The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-04-25

| laTSe DAShct W tuc IopS, "iu Wis tiS"
if they feel the roop pulled, they must hois
away for dear life, but not to speak word
for the world.
Well, one night the old woman came t.
the door, as usual, and says:
"Jerusha," says she, 'what on airth all:
you, to make you sit up all night that way
Do come to bed, that's dear"
| "Presently, marm," said she, "Tm rast
ling with the evil one; I'll come presently
marm."
"Dear, DEAR" says she, "you have wrest
led long enough to have throwcd him by
this time. If you can't throw him now
give it up, or he may throw you"
"Presently, presently, marm," says hei
darter.
Its always the same tune," says he,
mother, goin' off grumhlin'-''it's always
presently-what has got into that gal to act
so? Oh, dear! what prOtracted time she
has on it. She has been sorely exercised
poor girl!'
AS soon as she had gone, Barney larfed
so that he had to put his arm around her to
study him on the bench, in a way that did
not look unlike rompin', and when he went
to whisper, he larfed so he did nothn' but
touch her cheek with his lips in way that
looked plaguily like kissin, and felt like il
too, and she pulled to get away, and they
had most regular tussel as they sat on the
bench, and down went both of them on the
floor with an awful smash, and in bounced
the old woman.
(Which is uppermost," says she. "Have
you throwed Satan, or has Satan throwed
you? Speak, Jerusha, speak, dear, who's
throwed!"
81 have throwed him." says her darter
'and hope have broke his neck, he acted
So"
'Come to bed, then, darling says she
''and say prayer afterward, and" jist
then then the old woman was seized round
the waist, hoisted through the roof, and
from thence to the crane, where the baske,
stopped and the first thing she knowet
she was away up ever 50 far in the all
swingin in large basket, and no soul neal
her.
Barney and his niggers cut stick in doub
le quick time, crept into the bushes, anC
went all round the road just as day was
breakin'.
| The old woman was still up in the air
singin' out for dear life, kickin' and squeal
in, and cryin' and prayin', all in one, prop
erly frightened.
Down runs Barney, hard as he cod slip
lookin' as innocent as if he'd never heart
nothin' of it, pretendin to be horrid fright
ened; offers his services, climbs up, releas
gets tired Of it.
"Oh h' says the old woman, "Mr. O'Bal
entine, the moment Jerusha throwed tn
Al. L. l. -. \,
and as entered the room he grabbed me
Oh dear, shall never forget his fiery eye
balls, and the holrid smell of birthstone h
had"
Had he cloven foot and long tail p
said Barney.
81 couldn't see in the dark" says she
but his claws were awful sharp, oh! how
they dug into my ribs. 1t cen most tool
the flesh otf--oh, dear! Lord have mere,
upon us! l hope he's laid in the Red Sc
now"
Tell you what it is, Aunty," says Barn
ey, that's an awful story; keep it secre
for your life-folks might say the house wa
haunted-that you We're possessed, and tha
Jerusha was in league with the evil one
Don't so much as lisp syllable to livin
sinner breathin'; keep the secret, and vii
help you"
The hint took the old woman had n
wish to be burnt or drowned for witch
and the moment feller has a woman'S Sc
cret, he is that wOman's master He wa
invited there, he stayed there, married there
but the old woman never knew who the evi
one was, and always thought to her dyins
day it was the Old Scratch himself.
After her death they didn't keep it secre
no longer, and many a good laugh has ther'
been at the story Of Barney O'Balentin'
and the Devil"