Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-02-18

AiiC y 0Ca%As q uoBG - W. =
life and death! I WON'T stir. If the par
son wants to see me he will have to come
up here and see me in bed
"Mos' fetch him reverence up; sarr
ayes, I wouldn't get up and go down to
see-W ashington-shut the door you rascal!
or I'll throw the broomstick at your wooden
headi" ~
Wool obeyed with aIacrity aud in5time to
escape the threatened missile.
After an absence of a few minutes he
was heard returning attending the footsteps
of another. And the next minute he en-
tered, ushering in the Rev. Mr.. G podwia,
the parish minister OF Bethlehem ST. Mary's.
"How do you dol How do yeu do. Glad
to see you, sirl glad to see you though OBJ
liged to receive you in bed! Fact is, [
caught a cold with this severe change of
weather, and took a warm negus and went
to bed To sweat il off! You'll excuse me!
Wool, draw taat eusy chair up TO my bed
side for worthy Mr. Goodwin, and bring him
a warm negus. Ii will do him good alter
his cold ride
81 thank you, Mi War6eld. | will
take the seat, but not the legus, if you
please, tonight"
"Nnt the negus. Oh, come now. you
are joking! Why. it will keep you from
catching cold, aud be a most comfortable
nightcap, di<posing you to sleep and sweat
like a baby! OF course you spend the
night with us!'
Il thank you, no! 1 must take the road
again in q lew minutes"
flake the rond again tonight! Why,
man alive it is midnight, and the snow is
driving like all Lapland."
sSir, 1 am sorry to refuse your profered
hospitality and leave your comfortable roof
tonight, and sorrier still TO have to take you
with me" said the pastor sravely.
"Take Me with you! No, no. my good
sir! no, no, that is too good a joke-ha! hap
"Sir, / fear that you will find iii very Sc
rious one! Your servant told you that my
errand was one of imminent urgencyi"
"Yef, something like life and death-.
"Exactly-down in the cabin, near the
Puneb Bowl, there is an old woman dy-
ing"
~sFhere, | knew it. I was just saying
there might be an old women dying. But.
my dear sir. what's that to me! What can
[ dol"
"Humanity, sir, would prompt you"
"But, my dear sir, how can | help her!-
[ am not a physiciaa to prescribe-
@She is far past a physicians help"
N am | a priest 10 hear her confess
sien-."
"Her confession God has already sreceiv-
ed"
swell, and Fun not a lawyer to draw up
her will"
mo, sir; but you are recently appointed
one of the Justices of the Peace for Allie
ghany." E1 q
Eyes; well what OF. that. That does not
comprise the duty of getting up out of my
warm bed aud going through a snow storm
to see an old woman expire"
Excuse me for insisting, sir; but this is
an official duty said the Parsoa, mild but
aTn-Irl throw up my commission to-
morrow growled the old man. vA
"To-morrow you may do that, but mean
while, tonight, being still in The commission
Of the peace, you are bound to getu up and
GO with me to this woinan's bedside"
"And what the demon is wanted of me
there!" srd 20 ~ ae3
ITO receive her dying deposition"
ITO receive q dying deposition! Good
Heaven! was she murdered, then9" ex-
claimed the OLD man, in alarm. as he started
out of bed md began to draw on his neither
garments.
.sBe composed she was not murdered, p
said the pastor
"Well, then, what is-itt. Dying deposit
ton! It must concern a ~crine," exclaimed
the old man, hastily drawing on his coat.
at does concern a crime"
"What crime, for the love of heavenl"
81 am not at liberty to tell you. She will
do that" ...r
"Wool, 60 down and rouse up Jehu. and
tell him to put Parson Goodwin's mule in
the stable for the night. And tell him to
put the black draught-horses to the close
carriage, and light both the front lanterns
for W e shall nave a dark, stormy road"
Shut the door you infernal!-l beg your
pardon. parson, but that villain always leaves
the door ujdr after him."
The good parson bowed g~ravely; and the
major completed his toilet by the time the
servant returned and reported the carriage
ready. =i
$40 the DEVILS Punch Bowl''--was the
order given by Old Hurricane as he followed
the minister into the carriage. "And now,
sir, he continued addressing his companion,
81 think you had better repeat that part of
the church litany that prays to be delivered
from battle, murder and sudden de ath;' for
if we should be SO lucky as to escape Black
Donald and his gang, we shall have at least
an equal chance of being upsetin the dark.
ness of these dreadful mountains"
IA ILL. - .--lJ 49, Lo4.
a safer conveyance, certainly" said the min
lister.
Old Hurricane knew that, but though a
great sensualist, he was a brave man, and 80
he would rather risk his lie in a close car
rage than suffer cold from a sure footed
mules back.
After many delays and perils, the pastor
and Did Hurricane arrived at their destina-
ton. called the Witch's Hut or Old Hats
Cabin. In one corner of the hut, on a rag
ged couch, lay a gray-haired and emaciated
womau, evidently near unite death. On be-
ing informed that a magistrate had arrived,
she insisted on every body else leaving the
room, as she would speak with him alone.--
Her request having been complied with, Old
Hurricane drew from his pucket u Bible, ad-
ministered the oath. and then said:
"Nuw, then my good soul begin--sthe
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
TRUTH you know. But irst your name!"
''Is it possible you don't know me, mas
teri"
"NotI I, IN failh,"
"For The love Of heaven, look ut me and
try to recollect me, sir! II is necessary some
one inuu,hority should be able TO know me-
said the woman, raising her haggard eyes
To the face of her visitor. r..
The old man adjusted his spectacles and
gave her a scrutiIizing louk, exclaiming at
| The ufarvnI.--