The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-10-14
The Devil in Walt Street.

The devil is reported to have made goo
many terrestrial visits in days of yore But
with the exception of his comical malpracti
ces upon the susceptibilities of the vene rab,
Saint Anthony and his curious tampering
with the pecu!arities Of Mr. Thomas Walker
he is understood to conine his attention
chiefly to the weaker and more attractive sex
and to have played the wild in general Will
the women, from the Lady who dispensed tn.
hospitalitics of Eden to poor Gretchen in tn,
Teutonic legend. He has appeared as a dos
and he has appeared as lover with a Lutte hiee
under his doublet. He is famous devil fo
disguise, and can change his humor at optien
being by turns gentle devil, merry devil
poetic devil, a pious devil devil Of fel
low anda devil indeed. The monks used t.
be given to representations Of him in his owr
image transferred to wax and canvas; and all
the poets and all the painters have tried their
hands on him in one way and another. There
are hints to be found in some Of the old Latin
writer's which give out the idea that the devil
was once dweller among men and a person
OF consequence; but the most prevalent no
ton inclines in an opposite direction and gives
him bad character and vicious countenance
In romantic story he is a wicked devil; and
on the boards (witness him in Der Freischutz.
In Faust, IN Cindrillon, in Bliche and Bots,
and IN sundry other dramatic and musical
compositions of a satirical and saturnine turn
he is positively dreadful; the long waving
black plume; the peaked moustache and i'm.
perialj fhe jet small clothes and red stock
ings thefree and easy tread and sudden ex-
its and entrances; the husky voice the de-
mon laugh, all are qnite narrowing to the soul.
These things are but the trumpery of foot
lights: They were made to frighten children
and split the ears and stretch the eye-bals Of
the groundlings.s The devil of our day is
not the devil of the drama He is comely
gentleman sleek and well fed, not lank and
lantern jawed; jocund and chubby and rosy !;
devil without tail even to his coat; who
has palace In Ffth-avenue; and villa on
Staten Island, and nice, cosy, tidy. conve-
nient, comfortable, in short perfectly .syste-
matte and official hell, " in the samplc,' just
under the clangor Of the bells and barely out
of the shadow Of the spire Of Trinity church.
The devil Of fiction is poor puppet by the
side Of the devil Of the stock exchange. IT,
He is, in truth, a beautiful creature-a
loyal and patriotic personag e-who has reason
to think that government the best The world
eyer ever saw which pays him six per cent. in coin.
Tor his bonds and does not tax. him a shin
plaster. He ;wallows in gold while working
men starve; and all Of us, white niggers aud,
black nlgggers, pay him tribute, through the
medium of the veriest necessities of our dai.
ly life. ~
Magnificent devil! Should not a LOYAL
p adore thee should they not fall down
and " hip thee; should their song not be
a song, Of peace aud jubilee since thou. art
appointed blythe loyal Congress and the loyal
Secretary d. the. Treasury to rule over them
Thou art t!.e Spirit Of the National Faith ).
thou art the soul Of, the Nations Credit. - 70
keep thee Up, the poor are taxed. The very,
pensioner renders thy glory tribute ); and ev-.
cry swing Of the cottage gate and every song
IF the cotter's kettle contribute to thy boun,
y if not to thy praise, In sooth, thou art a
bold and merry devil, go thy ways; eat, drink
and be joyful, for Tomorrow, when the feast
s. over, thou wilt be found somewhere under
he table. Where are the pipers and the
posters !? There's stuff here for tragedy; and
poets already writ the prologue. Courier.
LOUISVILLE, KY, October ~ Hon.
Nillard FILLMORE was chosen president of the
Commercial Convention, and was introduced
" Gov. Stevenson.