The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-07-13
WHOLE NO. 3s6.

shot eyes, which ne one could mistake for-
saabuman expression. Nor were her con-
v.Suons Weakened Hhen she heard at in-
tqHals during the might, from the cham-s
bEto which ne had retired, the. uneasy
tossing OF his frame upon his bed, andrthc
hall articuate terms of blasphewy wfich<
he mutterd to bimsclf, or, "a her excited
imagination, addressed to tfIs sfuis tll{it&
+haunted his couch <Nsx n (
The terrors of that night were too.
great FOR her to endure second time, shox
abruptly left his house in the morning.
From that hour every one in the village
studiously avoided Franks presence and
II ne was seen at all, it was generally aC-
ter dark upon some unlrequented path ,ru-
minating IN silence or mntteripg to him.
SCI. HIS demcanor became more and
more reserved and morose, and even 10
his former friends he was moody and re-
pnlsiVe. lie was no longer seen at church
on the Sabbdil, nor at his Office on week
days, and no one in the village doubted
AT last that demon had possessed him.
About SIX months after the night Of
winch have spoken, l received pres
sing note from Franks wife to come to
lns house. went, and | could not have
imagined 1t possible that such change
could have taken place between what I
then saw and what | have witnessed SO
lew years before when first visited there.
Frank was pacing the room with an un-
steady step. His two eldest children
stood shIverlng over an il. supplied fire,
near which his wife was sitting with fer
bic and sickly infant upon her knee. and
presented al once The picture ofterror and
despair. Her beauty had all faded, and
a haggard paleness had taken its place.
Her husband had that morning received
letter which seemed TO exasperate him in
TO ParoXysm Of rage, and, under tlGs
excitement he had offered her personal
violence. Domestics she had long been
destitute of, and her children were toe
much terrified for her 10 dare to remain
any longer alone. Every thing that saw
wore the aspect Of cheerless misery. The
piano That had once listened TO was
gone every ornament in the room bad !
disappeared; and few broken chairs and .
shattered tablo were all the furniture
shat remained | sa, dawn is, ,silaDc !. ...ad :.
nv eye rested on the once tin9S
= u DdQ SCofIs
him for year, and ! shuddcreSs
change that Witnessed even within tho.
per!od OF time. never before saw us
much of the very liend in human shane as
his swollen vissage and sunken eve pre--
scented. he muttered to himself half sti-
fled curses upon his family and the world.
and sometimes ghastly smile would
steal over hIS IIvld countenanc9, and this
would be succeeded by a darker lrovn
upon his harGknli brow.
ieIt that my situation was becoming
awkward and almost painful, and was
making an citoit to break away from so
rcvolI2g and healt-rendiDg Il scene when
a loud quick knock was heard upon tho
door, and stranger, without waiting 10
be bid, entered Frank seemed to anlici-
G'te ms business, and, in IA sulen. dor
gcd manner, demanded what he wanted,
This will Inform you," said the stranger.
showing HIM paper, "and by virtue of
this take wha, ever is in this house into
my custodyV Without waiting for anv
repIy he begun to make a memorandum
OF what ever the room contained. lie
then proceeded TO other parts ofthe house.
and in little while returned to the oaror
apparently dissatisfied and dsappointed'
"A ou have other property than ihls, !" said
he, exhibiting mcagre list ofa few near
Iy worthless articles. "Ytu have other
property Than this, aud must have it.n
"Nolhug," said Frank, who hod bv This
time recovered ia some measure from tho
stupor and confusion into which the en-
trance OF the stranger had thrown him
"Noibln9--t have not cent for you, nor
will ! bear your insolcnco any longer
50, leave my house, or," with an oath, cit
shall cost you DEAR mir Seymour"
SAID the stranger, coolly, but firmly, "I
know and you know my duty too wei! to
think } shall shrink from performing it.v
"lhat door," pointing to the secret clos
ct, "is the only place which | have not
examined, and | must examine there al
So" franks rage became positively
terrible he loamcd at the mouth, and
trcmJlod ~ every limb and as the slran-
ger advanced towards the closet, Frank,
with a horrid oath, that no man living
should ever open that door, sprung like a
tiger upon him, and attempted TO seize
h!S thront. Tho stranger, who was n
stout athletic man, recoled SO 5s evado
this attempt OF Frank, and having with n
single blow prostrated him upon the floor,
rushed upon The door and burst il from iis
hinges. As tie door fell, the mysteries Of
that place were disclosed. The stranger
cast one glance and shrunk back, ior
there stood the Demon, 10 whom Frank
had sold himself, soul and body there
was the Ficnd, who had consumed his