680 
JUatmtg for % flatntg. 
A TALE OF OWE WHO TEAVELED TO 
LEARN WHAT SHIVERING MEANT. 
A fattier had two soub. the elder of whom was 
forward and clever enough to do almost any¬ 
thing ; but the younger was so stupid that he 
■could learn nothing, and when the people saw 
him, they said, “ Will thy father still keep thee 
as a burden to him ?” So If anythtng was to ho 
done, the elder had at all tlrae9 to do It: but per¬ 
haps the father would call him to fetch some¬ 
thing In the dead of night, and perhaps the way 
led through the churchyard or by a dismal place, 
and then be used to answer, “No father, 1 can¬ 
not go there, 1 am afraid,” for he was a coward. 
Or sometimes of an evening, tales were told by 
the flreslde which made one shudder, and the 
listeners exclaimed, " Ob, it makes us shiver!” 
in a corner, mem while, sat the younger son. 
listening, but. he could qpt comprehend what 
was said, and he thought. “ They say continually, 
‘Oh, It makes us shiver!' but perhaps shivering 
Is an art which 1 cannot understand.” One day, 
however, his rather said to him. 
“Do you hear, you therein the corner7 Ton 
are growing stout and big; you must learn some 
trade to get your living by. Do you see how your 
■brother works 7 Hut as for you, you sre not 
worth malt and hops.” 
“ Ah, father J" answered he, “ I would willingly 
learn something. What shall I begin 7 I want 
to know what shivering means, for of that, I can 
understand nothing.” 
The elder brother laughed when he heard this 
speech, and thought to himself, “Ah, my brother 
Is such a simpleton that he caDnot earn Ills own 
living. He who would make a good hedge must 
learn betimes to bend.” 
But the father sighed, and said, “ What shiv¬ 
ering means you may learn soon enough, but you 
will never get your bread by that.” 
Soon after the parish sexton came In for a gos¬ 
sip, so the father told him his troubles, and how 
that his younger son was such a simpleton that 
he knew nothing, and could learn nothing. 
“Just fancy, when I asked him how he In¬ 
tended to earn Ws bread, he desired to learn what 
shivering meant I” 
“ Oh, If that be all,” answerd the sexton, “ he 
can learn that soon enough with me; just send 
him to my place and I will soon teach him.” 
The father was very glad, becau e he thought 
that It, would do the boy good ; so the sexton took 
him home to ring the belis. About two days after¬ 
wards, he called him up at midnight to go into 
the church tower to toll the bell. 
“ You shall soon learn what shlverlntr means,” 
thought the sexton ; and getting up he went out 
too. 
As soon as the hoy reached the belfry, and 
turned himself round to seize the rope, he saw 
upon the stairs, near the sounding.hole, a white 
figure. “ Who's there?” he called out. But the 
figure gave no answer, and neither stirred nor 
spoke. “ Answer,” said the boy, “or make haste 
off; you have no business here to-night.” 
But the sexton did not stir, so that the boy 
might think it was a ghost. 
The boy called out a second time, “ What are 
you doing here ? Speak, It you are an honest fel¬ 
low, or else I will throw you down-stalra.” 
The sexton said to htmself, “ That Is not a bad 
thoughtbut he remained quiet as ir he were a 
stone. Then the boy called out for a third time, 
but It produced no effect; so, making a spring, 
he threw the ghost down the stairs so that it 
rolled ten steps, and then lay motionless In a cor¬ 
ner. Thereupon he rang the bell, and then go¬ 
ing home, he went to bed without, saying a word, 
and fell fast asleep. The sexton’s wife waited 
some time for her husband, but, he dll not come; 
so at last she became anxious, woke the boy, and 
asked him if he knew where her husband was, 
who had gone before him to the belfry, 
“ No," answered the boy; “ but there was some 
one standing on the steps who would not give any 
answer, nor go away, so I took him for a thief, 
and threw him down stairs. Go now and see 
where he Is: perhaps It may he he ; but, I should 
be sorry for It." 
The wife ran off, and found her Y usband lying 
In a corner, groaning, with one of his ribs broken. 
She took lilrn up and ran with loud outcries 
to the boy’s father, and told him, “ Tour son has 
brought a great misfortune upon us ; he has 
thrown my husband down and broken his bones. 
Take the good-for-nothing fellow from our 
house.” 
The terrified father came In haste, and scolded 
the boy. 
“ What do these wicked tricks mean ? They 
will only bring misfortune upon you.” 
