The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register. (Wilmington, Del.) 1824-1825, 1825-01-06

dlestick Clenched fast in the shaking hand Of
the boy, and boldly rushed to the cellar
stairs; but ere he had descended half the
steps, the large saucer eyes and enormous
horns of the beast caused him to retreat as
his son-'Sure enough the DeuH is in The
cellar =. The utmost confusion and uproar
now prevailed in the house.-The good
man seized great bible and attempted to
read, but the candle suffered, burnt blue
and threw SO feeble light on the sacred
page, and the book tremblcd so much in
the hands of the reader, that he could not
distinguish one word from another-The
little children cried and chung to their mo-
ther-the lasses nestled close to their favor
tic swains--and the whole house shook
with the agitation of its half demented in
habitants.--One bright thought however oc-
curred--a messenger was despatched for
the minister to lag the Devil
The parson, man more celebrated for
good nature, piety and credulity, than for
talent or hcroism, slipped the small bible
into his pocke4, put on his band and surplice,
that he might appear as formidable to his
great adversary as possible, and fastened
to the relief Of his distressed parishoners.
On coming to the house, the reverend
man was hailed as delverer, and impored
by at least a dozen voices at once ito drive
the devil away.'-But few moments were
lost in asking questions, which no one could
answer, before the Parson was pushed for
ward as a leader, lighted by the same pen
ntious candle, into the cellar, the courageous
Of the company keeping close behind him.
. When he reached the foot of the stairs, the
eyes Of fire and the shadowy outline of enor-
nous horns, magnified ten-fold at least by
the terrors Of those that beheld them, remov-
, ed all doubt, if any bad previously existed
, in his mind, as to the Internal nature of the
being with whom he had to contend. The
divine instantly fell on his knees, and with
, upliftcd hands began to pray iii his most fer
vent manner. The ram not understanding
the good mans motives, but supposing by
! the motion Of his hands, chat he was daring
him to butting contest, made pass with
all his might at his supposed adversary; but
$ deceived by the swelling dimensions ofhis dra-
/ perry, messed the slender body of the priest,
: and drawing hastily back to renew the assault,
/ hooked one of his horns into the belt Of his
sn,plice, and pulled the Parson with him
/ into the cellar While thus in the power
f OF his victorious foe, lost to hope as it regard
i cd himself, the natural benevolence of his
g disposition burst forth in the exclamation,
9 Rrethrca, take care Of yourSeloes, tie De-
n I'll has .got mc.' This exhortatlon was bet
e ter obeycd than any he had ever deliyered
c from the pulpit, his friends fled and left him
TO his fate.
o Among the company was shrewd young
n farmer, who had from the first supposed the
4 ticnd to hc nothing more than some domestic
$ animal, but being lover of fun and willing
to see a comedy, he kept his tho'ts to HIM
d sell and pretended to sympathize with the
others in their feasible now thought it
4 time to Interfere, and snatching pitch-pine
y knot blazing from the fire, expressed his de-
Is termination to rescue the priest, or perish in
+; the attempt.
ID A lovely young damsel laid hold of the
I; skirts OF his coat--andthe cry Of don't, don't
,e proceeded from every part of the room. I'm
q needing this Kind concern for his safety he
,tlslletl into the cellar, seized the ram by one
Of his horns and dragged the struggling ami
NAL up stairs, calling to the astonished par
son follow me- The horned devil was led
in triumph, followed by the vanquishcd Ec-
ccsiastic, into the midst Of the company
v momcntary silence and hanging down o.
n heads cnsucd The past scene however was
ne too ludicrous to admit of sober reflection, and
a loul peals OF laughter burst from every side
lie during which the ram was turned out at the
door, the parson absented himself without
r ceremony, and the sports of the evening were
rs resumed with better spirits than before.
ed