The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-12-22

lock II again.
From the mysterious actions and
whisperings that ensued, our parsor
rightly concluded that the person
who had just entered was not the
women's husband, but her paramour
who had taken advantage of the
husbands absence to pay the woman
a nocturnal visit.
After whispering together for
while the woman wen. to cupboard
and produced bottle of whisky and
a plate of ham and bread, which she
set on the table, and the twain we're
soon engaged in a loving repast.
While the parson was watching
the guilty couple there came thun-
dering knock at the door, which
caused them both to jump to their
feet in the greatest CONSERVATION
Without moments loss of time the
woman ran to the box of flax and
empticd it upon the floor; then she
babe the man, who was almost
scared to death, to get into the box,
which he was only too glad to do, and
when he was in, she rapidly cover
cd him up with flax. The woman
then ran to thc~deoeS&nd unboltcd it,
all the withdrawing her eyes as if
Just awakened out of her sleep.
"Why the devil don't you let a
fellow stand out all night !" exclaim-
ed the new conner, a tall, powerful,
Misunderstanding man, clad in a
hunters garb, as he dealt hor ring
ing box on the ear.
81 was asleep and didn't hear you
before p whimpered the woman
"And don't, for Gods sake, curse
so much, for there's Methodist
minister up in the garrett"
"Who cares for the Methodist
minister I'd like to know But III
soon have him out of his hole
Here, you old canting hypocrite,
come out of this and show yourself,
or I'll make you!" he exclaimed
with many imprecations, as he set
the ladder before the trap door.
The poor parson almost dead with
fright, slowly descended the ladder,
looking as white as ghost, for from
the ruffian's manner he expected he
would be a ghost shortly.
"Don't hurt the poor man. See
how sickly no looks" exclaimed
the woman plying the poor mans
distress.
"You shut up aud mind your bus
mess, or it'll be the worse for you,
was the gracious reply of her lord ;
then turning to the trembling par
son, he asked:
care you a Methodist minister,
and do you believe in hell and tho
devil ?"
The parson replied in the aflirma-
tive.
"Well, then, by the eternal, |
don't and if you believe in the devil
you'll either make it appear or III
cut your lying throat, and make you
appear before him. and he drew
his bowie knife in threatening
manner.
Tho poor preacher was in any
thing but an cnviablc situation, and
thoughts of the other world began to
fill his mind with anxious forebod-
ings, for he was not quite ready to
shuttle off this mortal coil.
"Aro you most ready ?" asked the
ruflian, raising his knife as he saw
the other hesitated. I'll give you
Just three minutes, and if the devil
is not here you'll be with the devil !"
"My FRIEND" said the parsOn, in
to whose head brilliant idea had
popped, "that there is a hell is a
well-established fact, as | can prove
by hundreds of writer's, and that the
devil exists allows of no contradic-
ton; and that | have the power to
make him appear is also true; but
dreadful for you will be the conse-
quence if he does! Better for you
had y OIL never been born than to see
Satan face to face in the wicked
state in which you are in"
"Stop your preaching and call the
old boy! I'll stand the consequent
ces ; and be quick, for times up"
The parson went to the fire. place
and took hence brand, which he
applied to the box of fax. 1t blaz-
ed up almost like guupowdcr, and
the unoarthly yell that issued from
the poor devil in the box was truly
appalling.
With an acrobatic power Of which
he himself unaware, he leaped out of
the box, covered from head to foot
with the burning flax. With roars
and bowls of agony he made straight
for the door, but he was not so quick
as the owner of the premises, for
with one look of terror at the burn
ing figure he fed out Of the house
closely followed by his Satanic ma
jesty."
When they were both gone the
parson gave his hostess a short but
effective lecture on connubial duties,
after which he seated himself CON-
fortably before the fire.
When the woman's husband re-
turned he treated the parson with
the greatest respect, fully convinced