The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-02-21
A THANKSGIVING TALE.

New England, where the superstition
OF our ancestors still possess stron!
hold on the minds Of the people. tn,
facts occurred few davs since or
which the following tale is founded.
An honest farrer and his family pre-
paring To celebrate Thanksgiving Fl hi
wife's fathers in an adjacent town
were hurried and confused extremeI,
on the day preceding that festival, by
the multiplicity of things which mus
be done before they could leave home
with perfect safety. The house wa.
10 be banked up, and the geanings o
the harvest, cabbages, turnips, &c., pu
into the cellar, that the eternal entrance
thereto might be closed for the season.
Having carried IN the vegetables, the
boys were despatched to The barn for
straw to fill the passage-way, while the
good man himself was busted on the
opposite side Of the house. An old
ram. the horned patriach OF large
flock OF sheep kept on the farm, having
got taste Of some OF the scattered
leaves of the cabbage. unobserved, en-
tered the cellar and silently continued
his feast. The avenue through which
he had entered was Immediately clio sed
up, and all the necessary work and az
rangements being completed, the larg-
er boys and girls set off on foot in
high glee, the dog running and barking
before them, apparently as well pleased
with going to Grandpapa's as any Of
the happy group.
Soon after, the parent pair and their
little ones, having put out the fire and
fastened the doors and win COWS, bv
mems of many curious contrivances to
keep out thieves, started on the same
destination.
On the afternoon Of the day follow
ing the festival, which had been kept
under the paternal roof with many de-
vout and joviaI exercises, the flmily re-
turned home accompaniedby some of
their young cousins. Some of. their
youthful npighborS Of both sexes were
invited in, and a merry Thanksgiving
carousal was in the (u tide of success
ful operation, when one of the BOYS,
who had been sent into the cellar with
u little toD-wickea candle. which gave
just light enough to make darkness vis-
ible, to draw cicod, ran back into the
room with eyes glaring wildly, utter
ing half-suffocated exclamatr The
deUil is in tie celiarr OH said the
father, you have only been frightened
by your own shadow-give me the
light On which he seized the candle,
leaving the pewter candle-stick clench-
ed last 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
1orns OF the beast caused him to retreat,
Is much terrified as his SON. Sure
enough the devil is in the cellarn The
Utmost confusion and uproar now pre-
vailed in the house. The good man
seized the great Bible and attempted to
cad; but the candle sputtered, burnt
'lue, and threw so feeble light on the
'acred page, and tine book trembled so
much in the hand OF the reader, that he
could not distinguish one word from
The little children cried and
;lung 10 their mother r-the lasses mes.
led close to their favorite swains.-and
he whole house shook with the agita-
ION ot its nalf demented inhabitants.-l
)ne bright thought, however occurred;
messenger was despatched to the
"to lay the devil
The parson, a man more celebrated
Or good nature, piely, and creduity,
han for talents or hcrosm. slipped the
mall Bible into his pocket, put on his
and and surplice, that he might ap-
ear as formidable to his great adver-
ay as possible, and fastened to the re-
ef of his distressed parishioners.
On coming to the house, the reverned
IAN was hailed as deliverer, and I'M
lored by at least a dozen voices at
nee, to drive the devil away But ,
Nv moments were lost in asking ques. :
ons. which no one could answer, be-
IRE the parson was pushed forward as :
leader. lighted by the same penuri- :
Us candle into the cellar, the most !;
,urageous of the company keeping +,
ose behind him. When he reached
e foot Of the stairs the eyes offre and ,
e shadowy outlines of enorm Gus :,
,rns, magnifed ten-fold at least, by
rrors of those that beheld them, re-
owed all doubt. if any had previously o
listed in his mind, as to the internal 8
lture of the being with whom he had G
contend. The divine instantly fell h
...l /