of bread In that tree perhaps
] should be without even that, for / do
not see how a nice dinner could be
found In this forest
"oh. he"' said the little man, jumping
UP and down; did you never hear Of
the goblins where you have lived all the
while You have been on earthT'
Yes, have heard of the gobIins." re-
piled Tony, "but I never saw one, and /
never knew anyone that had seen one.
Are you one?" he asked.
''Of course / am" answered the little
man, and II yor want a nice dinner do
as ] told YOU" and on he ran, jumping
over the rocks and soon disappearing.
Tony looked at the crust Of bread he
held IN his hand: II did not look very
tempting, and Toney decide to do as the
goblin said. and he walked over to the
old tree and dropped his crust into the
hole in the trunk.
He waited a minute, and as nothing
happened he decided he had lost the
crust, and would have to gather the
wood without having anything to eat.
Just rs he was about to turn away he
nt.N 90 hA H4ll
place, and then he smelled something
that made his eyes grow big with won-
der.
He shifted the air; yes, It was a meat
stew he smelled. Tony cautiously put
hisJ hand into the hollow Of the tree.
and there he found a bowl Of steaming
broth.
He sat down beside the tree and soon
finished IL; then he thought he would
try again, and this time he found a
steaming apple dumping.
Tony had never tasted anything so
good before, and he forgot all about the
fagots he was to gather, and when he
finished his dinner he found the sun
had set
"oh. dearr' thought Tony, Il will
have TO stay in the forest all night; 1
cannot gather the wood and get out OF
here before dark, and II / 60 home
without the wood ! shall be whipped.
He picked up, the sticks as fast as he
could. and soon he had a big bundle
twice as large as himself, as his step
father had directed.
when Tony put II on his back he
could scarcely see where he was going.
for the bundle almost covered him.
II was quite dark when he at last put
down the bundle and decided TO sleep
i'm the forest. He sould not see his way,
and he was not sure he was going In
the right direction.
To his surprise he saw light which
seemed to come from a window, and
while Tony felt quite sure there was
not a house in the forest, he thought
he would go and make sure.
AS he came nearer TO the light he
found Il did come from the window Of
a small house. so he went TO the door
and knocked, hoping that the people
who lived there would be kind and give
him shelter for the: night.
Rut no one answered his knock. and
after waiting a few seconds he, timidly
onened the door. A FIRE was burning
y,Itbi,., Tony went IN. and after warm
,n., himself he looked around the room.
There was a bowl and spoon on table