Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-03-06
TIE DEVIL IN THE BurrgRMiLx.


! one OF tiic distant pdrIsueo, was
stricken with the CHERRY cheeks and
tempting lips Of a young dairy maid,
whom | often saw pass the house in
which | resided inquired her name
and residence, and found llllt she lived
| with protestant parsol, who besides
| preaching the doctrines OF the gospel,
kept very extensive farm. After u
! few side wink5 at this pretty daaisel,
[ determined to make her Ii visit dur
ing the time the preacher delivered
from the pulpit his "twicc told" ser,
mon | went accordingly, as soon as
| / saw the parson and his dame enter
the church. 1t is needless to tell of
the many soft words whispered into
her ear; suffice it to say, L found her
just rs / should wish; but unluckily,
love is so insensiblc to every thing but
his own genial feelings, that | rather
overstayed my time.
We were reused from cur pleasing
chat, by the old man aud his wife
laundering at the door for admittance
What was to be done?-there was not
the usual retreat of lovers--a back
door--and to leap from either of the
windows would have been to plunge
into the jaws ofthe lion. For hea-
ven's sake, my dear, cram me where
you WILL" cried |. Il would not have
the parson catch me here for worlds"
"Fm half out OF nv wits" said she.
<let me see--i have it!-get into that
big churn (pointing to large churn
that stood in one corner ofthe room -
be quick, for Gods sake--theyll not
suspect your being there, for they ne
veruse 1t on Sundays" In [ Jumped
and ina moment was in utter dark
ness--she having put on the lid. In
this situation | overheard all that pas
sed The parson and his wife were
let in--the latter not without scoiding
the maid for keeping them so long at
the door, who said she was asleep
and all was well
The old lady then told the maid
that she must Immediately put the
cream into the large churn and go TO
work, for it WIS Mpectedahere would
be a scarcity 5EButter in little while,
and they had better make the best
use of their time. 'Lud, ma'am, said
the frightened girl, "would you break
the sabbath" "Break the sabbath,
you jade? there is no harm in work
ing on Sunday, when we are brought
to it by necessity!--put in the cream l
say" The maid then asked if the
small churn would not do? "Not
whit!-not a whit, girl! the large churn
viii! work more at time" "Dear
me, ma'am, l have always been
broughtup to keep the sabbath sacred"
"rut, tutr' replied the dame, as The
parson entered, ''here my dear, this
wench will not churn because it is
Sunday;-whei. | tell her butter will
be scarce in few days" "Out upon
We, girl" cried the son of the pulpit,
"out upon yc do We think if lgot
my mare into the bog this morning,
that | wouldn't take her out because it
is Sunday?-pish!--go make your but
ter, 1 say" All the entreaties of the
distressed girl were in vain; she was
obliged to do the bidding other su-
perlors.
set all this while snug in the churn,
resigned to my fate, when down on
my Npor il! iated head came a pail full
of cltam yheld my breath until it
passed. and then breathed again, hop
ing it was finished here;-but no.
in came another--and another there
/ sat up to my chin in milk--one buck
let more and | should be drowned
man! What was to be done? hit up
on something at last-Just as the
deadly fourth was impending over my
head, [ leaped up on the top Of the
churn, all besmeared with cream
shaking myself, and making the most
diabolical faces the human yisage
could form 1t had the desired effect;
the maid lavoring the trick, screamed
out that the devil was in the butter
milk, and ran up stairs! The parson
and his 81 E scampered into the kitch-
en-, tumbrng head and heels over each
othel!-I tool; the t'mc--juinped of
The churn- ont ofthe window, and did
not look behind me until | arrived safe
at home.
Thus ended my adventure with the
dairy maid. 4 story got amopg the
| preacher, superstltiouS flock, that
! the devil bad risen from the churn and
accGscd him OF impiou.iy breaking