“ Father,” answered the lad, “ hear me ! I am 
quite Innocent. He stood there at midnight like 
one who had done some evil; I did not know who 
It was, and cried three times, * Speak or be off!’ ” 
“ Ah 1” said the father, “ everything goes badly 
with you. Get out of my sight; I do not wish to 
see you again 
“ Yes, father, willingly; wait, but one day, then 
I will go out and learn what shivering means, 
that I may at least understand one business 
which will support me." 
" Learn what you will," replied the father, “all 
Is the same to me. Here are fifty dollars; go 
forth with them Into the world, and tell no man 
whence you came, or who your rather Is, Tor 1 am 
ashamed of you.” 
“ Yes, father, as you wish ; but If you desire 
nothing else, I shall esteem that very lightly.” 
As Boon as day broke, the youth put his fifty 
dollars into a knapsack, and went out upon the 
high road, Baying continually, “ Oh, If I could but 
shiver 1” 
Presently a man came up, who heard the boy 
talking to himself and, as they were just pass¬ 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
lug the place where the gallows stood, the man 
said, “ Do you see 7 There Is the tree where 
seven fellows have married the hempen maid, 
and now swing to and fro. 81t yourself down 
there and wait, till midnight,, and then you will 
know what It Is to shiver 1” 
“ Oh, if that be all,” answered the boy, “ I can 
very easily do that. But ir I learn so speedily 
what shivering Is, theo you shall have my fifty 
dollars if you cotne again In the morning.” 
Then the boy went to the gallows, sat down, 
and waited for evening, and as he felt cold be 
made a fire. But about midnight the wind blew 
so sharp, that, In spite of the fire, he could not 
j ueep himself warm. 
The wind blew the bodies against one another 
so that they swung backwards and forwards; and 
he thought, “ ir I am cold here below by the fire, 
how must they freeze above 1" So his compassion 
was excited, and, contriving a ladder, he mount¬ 
ed, and, unloosening them one after another, be 
brought down all seven. Then he poked and blew 
the lire, and set them round that they might, 
warm themselves; but as they sat still without 
moving, their clothing caught Are. So he said, 
“Take care of yourselves, or I will hang all of 
you up again.” The dead heard not,, and silently 
allowed their rags to burn. This made him so 
angry that he said, “ If you will not hear I can¬ 
not help you; but I will not burn with you.” So 
he hung them up again In a row, and sitting down 
by the fire, he soon went to sleep. 
The next morning the man came, expecting to 
rece've his fitly dollars, aDd asked, " Now, do you 
know what shivering means 7” 
"No," he answered; “how should I know? 
Those fellows up there have not opened their 
mouths, and were so stupid that they let tho old 
rags on their bodies be burnt.” 
Then the man saw that he should not carry 
away the fifty dollars that day, so he went away 
saying, “I never met with such a one before.” 
The boy also went on his way, and began again 
to say, “ Ah, If only I could but shiver—If I could 
but shiver 1” 
A wagoner walking behind overheard him, and 
asked, “ Who are you?” 
“ I do not know," answered the hoy. 
“The wagoner asked again, “What do you 
here ?” 
“ I know not.” 
“ Who Is your father ?” 
“ I dare not say.” 
“ What is It you are continually grumbling 
about?” 
“ Oh,” replied the youth, “ I wish to learn what 
shivering Is, but nobody can teach me.” 
“Cease your silly talk,” said the wagoner. 
“ Come with me, and I will see what I can do for 
you.” 
So the boy went with the wagoner, and about 
eventng-ttme they arrived at the inn where they 
put up for the night, and while they were going 
into the parlor he said, quite loud, “ Oh, if I could 
but shiver—If I could hut shiver 1” 
The host overheard him, and said, laughingly, 
“ Oh, It that Is all you wish, you shall soon have 
the opportunity.” 
“ Hold your tongue," said his wife; “ so many 
Imprudent people have already lost their lives: 
It were a shame and sin to such beautiful eyes 
that they should not see the light again.” 
But the youth said, " If it were ever so difficult 
I would at once learn it; for that reason I left 
home." And he never let the host have any 
peace till he told him that not far off stood an 
enchanted castle, where any one might soon 
learn to Shiver if he would watch there three 
nights. The King had promised his daughter in 
marriage to whomsoever would venture; and she 
was the most beautiful young lady that the sun 
ever shone upon. And he further told him that 
inside the castle there was an Immense amount 
of treasure guarded by evil spirits,—enough to 
make any one free, and turn a poor man Into a 
very ilch one. Many had, he added, already ven¬ 
tured Into this castle, but no one had ever come 
out again. 
