The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-05-14
A Devil-oaught Parson.

our ancestors still possess n hold on the
people, the facts occurred, few years
since, of which the following is true
narration:
An honest farmer and his family, pre-
pairing TO celebrate Thanksgiving at his
wiles fathers in an adjacent town, were
hurried and confused extremely on the
day preceding that festival by the multi
plicity Of things that must be done before
they could leave home with safety. The
house was to be "banked up" and the
gleanings of the harvest-cabbagc tur-
niPs, and so fOrih-put into the cellar,
that the external entrance thereto might
be closed for the season Having carried
in the vegetables. the boys were dispatched
TO the barn for straw TO Gil the passage
with, while the good old man himself was
busy on the opposite side Of the house.
An old ram, the horned patriarch of "A
large flock of sheep kept on the farm,
having got taste Of the scattered cab
base loaves, unobseryed entered the cellar
and silently continued his feast. The
avenue through which he had entered
was Immediately closed up, as4d all the
necessary work and arrangements being
completed, the larger boys and girls set
of on foot in high glee, the dog running
and barking before them.
Soon after, the parents and their little
ones having put ont the fire and fastened
the doors and windows TO keep out thieves,
started for the same destination.
On the afternoon of the daySS,llowinr
the festival the family returned home, ac-
"ompaniccd b. some young cousins. Some
OF their youthful ncighbors Of both sexes
were invited in, and quite merry
Thanksgiving carousal was in full tide of
successful operation when one of the boys
who had been sent into the cellar with
LITTLE tow'wick candle, which gave enough
light to make darkness visible, to draw
cider, ran back i1to the room, with eyes
giaring wildly, uttering the half-suffocat-
ing exclamation:
"The devil is in the celarr'
i" Pooh - said TIE father; ''you have
only been frightened by your own shadow
Give me the light"
Saying this, he seized the candle
leaving the candlestick fast in the hand Of
the boy-and boldly rushed to the cellar
stairs; but before he had descended half
OF the steps, the large saucer eyes and
enormous horns Cf the ram caused him to
retreat, as much terrified as his son, say
ing:
"Sure enough the devil is in the
cellar.
The good man seized the great B;Llc,
and attempted to read. but the candle
burnt blue and threw such a feeble light
on the pages, and the book trcmbled so
much in the hands of the reader, that he
could not distinguish one word from
another. The little children cried and
/ cIung TO their mother; the girls nestled
close TO their fayoritc swains, and the house
was shaken with the agitation of its. half
demcnted inhi bitlnts. One bright thought
however, occt RI .d-and messenger ,3a3
sent for the minister to come and clay the
devil"
The parson, more celebrated for pety
ami crcdu'ity than for talent and hercism,
slipped small Bible into his pocket, put
on his ban1s an surp'ice. that he might
appear aS formidable to his foe and an
taeon st as possible, and hastened to the
relief OF his distressed parishoners.
On coming 10 The house, the reverend
man was hailed as a deiverer, and i'm
pIored 10y at least a dozen voices al the
same moment to drive the devil away.
But few moments were lost in askiny
questions which no one could answer,
before the parson pushed forward a. Il
leader, with the same pcnurious light.
into the celer, the most courageou, of
the company keeping close behind him.
lie reached the foot Of the stairs. The
eyes OF fire, the shadowy outline of the
enormous horns, magnifed ten-fold at
least by the terror of those that beheld
them, removed all doubt, il any had
existed IN his mind, as to the internal
nature of the being with which he had 10
contend.
The p n instantly fell on his knees,
and, with upliited hands, began to pray
IN his most ttrvent manner The ram,
not understanding the pious mans motives,
odt ou Epoellle ny tue lnOliOn Ot MS nanuS
that he was daring him to butting con-
test made pass with all his might mt
his supposed adversary, but. deceived bv
the Lswelling dine lsions of his drarery.
missed the slender tody o the priest,
and, drawing hastily back to renew the
assault hooked one of his horns into the
belt of the surplice, and pulled the priest
back with him into the cellar
While thus in the power of his victori-
Gus foe he lost hope as it regarded HIM
self, and the natural benevolence of lis
disposition, burst forth in the exclama-
ton:
"Brethern, take care of yourselves, Tthe
devil has got me-"
This exortation was better opeyed than
any he had delivered from the pulpit
bis friends all fed and left him 10 his
fate.
Among the company was a shrewd
farmer, who had from the first supposed
the liend TO be some domestic animal, but,
beng lover of fun, and willing to see a
comedy, kept his thoughts to himself, and
pretended to sympathize with others in
their fears. lie thought it time to inter-