The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1852-05-14
VOL. W.-N0. 100.
THE DEVIL AT BELLS MINES.

Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd,
Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts
from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou comst in such questionable shape,
That l will speak to thee [SuAKsPEARE.
For some weeks we have heard floating
rumors regarding strange sights seen and
strange sounds heard, at Bells Coal Mines,
some fifty miles above this place; and in a
paper published in that region we have seen
n mysterious intmation upon the same sub
ject; but until Saturday last, we received no
reliable information regarding the matter. A
gentleman just from the neighborhood of the
Mines, has given us some authentic facts
which are as strange as they are (said to beg
true
II appears that for long time very unae-
countable noises have been heard in and
around The mines, which increased as the
miheis approached ia certain direction, ard
ever and anon the earth heaved and trembled
as if ag0nized by the throes of an earthquakes
This created considerable commotion among
the hands, many of whom actually quit work
and refused any longer to delve in such n
haunted spot. Finally, just as a party of
miners were beginning to cut into new
bank some considerable distance under the
ground and a long ways from the entrance, IL
, large mass Of dirt and coal fell with an awful
sound, and out leaped n monster such as was
never seen outside of the internal regions
before. The workmen dispersed as rapidly
as if contribution box had been handed
around, and all that day the most unearthly
sounds were heard to issue from the smutty
cavern About twelve o'clock at night the
monster came out to take an airing, and pis-
tolls and guns were fired at him with no sort
of effect. After Il stroll of an hour or so, he
returned to his lair, and from the tracks which
were followed the next day, he must have
passed over fifty miles of territory.
Various efforts have been made to disodge
his monstership and kill or capture him, but
| they are all mo go" The Colonel of that
district ordered out his whole regiment of
militia, and each man took deliberate aim, but
| the bullets rebounded from the animal like
cherry seeds from the hide of Il rhynoceros.
A party, armed with crowbars, pickaXes, and
handspikes, endeavored to stop his egress one
night, but they all came off sorely worried,
scratched bruised, and mangled. One gen.
tleman of high character and strict veracity,
(Patfick O'GullableD says that during the
melee he stuck pickaxe about foot into
the short ribs of the old fellow, ard that some
two bushels of coal cinders burst out, but no
other damage was observable.
The monster Is described as being a strange
medley of man and beast, and of some con-
formation and attributes as can only belong
to the devil himself. His eyes are said to be
flaming balls Of fre--his breath offensive with
sulphur his feet coven, and his body shines
in the night like great log of phosphorus.
I tsSor,e 1.-The .Asiiaess-ssay he las hazns, but
/ Squire Hans Krouteatcr is willing TO swear
he is a muleR
Many will probably be disposed to sneer
at this as ''humbug" or ''superstition," and
in the fullness of their supposed knowledge
cry "fudge!" But we give the story as we
hear it from respectable sources, and "naught
eXtenuate nor aught set down in malice" 1t
is not for us to say whether these things be
true or false for we have long since admitted
that there are things in heaven and earth not
dreamed of in this worlds poor philosophy
ard in this age Of miraculous progress, OF
: spiritual manifestations and Of rapidly aug
menting "high moral" it is egotistical and
self-wise for any man to denounce er dispute
Il fact merely because it may not ham0nise
with his own cherished notions or pet theo-
ries. 1t is certain that the devil is to be let
, loose at some time or other--we have the
scripture for it-and he is TO have Il long and
uninterrupted reign This being granted,
: why may not this be the time when he is to
be unclaimed, and why may Bells Mines not
be the place from which he is to make his
ADVENT Peoples (PadUcalD .Jour'laL