The next morning this youth went to the King, 
and said, “ If you will allow me, I wish to watch 
three nights In the enchanted castle.” 
The King looked at him, and because his ap¬ 
pearance pleased him, he said, “ You may make 
three requests, but they must be Inanimate 
things you ask for, and such as you can take 
with you Into the castle.” So the youth asked 
for a fire, a lathe and a cutting-board. 
The King let him take these things by day into 
the castle, and when It was evening the youth 
went In and made himself a bright fire In one of 
the rooms, and, plactog his cutting-board and 
knife near it, he sat down upon his lathe. " Ah, 
If I could hut shiver 1" said he. “ But even here 
I shall never learn.” 
At midnight he got up to stir the lire, and as he 
poked it there shrieked suddenly in one corner, 
“Mlau, miaul how cold I am!" “You simple¬ 
ton!” he exclaimed; “what are you shrieking 
for ? If yon are so cold, come and stt down by 
the fire and warm yourself I” As he was speak¬ 
ing two great black cats sprang up to him with 
an immense Jump, and sat down, one on each 
side, looking at him quite wildly with their fiery 
eyes. When they had warmed themselves for a 
little while, they said, "Comrade, shall we have 
a game of cards ?” " Certainly,” he replied; " but 
let me see your paws first." So they at,retched 
out their claws; and he said, "Ah, what long 
nails you have got. Walt a bit., I must cut them 
off firstand so saying, he caught them up by 
the necks, and put them on his board, and screw¬ 
ed their feet down. “ Since I have seen what 
you are about, I have lost my relish for a game 
at cards,” said he; and instantly killing them, 
threw them away Into the water. 
But no sooner had he quieted these two, and 
thought of sitting down again by his fire, than 
there came out of every hole and corner black 
cats and black dogs with glowing chains, con¬ 
tinually more and more, bo that he could not 
hide himself. They howled fearfully, and jump¬ 
ed upon his fire, and scattered It about as If they 
would extinguish It. He looked on quietly for 
some time, hut at last getting angry, he took up 
his knife and called out, "Away with yon, you 
vagabonds;" and chasing them about,, a part ran 
off, and the rpst he killed and threw into the 
pond. As soon as be returned he blew up the 
sparks of bis fire again, and warmed himself; 
and while he sat. his eyes began to feel very 
heavy, and he wished to go to sleep. So looking 
round, he saw a great bed In one corner, In which 
he lay down; but no sooner had he closed bis 
eyes, than the bed began to move of Itself, and 
traveled all round the castle. “Just so," said 
be, “ only better stillwhereupon the bed gal¬ 
loped away as If six horses pulled It up and down 
steps and stairs, until at, last,all at once it overset 
bottom upwards, and lay upon him Uke a moun¬ 
tain ; but up he got, threw pillows and mattresses 
Into the atr, and saying, “ Now, he who wishes 
may travel," laid himself down by the fire and 
slept till day broke. 
In the morning the King came, and seeing the 
youth lying on the ground, he thought that the 
spectres had killed him, and that ho was dead; so 
he said, “It is a great misfortune that the finest 
men are thus killed.” But the youth, hearing 
this, sprang up, saying, “If is not come to that 
with me yet!" The King was much astonished, 
but still very glad, and asked him how he had 
fared. “Very well," replied he, “as one night 
has passed, so also may the other two.” Soon 
after he met his landlord, who opened his eyes 
when he saw him. “ l never thought to see you 
alive again,” said he: “have you learnt now 
what sliiverint means 7 “ No,” Bald he, “ It is all 
of no use. Oh, If any one would but tell me!” 
The second night he went up again Into the 
castle, and sitting down by the fire, began his 
old song, “If l could but shiver 1” When mid¬ 
night came, a ringing and a rattling noise was 
heard, gentle at first, and louder and louder by 
degrees; then there was a pause, and presently 
with a loud outcry half a man's body came down 
tbe chimney and fell at his feet. “Holloal” he 
exclaimed; “only half a man answered that 
ringing: that Is too little.” Then the ringing 
began afresh, and a roaring and howling was 
heard, and the other half fell down. “ Walt a 
bit,” said he; “I will poke up the tire first.” 
