Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-12
A story with a Moral.

Don Piatt in recent letter to the Gin
cinnati Commercial, dsposes of Beast
Butler in the following inimitable man
ner:
The Democracy is perfectly willing tc
use Butler, but it shrinks in dismay from
any proposition to own or associate with
him.
1t reminds me of legend ence read
where the good people of q certain vii
lage in Italy undertook to build bridge
over a fearful chasm near their town
They tried again and again, and always
failed. At last the devil appeared to the
Mayor and proposed to build the bridge
in single night on certain condition.
This was, that on the completion of the
structure, his Satanic Msjesty was to
have the soul of the FIRST living creature
that passed over the bridge. The poor
Mayor submitted the proposition to bis
Council, and it, like every other Council
that has no Senate in the shape of Q
House of Aldermen, hastily passed an
ordinance granting the power to lease.
/ beg pardou--to contract, with the devil
and accordingly the Mayor, there being
no Commercial or City Solicitor to inter.
vene, and no court to issue an injunction,
had the devilish contract duly signed
sealed and delivered.
The pext morning the people came oui
| to view their beautiful bridge. 1t was a
magnificent structure of stone, light, YET
solid, with its great arch, that people said
was lovely as q rainbow. What was to
be done2 The beautiful bridge was q
failure. 1t could not be used.
The worthy Mayor sought advice. He
advised with the priest, an old soldier,
ard the village lawyer.
The priest said he would put on bis
yestments, take the cross and some holy
water, and cross at the head OF process
sion of holy nuns, and at this the devi
would fee away.
But it is was suggested that he would
return, and the holy father could not pas
his life in leading nuns over the devifI
bridge. Att
The old soldier suggested fete at al
adjoining village, where the can-car
could be danced, and the devil would 20
as the devil could never resist the can-can
The lawyer, however. lean, yellow
looking old fellow, like Vincente Gomez
who had been making the contract witt
great care, said that a contract was 1
sacred thing, and must be so treated, jus
as lean old lawyers in the interest OF th,
| bondholders tell us to-day. But he haC
been studying the document with grea
care, and he found by the wording thu
ri living creature was called for. Nov
this did not mean more than a ivinI
creature, and could not therefore be con
strued to include human beings--and il
bis opinion the contract would be com
piled with if an animal was driven owe
This admirable legal idea was seizeI
on, and the people assembled to putdt il
execution. They first tried to drive
cbicken-cock over, bat the cunning littl
creature, escaping from them, flew up OF
a house-.op, and Tapping his wings
crowed out, "You can't catch me dow
there" long and loud, to the amszemen
of the people, who did not know that To-
devil had bid under the arch, and the IN
stinct of animated creation, below thl
human family, felt bis presence. al
animals less than man feel the presene
of the devil, and fear hin. Man alone
having reason and holy church, has n
such instructive timidity.
They then tried hog, but the hog onl,
backed away from the bridge, ,grunting hi
determination not to do anything any
body else asked Of him. An experience
pig-driver proposed turning the hog
nose away from the bridge, and thu
back him over but the hog had inhsl