Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-07
RAISING THE DEVIL.
An Incident in Tie Life Of Peter
Cartright. eye, ~

l "a 81 "A
wav through the dismal intricacies OF
western forest, many years ago.
| The moor man felt anything put COM
| Portable. for he was wet through to the
akin. and almost tired to death. He had
| been trarnnine about since morning, be-
| sides he had lost his way, so the reader can
| imaoine what state of mind he was in, and
also at1nreciate the sudden transition from
desnair to hope which he experienced on
seeing the plinmer of light ahead. He
| ouickened his tagging footsteps, and soon
came up to the light, which issued from
the only window Of solitary log cabin In
| the forest.
Remembering the scriptural injunction,
nKnock. and il shall be opened unto you"
he did SO, but without any response. He
| raped again, louder than before, and this
| time grt1ff female voice asked:
seWho's there?" go.
tIt is II was the indefinite reply of our
rain-soaked parson.
swell, who are you and what do you
want ?" asked the voice gruffer than before:
ga poor benighted preacher of the Gospel
who has lost his way, and who wishes to
stay here all night,n answered the preacher
! In a 1l00ii15rrQus voice.
swell, stay there-l don't see what's to
hinder YOU"
4'But am almost starved, and will pay
you literally for SOME slipper" he respond-
ed, his teeth cliattering with cold, and not
in the least appreciating the joke.
The words ''liberallg pay" acted Ike
charm and after a few moments Of delay,
caused by the christening of the door, 1t
was opened and our pastor entered.
II 10, ortr
with large fireplace at one end, on which
a great log was blazing; rough deal table
and three chairs, besides box Tiled with
dry fax, comprised the furniture.
But all minor deficiencies seemed to be
made up by the landlady of the house, for
che was fully six feet in height and weighed
nigh unto three hundred pounds.
After having placed Soma food on the
| table, she turned to the parsoD, who stood
shivering before the fire, making futile at
| tempts to dry himself, alternately turning
one side, and then the other to the fire.
| 'Now, want you to eat this grub as
quick as you know how, and then tramp,
| for it is utterly impossible for me to keep
you here over night
s'But, my good woman" said the parson
anxiously, 81 shall perish in this inelement
weather. have been wandering in this
| fearful storm since morning, and if you
will have any compassion or pity at all you
| will try and give me some place where l
can be sheltered from this storm for the
night" and he offered her five dollar bill.
NWeD," said the woman, avariciously
clutchng the money, eff you think you can
| stay In the garrett, maybe you can stay; but
| hurry up for l expect my husband home
- ,,,ok1
| is worth if he should catch you here, for he's
| a perfect devil incarnate, and would think
| no more of numbering you than he would
of shooting grizzly BEAR"
The woman produced small ladder as
she spoke, and babe the parson get up IN
the garnet.
There was a small ''drop," or trap door
| in the ceiling, which raised OF its own &C
cord on the parsons head pressing 1t up
! ward, and not without some difficulty be
managed to squeeze himself through the
aperture. After he was up the woman told
| him to shut the trap and not to make any
noise for his life. and then taking the lad
der away the preacher was left to his own
| reflections.
Wet and uncomfortable as he was, his ia
tigue was such that he had almost fallen
asleep, when be was disturbed by some one
knocking at the door.
Being somewhat curious to know what
kind of a looking man his unknown host
was, he rose and peered through small
crack in the floor in the room underneath.
| He saw the woman open the door cautious
| ly, and after admitting short thick set
man in heavy cloak, lock it again.
From the mysterious actions and whis-
| -5f Flot In
concluded that the person who had just
entered was not the woman's husband,
but her paramount who had taken
advantage of her husbands alb
sence to pay her nocturnal visit. After
whispering together for a while the
| woman went to the cupboard and produced
bottle of whisky and plate of ham and
bread, which she set on the table, and the
twain were soon engaged in loving repast'
While the parsoE was watching the guilty
couple, there came a LAUNDERING knock at
the door, which caused them both to jump
to heir feet with the greatest CONSERVATION.
Without moments loss of time the woman
ran to the box of flax and emptied 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, aud when
|
the fax. The woman then ran to the door
and unbolted it, all the while rubbing hel
eyes as if Just awakening out OF sleep.
81 was asleep and didn't hear you be-
fDre," whimpered the woman. "And dom
for Gods sake curse so much, for there's
methodist minister up in the GARRETT
"WhO cares for Methodist minister I'd
like to know? But I'll soon have him on
: / al hurn
critic, come out of this and show yourself
or I'll make you!" he exclaimed with many
imprecations, as he set the ladder befort
the trap door. The poor parson, almos
dead with fright, slowly descended the lad
der looking as white as ghost, for, from
the ruffian's manner, he expected he woUlt
be ghost soon.
/, "Don't hurt the poor mani See how
sickly he looksI' exclaimed the woman
pity ing the poor creatures distress.
, "You shut up and mind your own busi
ness, or it will be worse for yOu," was th
gracious reply of her lord; then turning Il
the trembling parson he asked:
care you Methodist minister, and d.
you believe in hell and the devil?"
/ The parson replied in the affirmative.
I "Wel, by the Eternal, don't, and if yoI
! USllCNO III Gllc uONI yOtI IL hofO y
make him appear, or I'll cut your lyin
throat aud make you appear before him.
aud be drew his bowie knife in threaten
ing manner. The poor preacher was i
anything but an enviable situation, and th
: thoughts of another world began to fill hi
mind with anxious forebodings; for it is
, remarkable fact that however much clergy
men may preach and talk of the futur
world, they prefer to have others go and en-
} oy it. This may be self-abnegatiOn or pur
: jselfshness; Heaven knows.
care you most ready?" asked the ruffian
5 raising his knife, as he saw the other hes
tated. I'll give you just three minute
and if the devil is not here you'll be wit
the DEVIL
: "My friend" said the pastor, into who's
: head brilliant idea had popred,, SHAT thel
:. is hell is well established fact, as ca
prove by hundreds of writers, and that tn
5 devil exists allows of no contradiction; an
that l have the power to make him appea
Il is also true; but dreadful for you will be- Il
consequences if he does! Better for yo
7 had you never been born than to see Sata
face to face in the wicked state in whic
:. you are IMP
'D-n you, stop your preaching, and ca
3 the old boy! I'll stand the consequence