Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-07-03
THE DEVIL AND THE PARSON.
A TALE or NEW ENGLAND.

in an adjacent ,owp,wer hurriedSk confused
on the day proceeding the festival, by tho
of things which must be done
before they could leave home with perfect
safety. The house was 10 be banked up, and
the gleaninss of the harvest, cabbages, tur-
nips. &c, put into the cellar, that the eSter-
nal en,ratc, might be. closed for the season.
Havoc 49, nraG1k abbey ,ts SoS -
were dispatched to thy Jain Tor str
the passage while the good man
was busted on the opposite side of The hous,,
An old ram, the horned patriarch Of large
flock of sheep kept on the farm, having got
a taste of some Of the scattered leaves
of the cabbage, had silently continued his
feast. The avenue through which he enter
ed was Immediately closed up, and all me-
cessary work and arrangements being COM
pleted, the larger boys and girls set of on
foot in high glee, the dog running and bark.
ing before them, apparently as well pleased
with going to Grand-papa's as any Of the
happy group.
Soon after, the parents and their little
ones, having put out the fire and fastened
doors and windows to keep out thieves, start
ed on the same slnalion.
On lllt dlltTllOOn u lne Jay IoliOWiHg tHe
festival, which had been kept under the pa
rental roof with many devout ana jovial ex-
ercises, the family returned home, accompa-
MED by some OF their young cousins. Some
OF the youthful neighbors Of both sexes we're
invited IN, and merry Thanksgiving carcu-
sal was in the full tide Of successful opera
ton, when one of the boys, who bad been
sent into the cellar with a two wicked cam
die, which gave Just light enough to make
darkness visible, to draw cider, ran back in
to the room with eyes glazing wildly, utter
ing "A half sufiocated exclamation-"the dev-
| It's in the cellar" "Poh :" said the father,
"you have been frightened at you own shad-
ow-give me the light !" On winch he seiz.
ed the candle leaving the pewter candlestick
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 much terrified
as his son-"sure enough the derirs in the
cellar " The utmo>, confusion and uproar
now prevailed in the house. The good man
seized the grea, Bible and ATTEMPTED 10 read,
Tire i6reS 50 iasbie ia b Oh me el,rcd page,
snd the book trembitd so in the hand of the
reader that he could not distinguish one word
from another. The little children cried and
clung to their mother--ihe lasses nestled
close to their favorite swains-and the whole
house shook with the agitation of its half de-
mened inhabitants. One bright thought
however, occurred-a messenger was des-
patched TO the minister, "to lay the Devil"
The parson, "A man more celebrated for
good nature, piety and credu,iy,'han for tai
en,s or herosm slipped the small Bible into
his pocket, put on band and surpice, that he
might appear as formidable as possible to his
great adversary, and FASTENED TO the relief
of his distressed parshioners.
On coming 10 the house, the reverend
man was hailed as IA deliverer, and implored
by al least IA dozen voices at once, to "drive
the devil away" But few moments were
lost in asking questions, which none could
answer, the parson was pushed forward as
leader, lighted by the same penurious CANDLE
into the cellar, the most 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 enormous
horns, magniiicd ten fold at leas, by the ter.
rors of those that belei them, removed all
doubt, il any had previously existed in his
mind az ,o The ipG.rnaI nature of the heinz
with whom no had 70 contend. The divine
instantly fell on his Knees and with upliGed
hands beaan - nray in the most ferven,
manner Ths rau No, UNDERSTANDING III.
nond man, 40 "" hn, snnnos;ns nv the mo'
s;,, och;s h,nds ,h,, no ,,.s J,,;ng him "a
hu,,;no con,ns, maJo nasS a, hi,
s,.naaI 1,., 49,, doce;yoJ Lv IL.
',r. S; 90 liz dr,oorr n';s."S
., o''ns'or. " US nf,1 i,o,,';s
,'e " a 'ou' VI '"u ,ho a.s,Il, hont
va s wy nr' h 70 e"' i',o '6e hsI' oGbS Snr
eu one o' ''s noI" -, ''," , ,"' U b hi ;o,o
p'ce' anu p',"" "' pa,sI' Wv" "', ns 'b Nv.
'''e 'e,''' """e was sa w., as =, ,a,ariaJ
..'',%"s 'oe, 'os, " ''rs IS ~. t:'n
s;,n h,.", "a,,", ~, ,,,.o,a,;on .R[o,hraO
.".o" wv D o.' ,n Ia,H -,
TT. .I v, ...as halter ohe,rd than any
-, ,.i I,;.,a,ad from his pulpit his
c;ana" IN a,.a and lsG him 10 his fate.
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