Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-11-14


save you from the consequences Of si"'
know there is vulgar superstition &c
that effect, but that is all nv work. Had
you treasured the principles of wonder
book IN yoor heart, you would have 5sen
invulaersble 10 nay attacks; you would
not have invited temptation by disconten,
aud murmuslng; you would not have
tampered with me. knowing me TO be
one "who goelh about seeking whom be
may devour;" nor, if you had obeyed
the spirit would you have placed cepen-
dence on the letter of your Bible. THE
letter kiileth, the spirit aud leadeth to life. ="
II quote from memory" continued Satan,
with a mockins air, ''and il | am wrong,
you, who rest your hopes Of salyatlon SO
much on the letter, ought TO DO able TO
set me right. Ha. hei" laughed the gen.
tlemsn ia yellow, after a short psuse;
"a goodly number 0! my servants have !
on this earth; excellent Christians, as
they deem themselves dear delightful old
scandal-mongers, as they really are. who
go TO meeting twice week. read their
Bibles every morning aud night. and
would not tell lie for the world. but
who circulate with rapidity equal TO
that of Morse's Telegraph, every lie con
corning their neighbors which they can
tiud ready MADE for their use. and gho,
if the story be not complete, think. i no
harm to make the requisite emendations.
With hearts filled with envy, they eager
ly spread every thing which they hear
to the disadvantage of those whom they
fancy the world thinks their beiters, and
they p actically spend a great portion OF
their lime in mentally thanking them.
selves, (no, the LoRD,) that they arc not
like other people. sinners. living without
Cop in the world fla, ha! bal rich
harvest do these faithful servants gather
in for my garner These are they whose
lives cast reproach upon the religion they
profess; who neither go in themselves,
nor allow others to g. in. Disgust at
their hypocrisy causes the voluntary ban
ishment from your infnity of Christian
churches OF many better people than
themselves. These are my tools; yet
they read their Bibles daily; they, Ike
you, trust to the letter, AMI, like you.
they are MINEl"
retreated as Satan stretched forth his
hand, struck with horror by the convic-
ton tha, had oyerreached myself.
"Oyerreached YOURSELF" CALCULATED
the Devil, giving utttrance to my lho't;
"you have taken the purchase money,
ard so bound yourself 10 the contract
W, aud rptnht ,rajl
surrender at discretion, gracefully"
II am not satisfied with my leg" said
|, sitting down liz my chair; ''you may
return il to its former condition, and be
off"
"But suppose | viii do no such thing2
| tell you, my fine fellow, you are just as
much compelled to do my will, as the
man whom fitted with that famous cork
leg was compelled to travel"
And thereupon louCd myself rising
against my will and advancing TO meet
Satan who stood u the middle ofthe room.
He took my hands in his; sort OF jla.
bolical music, that might have come from
Satans own royal band, fresh from his
internal palace, struck up without, and
Immediately found myself dancing &
with the Devil. No words can descr be
the steps or the figure of that dance. -
Such cutting of demonac geon-wlngs,
such diabolca double-shufl never be-
fore was witnessed on earth The music
grew louder, the dance more Hlast ao6 |
and my brain whirled amid ev-
oluiions which seemed interminable, and
which my body performed in spite Of my |
mind. had now sincerely repented that |!
| had ever entered into negotiations with |
Satan; attempted 20 kneel and nsk par
don Of Heaven, but found that instead Of
sinking to the floor, the most could do
was TO bend my knees by lifting up my
legs. Graviiatlon seemed annihiIated /;
kneelgd OH air, and in this position | con.
iinuod 10 hop up and down, and hItheT
and thither, in precise imitation TO the de-
VII, who performed opposite TO me, aud
kept his cavcrnous eyes fixed steadily on
mine, while our hands were locked IN an
embrace, which vain!y stFove TO loosen.
Thus things went on for several min
utes, | still dancing on air, with my
knees bent, when suddenly observed
an expression Of vocation take The place 1
Of the look Of triumph which the face Of
Satan had hitherto worn. 1t deepened
e gradually, as our movements grew slow
er, until at last, with horrible glare Of
disappointed maiignlly, he let so my
hands and disappeared, while the demo.
MAC band without gave parting flourish,
OF groans, screeches and
howls which made the house rock. S. /
fell to the floor with tre-
shock, aud became painfully |
aware, as Weakened from my dream. rub.
bing my knee, that at any rate the Devil
had not run away with my lame leg.
had risen from my chair during my !
sleep, and fallen across the stool 10 Ironti /
and leave il TO mental philosophers to
settle the question whether iha whole
dream was caused by the accident or
not. Be this ns It may; concerning the
noise which saluted my ears on waking,
il was difficult 10 persuade myself that
il came from any other source than Sa-
tan's own brass band. The roaring OF
the wind through The trees, the furious
beating Of their branches against the
nouse, the rafting Of the WINDOWS. and
he hollow moaning Of the storm about
he corners OF a dwelling, were enough,