Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-08-26
A Rich Story.

In one Of the small interior towns oil
New England, where the supersttions of
our ancestors still possess hold on the
minds of the people, the facts occurred a
few davs since, OF which the following is
true narrative:
An honest farmer and his family, pre-
pairing to celebrate Thanksgiving at his
wife's fathers in an adjacent town, were
hurried and confused extremely on the day
proceeding that festival, by the multi
plicity of things which must be done be-
fore they could leave home with safety -
The house was to be banked mp, and the
gleaDings of the harvest, cabbages, tur.
nips, and so forth, put into the cellar that
the external 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
with, while the good man himself was
busted on the opposite side Of the honse.
An old ram, the houored patriarch of a
large flock of sheep kept on the farm, hav.
ing got taste Of the scattered cabbage
leaves, unobscrvsd, entered the cellar and
silently continued his feast. The avenue
through which he had entered W as imme-
diately closed up, and all the necessary
work and arrangements being com pleted,
the larger boys and girls set off on foot in
high glee, the dog running and barking
before them.
Soon after the parents and their little
one, having put out tue fire and fastened
the doors and windows to keep out thieves
started on the same destination.
On the afternoon of the day following
the festival, the family returned to their
homes, accompanied by some of their
young cousins. Some Of their youthful
neighbors, of both sexes, were invited in
and merry Thanks sgivug carousal was
10 full tide of successful operation, wher
one of the boys, who had been sent into
the cellar with a little tow.wick candle
which gave just light enough to max
lkness VISIBLE to draw cider, ran bacl
into the room, with eyes glaring wildly ut
tering the half suffocated exclamation:
"The devil is in the cellar"
"Pooh!' said the father, "you hav
only been frightened by your own shadow
give me the light"
Saying th, he ssized the candls-leav
ing the caudesick fast in the shakin
hand of the boy-and boldly rushed t
the cellar stairs, but before he had de
scended half the steps, the large sauce
eyes and enormous horns of the ram caus
ed him to retreat as much terrified as hi
) son, exclaiming;
"Su.e enough, the devil is in the Gel
. lar !"
3 The good man seized the great Bibl
2 and attempted to read, but the candl
/ sputtered, burned blue, and threw sue
feeble light on the sacred page, the boo
trembled so much in the hands Of the res
der, that be could not distinguish ono wor
from another. The little children crie
and clung to their mother the girls nes
tied to their favorite swains; aud tt
whole house was shaking with agitation
its lfdemented inhabitants. One brig
thought, however, occurrod-and me
sepger was sent for the minister to con
and slay the devil The parson, a m;
more celebrated for good nature, pie
and crsdulity, than for good talents al
=. heroism, slipped small Bible into |
MS pocket, put on his band and surPlice, th
he might appear as formidable to 'gre
antagonist as possible, and FASTENED
- the relief of his distressed parshioners.
H On coming to the house, reverend m
" was hailed as delivsrer, and implor
- by at least dozen voices at tho ss
Y, time, TO drive the devil away. But
:" :1 moments vsrs lost 10 asking qusstic
! which DO ons could answer, before