When he had done so, and looked round again, 
the two pieces had Joined themselves together, 
and an ugly man was sitting In his place. “ I did 
not bargain for that,” said the youth: “ the bench 
Is mine.” The man tried to push him away, but 
the youth would not let him, and giving him a 
violent push, sat himself down In his old place. 
Presently more men fell down the chimney, cue 
after the ether, who brought nine thigh-bones 
and two skulls, which they set up, and then 
they began to play at ninepins. At this tho 
youth wished also to play, so he asked whether 
he might join them. “ Yes, It you have money.'' 
“Money enough," he replied. “But your balis 
are not quite round;" so saying, he took up the 
skulls, and placing them on the lathe, turned 
them round. “Ah, now you win roll well,” said 
he. “ Holloa! nove we win go at It merrily.” So 
he played with them and lost some of his money, 
but as It struck twelve everything disappeared. 
Then he laid down and wont to sleep quietly, on 
the morrow the King came for news, and asked 
him how he fared this time. “ I have been play 
lng ninepins,” he replied, “ ami lost a couple of 
dollars.” “Have you not shivered?" “No! I 
have enjoyed myself very much, but I wish some 
one would teach me that l” 
on the third night he sat down again on his 
benen, saying in great vexation, “ Oh, if I could 
only shiver I" When It grew late, six tall men 
came in bearing a coffin between them “Ah, 
ah I” said he, “ that Is surely my little covaln. 
who died two days ago;" and beckoning with his 
finger, he called, “Come, little cousin, come!” 
The men set down the coffin upon the ground, 
and he went up and took off the fid, and there 
lay a dead man within, and as be felt the face It 
i was as cold as Ice. "Stop a moment,’ he cried, 
“I will warm Itln a thrice;" and stepping up to 
the fire, ho warmed his hands, and then laid them 
upon the face, but it remained cold. Sobs took 
up tbe body, and sitting down by the fire he laid 
It on his lap and rubbed the arms, that the blood 
might circulate again. But all this was of no 
avail, and he thought to himself. If two lie in a 
; bed together they warm each other; so he put 
; the body In the bed, and covering It up, laid him¬ 
self down by Its side. After a little while tho 
body became warm, and began to move about. 
“See, my cousin!" be exclaimed, “have I not 
warmed you?" But the body got up and ex¬ 
claimed. “Now I will strangle you!" “Isthat 
your gratitude?" cried the youth. "Then you 
shall got Into your coffin again." And taking It 
up, he threw the body in, and made the lid fast. 
Then the six men came In again and bore It 
away. “ Oh deary me!’ 1 said he, “I shall never 
be able to shiver If I stop hero all my lifetime!” 
At these words In came a man who was taller 
than all the others, and looked more horrible; 
but he was very old, and had a long white beard. 
“Oh, thou wretch!” he exclaimed; “now thou 
Shalt learn what shivering means, for thou shalt 
die!" 
“ Not so quick." answered the youth; “ If I die, 
I must be brought to ll first." 
“ I wlU qulcklv seize you," replied the ugly one. 
“ Softly, softly I be not too sure. I am as strong 
as you, and perhaps stronger.” 
“That we will see,” said the ugly man. “If 
you are stronger than 1,1 will let you go; come, 
let us tryand he led him away through a dark 
passage to a smiths forge. Then taking up an 
axe, he cut through the anvil at one blow down 
to the ground. “ I can do that still better.” said 
the youth, and went to another anvil, while the 
old man lollowed him and watched him with his 
long beard hanging down. Then the youth took 
up an axe, and, splitting the anvil at one blow, 
wedged the old man’s beard In It. “Now I havo 
you! now death comes upon you I” and, taking up 
©et. as 
an Iron bar, he beat, the old man until he groaned 
and begged him to stop, and he wou'd give him 
great riches. So the youth drew out the axe, and 
let him loose. Then the old mau, leading him 
back into t he castle, showed him three chests full 
of gold In a cellar. “ One share of this.” said he, 
“ belongs to the poor, another to the King, and a 
third to yourself.” And Just then It struck twelve, 
and the old man vanished, leaving the youth in 
t. ae dark. “ I must help myself out. of here,” said 
he, and groping round, he found his way back to 
his room, hnd went to sleep by the tiro. 
The next morning the King came and Inquired, 
“Now have you learnt to shiver 7” “ No,” replied 
tho youth; “what Is it? My dead cousin came 
here, and a bearded mao, who showpd me a lot of 
gold down below; but what shivering means no 
one has showed me!’’ Then the King said, 
“You have won the castle, and shall marry my 
daughter." 
