Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-01-31
THE buRsTED BUBBLE.
1.-THE mind Of mortals in perverseness,
Imbibes with dire dociliiy tho wronk.n


Imbbes with dire docity tho wrong"
Who but remembers to have seen, heard
or read something Of that great lmpostor,
Joanna Southcote--she who could bareface-
ly assert that il was her lot and divine COM
mission to give birth to the Messiah, the Son
Of God and by fearless audacity seduce
thousands to become her followers Speak
ing Of this impostor brings to mind story
which we remember to have heard from an
authentic source.
# was Joanna's doctrine that all who be-
licved in her should never fall victims to
death but that they would be severaly call
ed FOR and carried TO heaven by an angel
One Of her proselytes was the wife Of a hard
laboring, honest man, who lived in the vi
cinity of Manchester. Constantly did this
woman harangue her unbeIieving husband
about her newly imbibed religion. His
breakfast was disturbed by the relation Of
her ridiculous dreams his dinner he either
prepared himself or did without it, for his
wife was literally a foilOi0cr Of Joanna South
cote. Each evening was made unquiet by
the continued warning that an angel would
come that rery night and carry off his better
half ~ consummation devoutly to be
wished, no doubt. The poor man, at last
wearied beyond all endurance, concluded
that il was necessary that the angel should
call soon: and accordingly sought means
and opportunity to accomplish his desire
Long after they had retired one night, the
good woman's midnight sermon was put to
an end by loud rapping at the door.
There's the angel 7 cried the wife.
Nonsense answered the husband
ooh, but it is, and | must CO.
Lie still, you silly thing, till | see who it
is
The husband put his head out of the win
dow and cried, who's there 7
'An angel ! answered coarse voice.
The Devil 7 cried the husband.
No EUR, regular angel, come after your
Wife
Il thought So cried the wife; farewell,
John, must CO. Thus saying she jumped
ont of bed.
But you won't go though, will you, Zu-
key;' anxionsly asked the husband
Won't thought o Johnny, Johnny,
why didn't you believe, ard you'd a gone
too 2 Good by, Johnny, good by, the an
gel is waitingp
We'll if you must you must, and it can't
be helped cried the husband.
Thereupon the wife hurried down stairs,
where she found dark looking man IAN an
gel no doubt) waiting with donkey. She
was soon comfortably seated behind her an
gelic conductor, and the two rode Off Now
the good spirit had conveyed his charge to
about the distance Of three miles from the
house, when suddenly he stopt short and
babe her alight, asserting that he had to go
and bring another passenger who was going
the homeward way.
'You won't be long, good Mr.. Angel, for
its awful cold on this ere snow bank, will
your
oh no good Mistress Mortality. shan't
be over two or three minutesget up Dobbin.
and the Angel rode away
The poor woman waited long time, and
began to Imagine that the two or three min
Wtes waxed TO hours. The old clock of Man
chester had tolled one; the wife could Just
distinguish The sound as il hoated on the
stiffness Of the night She sat musing on
heavenly things, and ever and anon, gave
vent TO a sigh for her poor sin suffering hus-
band. The clock struck two Doubts be-
gan to work in the woman's brains, family
at first, but gathering thicker and darker as
time waned away, good deal (as the poet
would say) as twilight brings in its train the
gloomy hours. Now did she seriously begin
TO envy the comfortable situation which she
supposed her husband to be ENJOYING
Could it be that she was deceived! The
clock struck three! Yes, in her heart she
actually denounced Joanna Southcote and all
her doctrines and trudged her way home,
with the settled determination of pouring
water on as many angels or devils as should
ever call her from well warmed bed. She
arrived at her house and knocked several
times very loud at the door.
Who's there 2 cried the husband at last,
putting his head out Of the window.
'Oh Johnny, do let me inn answered
voice.
Let who in 7
Go away, go away. you have got TO the
wrong house. You mistake me for some
other miserable fellow
Il tell you, Johnny, its no such thing, he
was an impostor. I'll never have anything
more to do with any ofthose creatures again,
Joanna. nor any of them
Are you sure Of that, cried The delighted
husband
oh yes, indeed, if you'll only let me in,
III promise you anything, said the implor-
ing wife.
The husband took the poor woman at her
word, and admitted her on conditions that,
believe she never afterwards violated.