Tag, Rag & Co (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ...and in love-potions. In addition he undertook to tell fortunes and to bar any door or gate against the incoming of Satan, or to cast out the Father of Evil from any place or person where he had found lodgment. "You must have met him before, I should imagine, judging from the grudge you hold against him," I remarked. "Dang his hide," returned the honest miller; "only that I'm pressed for time, and it's a long story, I could tell you summat about him as would make your heer stan' on end. I'm going to York, and if you're going the same road I'll give you a lift if you like." I liked very much, and as his strong grey mare rattled us along he told me his doleful tale. "The ow'd conjurer," as he called him, had played him a pretty trick, and one he could hardly be expected to forget or forgive. The affair happened no longer since than last May, which was the last time previous to this the miller had set eye on the rascal. The latter was in the habit of calling at the mill to attend to the worthy mealman's corns, and so had scraped acquaintance with the female members of his family, including the eldest daughter, who, without her father's sanction or approval, had fallen in love with the son of a neighbouring farmer, and who was by no means the sort of young man he--the miller--was desirous should become his son-in-law. The daughter had consulted the " conjurer" on the subject, with the object of enlisting his sympathy and aid in the shape of some "charm" that might operate on the old man's obduracy. But the chiropodist, though possessed of supernatural powers sufficient for the occasion, professed to have conscientious scruples in the matter, and declined to interfere until the...