“That Is all very fine,” replied the youth, “ but 
still I don’t know what shivering means.” 
So the gold was fetched, and the wedding was 
celebrated; hut the young Prince (for toe youth 
was a Prince), notwithstanding bis love for his 
bride and his great contentment., was still con¬ 
tinually crying, “ If I could but shiver l ir I could 
hut shiver 1" At last It fell out In this wise: one 
of the chambermaids said to the Princess: "Let 
me bring In my aid to teach him what shivering 
Is.” So she went to the brook which flowed 
through the garden, and drew up a pall or water, 
full of little fish; and, at night, when the young 
Prince was asleep. Ids bride drew away the cov- 
: erlngand poured tlie pall of cold water and the 
little fishes over him, so that they slipped all 
about him Then the Prince woke up directly, 
calling out, “Oh! that makes me shiver! dear 
wife, that makes me shiver! Yes, now I know 
what shivering means!" Grimm. 
^abkt| pairing. 
TWO ROBBFRS. 
F. W. EOURDILLOX 
When Death from some fair face 
Is stealing life away. 
All weep, save she, the grace 
That earth shall lose to-day. 
When Time from some fair face 
Steals beanty, year by year-, 
For her slow, fading erace 
Who sheds, save she, a tear ? 
And Death not often darea 
To wake the world's distress ■. 
While Time, (he cunning. mars 
Surely all loveliness. 
Yet though by breath and breath 
Fades all our fairest prime, 
Men shrink from cruel Death, 
But honor crafty Time. 
A HAPPY SUNDAY. 
“I am so busy Just now,” wrote Luther once, 
“ that I cannot get along without at least two 
hours a day for prayer.” Tho epigram points 
American Christians to the true doctrine of Sun¬ 
day observance. We are so busy as a nation, 
that we need to guard more Jealously than ever 
one day In the week for spiritual and Intellectual 
refreshment, replenishing and rest. 
There Is a difficulty of old habit which Is a 
great hindrance to a right, and Joyful acceptance 
of the I.orl's day. From our youth up, unless we 
have been educated under exceptional auspices, 
it has been presented to our view by our religious 
teachers as a day of prohibitions. " Thou shalt 
not." has been the motto of the Sabbath : and we 
have been accustomed to feel that tbe keeping It 
holy consisted rather In the putting away of our 
ordinary occupations than In the energetic taking 
up of others. This is specially true in regard to 
children. “ You must not play to-day,” says the 
father or mother, glad to rest an.i read half 
drowsily the religious paper; forgetting that the 
time tor weariness or for reflection has not yet 
come to these Utile bodies and minds, and that 
Inactivity Is tbe sorest trial to a healthy child. 
“ I must not plow or sow to-day," says tbe Chris¬ 
tian farmer to himself; nor does he desire to do 
so; but in lieu of this his wonted occupation, tie 
does not quite know how to fill up the t Ime not 
devoted to public religious exercises or private 
devotions, and gradually he seeks to know what. 
Is permissible; bow near he may come to his 
week-day life without overstepping the Sunday 
line. The necessary cares of his farm are some¬ 
times a relief from Ibis fear of transgression and 
uncertainty of thought; and much of the sleepi¬ 
ness of which workingmen complain on Sunday 
may be traced to the Inactivity of mind and body 
to which they compel themselves by voluntarily 
turning away from their accustomed work and 
thoughts. 
nonce it comes about that, except with the 
majority of reverent but not mentally active peo¬ 
ple, there Is a constant strlvlug to come as near 
the forbidden ground as possible, as If all delights 
except, thoso exclusively religious were contained 
In the six days’ lawful occupations, and the sev¬ 
enth was to be a time of privation and self-denial. 
Hence come all those questionings as to reading, 
walking, visiting, writing letters, etc., which 
trouble the consciences of Chrlstlaos, and lead 
eltner to an overstrlct fine of conduct, or to In¬ 
dulgence, under some pretext of health or ex¬ 
pet lency, in that which conscience disallows, 
nence comes the habit of which we have spoken, 
of making the ramlly cares a sort of parenthetic 
relief to religious duties; and also a secret dread 
of the Sunday, and an undefined gladness when 
It is over. 
--- 
Rkrkntancb la a flower that grows not in na¬ 
ture’s garden, 
