Show I THE GNOMES GNOME'S REVENGE I Peter was a hard working Swiss I II I peasant But he was mean to his i neighbors Ills wife and feared him and even the dogs In the village street slunk from his path One day Peter heard that a poor poorman poorman man who had broken his leg was starving He knew that the man had a afine afine fine pair of goats so he he thought he would go up and get them very cheap Why Peter Ieter r replied the ill man I do you wish to rob me me because I am amI sick and helpless I know that Is your our I way but all I can do Is to tale take your offer So Peter paid him a small sum and drove away with the two fine goats Presently out into his path stepped a gnome Wait Valt a bit neighbor sang out the little mon n. I 1 live lI a way up the moun mount and cannot get Into my home for fora I a big tree has blown across the door door- way Help me with It can you ou I Stop my work to fool with such Idle I fellows as you snorted Peter Well Veil I rather thing not Get out ot of my wa way The gnomes gnome's eyes flashed with anger but he smiled as If amused I have a big ba bag of gold inside my cupboard to pay for the work returned returned re- re turned the gnome Help me I will pay you ou In pieces of oC gold three goats and a cask o of old wine Pet Peter I leaped from his cart with delight delight de- de light and followed the gnome up the mountain side High above a crag was wasa a tiny hut hut- and before the door lay an Immense oak which had been uprooted uproot uproot- ed by a storm Peter pulled and pushed and at last the way was free I and the door could be opened They went Inside The gnome took out ot of his cupboard a canvas bag heavy with coin and handing It to Peter said Now ow friend I will give you a treat And with that tie poured out Into Intel a tiny cup a drink ot of wine Drink this said the gnome You have done the work and I am tied fled Peter drank Ills His eyes shut he fell to the floor in a deep sleep and the gnome put a a. pillow under his head Sleep on you wicked old wretch laughed the tiny man Sleep a year for each coin ot of which you have cheated your poor neighbor These goats goat werE worth at least thirty gold old I I pieces you gave him but ten Here you will remain In slumber till twenty years ears are gone The gnome returned to the road took the goats back bacle to the sick man then disappeared forever Twenty years rolled awa away One bright summer morn Peter awoke rubbed his eyes and sat up lie He scrambled d to his feet teet and tottered down the mountain path Ills lIis steps were feeble and his eyes weak At last he entered the village but It seemed strange It was changed and when he came In sight ot of his old home he found a new mansion In Its place Trembling with fright he stopp stopped d a young oung woman worn worn- an who was passing Can you ou tell me what has become of oC the old house In which Peter used t to live he asked yes replied the woman It I was my old home but It burned down own I ten years ago and we built a new one in which my husband and I now live hive My mother Is dead my brothers gone I to foreign lands My father wandered away twenty years ears ago Into the mountains mountains moun- moun and was lost I ant ani your father murmured Pe- Pe I ter I am Peter whom you ou all thought lost How things have changed In twenty years T-ie T gnome played a atrick atrick trick on me so I must change too It was my hard heart which led to thIs deed So In future it will be a new Peter who lives again In the old home It was a happy family and a very much changed old man that now Inhabited inhabited In- In habited the new home And in the do- do dining years ot of his life there was none more kind and generous than Peter Copyright by the McClure Newa- Newa r New w York City |