Show I i i e t I II I I GUBBO'S WISH Gubbo and his wife Nella lived in a little house near a forest where fairies were said to Gubbo was not fond of work and he was always telling Nella that she had nothing to do while he had all the hard part and got nothing for his work Now Nella was the one who really did the most work She milked the cows made the butter took care of the house and went to market and besides all that often had to o do part of the work buts outside ide as Gubbo was very fond of going to the village tavern and talkIng talking talkIng talk- talk Ing with his cronies One day Gubbo started out in the morning to mow the meadow that wason wason was wason on the road to the village and when he was partly finished with his work one of his friends called to him to come to the tavern with him You Youcan Youcan Youcan can come back in time to finish your work he said and Nella will never know you have been away After w wasting his time at the tavern until sunset Gubbo started for home grumbling all the way about h how how w Nella would would-be would be sure to scold and he never could have any pleasure and had to work so hard while Nella had nothing to do and could sit around the house Ill Just sit down here a a. minute andrest and andrest rest rest he said to himself so down he sat eat under a tree still talking of his hard luckI luck could change places I 1 Just wish we he said Nella would soon see who did the work and I 1 guess then she would not nag me so much yes I wish I had no more work to do than she has has But Gubbo got no further with his wish A funny little creature dressed in red and green with a pointed capon cap capon capon on his head and pointed shoes on his tiny feet hopped up in front of Gubbo and said All right Gubbo you shall have your wish you shall change places with N Nella lla and do her work and she shall do yours Gubbo sat up straight and rubbed his eyes Who are aree you he asked A fairy I 1 always heard they lived in the forest but I 1 did not believe it answered the No I 1 am a goblin goblin- little creature but the fairies do live and they are helping Nella Nella Nella Nel Nel- in the forest la to have a better husband so they asked me to take you in charge Come are going to do Nellas Nella's s along you work Gubbo never knew how it happened happened happened hap hap- but he found himself in the kitchen of his home cooking the fire would not burn urn be because because because be- be First Nella lla the wood which Ne Nella brought the cause she left lift it out In the not dry In was night rain Instead of bringing ng it the night before as she should have done Yv y E i L 04 Then there was no water In the p pail tl and Gubbo had to fetch it from the well While he was gone the bread burned and the coffee boiled over Nella when she came in n to tb breakfast breakfast break break- fast found fault with the food and said she had worked so hard that she was going to t take ke a rest so Gubbo had the chickens the tha horse and the cows to feed besides all his own work to do When It came night Gubbo was never never so tired in his life but still he had to milk the cows and wash the dishes while Nella sat out in the cool garden and smoked her pipe which Gubbo thought very strange for he had never neverseen neverseen neverseen seen Nella smoke At last all his work was done and Gubbo was so tired he did not stop to take off his clothes clothes he he Just fell Into bed But instead of touching the bed he seemed to go right through It and keep on falling failing and falling failing And th then n Gubbo Jumped He opened his eyes and look looked d about It was moonlight and Gubbo saw that he was still under the tree where he sat when the goblin appeared to him Huh he said I guess I fell asleep and dreamed It I dont don't believe there are any fairies or gob gob said someone and Gubbo grew grew frightened came again Well anyway I dont don't believe in fairies fairies fairies fai fai- fai- fai ries as much as in goblins said Gubbo Gubb because I never saw a a. fairy and I have seen a goblin Of course I know there are goblins Gubbo looked all around but no on one did he see and no more sounds did he hear so he started off for home He crept into the house very softly so as not to awaken Nella and went to bed The next morning without being called Gubbo got up and built the fire brought in a pail pall of fresh water and put the kettle on to boll boil When breakfast was ready he came in with an armful of wood and after breakfast filled the water pall pail and the wood box and not once did he grum grumble grumble grum grum- bl ble about all the work he had to do Nella never knew what happened to Gubbo but she was satisfied that he was a better husband than he had ever been before and never talked about how little she had to do and how hard he had to work again Copyright 1916 by McClure Newspaper per Syndicate New York City |