They thanked him kindly for his generous supply of all their wants, and promised implicit obedience.

They now had, if possible, more sumptuous meals, and in greater variety than ever, and for a few days every thing went on well.  At length, a servant placed a covered dish in the center of the table, remarking that he always had orders from his master, when that particular dish was placed upon the table, that no one, on pain of his displeasure, should touch it, much less lift the cover.

For a few days these guests were so occupied in examining the new dishes that this order was obeyed.

But the woman at length began to wonder why that dish should be placed on the table if it were not to be touched; she did not for her part see any use in it.

Every meal she grew more and more discontented.  She appealed to her husband if he did not think such a prohibition very unreasonable.  If it were not to be touched, why was it placed on the table?

Her husband at length grew very angry; she would neither eat herself nor allow him to eat in peace.  She at length remonstrated, she threatened; she used various arguments to induce him to lift the cover; said no one need to know it, &c.  Still her good-natured husband tried to reason her out of this notion.  She now burst into tears, and said her life was miserable by this gentleman’s singular prohibition, which could do no one any good; and she was still more wretched by reason of her husband’s unkindness,—­she really believed that he had lost all affection for her.

This remark made her husband feel very badly.  He lifted the cover and out ran a little harmless mouse.  They both ran after it, and tried their best to catch it, but in vain.

While they were feeling very unhappy, and were trembling with fear, the gentleman entered, and seeing their great embarrassment, inquired if they had dared to lift the cover?

The woman replied that she did not see what harm there could be in doing so.  She did not think it kind to place such a temptation before them; it could do no one any good.

The man added that his wife teazed him so that he had no peace, and rather than see her unhappy he had lifted the cover.

The gentleman then reminded them of their fault-finding while in the forest, their hard thoughts of God, of the serpent, and of Adam and Eve.  Had it been their case they should have acted more wisely!  But, alas! they did not know themselves!

He immediately ordered his servants to take off their nice new clothes and to put on their old garments, and he sent them back to the forest, ever after to eat their bread by the sweat of their brow.

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Original.

OLD JUDA.

Many years since, I took into my service an old colored woman by the name of Juda.  She was a poor, pitiful object, almost worn out by hard and long service.  But I needed just such services as she could render, and intrusted to her the general supervision of my kitchen department.