Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-12-18
IN such a night as this?" cried the COB.

on such night as thiS!' cried the goD-
lin
Gabriel Grubb. Gabriel Grubbp'
screamed a wild chorus of voices that
seemed to fill the churchyard.
Whit have you got In that bother"
said the goblin.
Hollands, sir" replied the sexton,
trembling more than ever, for he had
bought it Of the smugglers, and he
thought his ouestioner might be In the
excise department of the goblins.
"W'ho drinks Hollands alone and in
a churcbyard on such a night as this?"
Gabriel Grubb, Gabriel Grubbr' ex-
claimed the wild voices again.
And who, then, is our lawful prize?"
exclaimed the goblin.
The Invisible chorus replied, Gabriel
Grubh. Gabriel Grubb!"
The sexton gasped for breath.
What do you think of this, Ga.
briel?" said the goblin.
"It's-it's very curious. sir; very Gu
rious. sir. and very pretty" replied the
SEXTON, half dead with fright But /
think III go back and finish my work,
sir. IL vou please"
"Work?" said the goblin. "What
work?''
THE grave, sir"
"Oh. the grave, eh2 Who makes
graves at time when other men are
merry and takes pleasure In it?'
Again the voices replied, Gabriel
Grubb. Gabriel GrubbT
I'm afraid my friends want you.
Gabriel said the goblin.
Under favor, sir" replied the hor-
ror stricken sexton. 81 don't think
they can. They don't know me, sir
| don't think the gentlemen have ever
seen me-"
"Oh. yes. they have! We know the
man who struck the boy in the envious
malice of his heart because the boy
could be merry and he could not"
Here the goblin gave loud. shrill
laugh which the echoes returned twen-
tyfold.
IL am afraid l must leave you,
SIR" said the sexton. making an effort
| to move.
Leave us!" said the goblin. "Ho. no.
ho!''
AS the goblin laughed he suddenly
darted toward Gabriel laid his hand
on his collar and sank with him
through the earth. And when he had
had time to fetch his breath he found
himself in what appeared to be large
cavern, surrounded ON all sides bv COB
lins ugly and grim.
"And now." said the king of the COB
Inns, seated in the center of the room
on an elevated seat-his friend of the
churchyard-"sh the man of misery
and gloom a few of the pictures from
our great storehouses."
AS the goblin said this cloud rolled
gradually away and disclosed small
and scantily furnished but neat apart
ment. Little children were gathered
round bright fire. clinging to their
mothers gown or gamboling round her
chair. A frugal meal was spread upon
the table. and an elbow chair was
placed near the fire. Soon the father
entered, and the children ran to meet
him, AS he sat down to his meal the
mother sat by his side. and all seemed
happiness and comfort.
what do you think of thatT" said
the goblin.
Gabriel murmured something about
its being very pretty.
"Sbow him some more" said the
goblin.
Many n time the cloud went and
came. and many lesson 1t taught to
Gabriel Grubb. He saw that men who
worked hard and earned their scanty
bread were cheerful and happy. And
ne came to the conclusion 1t was a
very respectable sort of world after
all One by one the goblins faded from
his sight. and as the last one disap
peared he sank to sleep.
The day had broken when he awoke
and found himself lying on the hat
grayestOne. with the wicker bottle emp
ty by his side. lie got on his feet al
well as he could and. brushing the
frost OF his coat. turned his face to
ward the town.
But he was an altered man. He had
learned lessons of gentleness and good
nature by his strange adventures In the
gOblin's cavern, Charles Dickens.