Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1878-09-28
AnecdOte Of Lorenzo Dow.

In his systematic wandering over the
edist revivalist, almost invariably
travelled on foot, and often without q
penny in his pocket, because he did not
need money, as he was well known, and
welcome guest in every household.
| Tired and hungry in the evening twi-
light of an autumn day, he came in
sight of a house at which he had often
stopped, and to which he had travelled
several miles more than his usual days
journey. The only occupants OF the
house were father and daugher who
was his housekeeper. When she saw
Dow coming she ran to meet him, and
demonstrated by her looks and words
the joy she felt. While she was pre-
pairing supper she told him that her
father had gone to barn-raising, and
would not return until midnight, and
detailed to him the happenings in the
neighborhood since his last visit. After
the supper they were joined by young
man, whom she introduced to Dow as
her future husband, if they could OBJ
tain her fathers consent, which at that
time was not very probable, as he was
bitterly opposed to the union. They
both urged Dow to use all his influence
with the father to obtain his consent,
which he promised to do.
The house, as many were at that time,
was only one story high, and from the
ceiling, which was made by laying loose
slabs on the timber used as joist, to the
roof was called the loft. As there was
only one room downstairs, bed was
made on the floor of the loft for Dow,
tn uvbicb ho ,-at,raJ altar ,,rouiy /,
the young couple. He had not been
long in bed before he heard loud knock
ing on the door and commotion down.
stairs. By looking through between
two slabs he saw the girl trying to force
not GO; she then told him to get in q
tow box that stood in the corner, and
he did. Then she opened the door and
her father entered. He was considera-
bly, under the influence of liquor, and
in a very bad humor because he had
been kept waiting so long. The girl
told him he must keep quiet, as their
old friend Lorenzo Dow was in bed on
the loft, and said he ought to go up and
see him, but the father was sensible
enough to know that his head was too
heavy to admit of him ascending an
almost perpendicular ladder, and did
not make the attempt. Dow, who had
seen and heard all that passed below,
descended the stairs.
The father received Dow at the foot
of the ladder with cordial greetings, and
insisted on him taking some supper with
him, but Dow refused, as he already had
supper. After he had concluded his
meal, he said: "Mr. Dow, have often
heard that you can raise the devil, and
l made up my mind that if you ever
came back to my house would get you
to do it." Dow protested that he could
do no such thing, but the man insisted
that he could and should. After delib-
must, will; but it is sorely against my
will. When he appears he will have a
streak of fire behind him, so you must
get water to put it out, otherwise it may
burn the house."
|. All preparations being made, Dow
took in his hand the only light in the
room, and, after telling the girl to open
the door and for her and her father to
stand back in the corner, he set on fire
some of the tow that protruded through
an open space in the box, and said in a
loud voice, "Thou imp of Satan, leave
this house until bid thee return" The
young man was sharp enough to know
that Dow was getting him out of a bad
scrape, and seizing some tow in each
hand, which he held up to his face, he
sprang out of the box and out of the
door. After he was gone, the girl and
Dow, the father being paralyzed with
fear, put out the fire. Dow remained
several days, and during the time the
inquiries he made about the young mar
were answered so much to his satisfac
ton that he urged the father to consen
to the marriage, and he did.
Dow had the pleasure of pronouncins
the couple husband and wife before hi
departure. Commercial.