Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-17
LEGEND OF THE DEVILS DIXIE.
As RELATED BY MASTER CIsBURY oLDFIRLE,
scHooLNAsrER OF PoYNINGs.

scHooLSIAsTER OF PoYNINGs.
William Harrison Ainsworth. born in Manchester
1895. Novelist. He studied law, but before he bad
attained bis majority be published "Sir John
Chiyerton." romance which obtained the
favor Of Sir Walter Scett. Soon afterwards Mr..
Ainsworth devoted himself entirely to literature
he beeams editor OF Bsntleys Miscellany on the re-
tirement of Dickens in 1910; he also edited Col
burns Ne,u Monthly. and the magazine which bore
his own name in the title. His chief works are
" Rookwood,' "Criehton," " Guy Fawkes % The
Tower OF London" "old St Paul's," Windsor
Castle" 1.-The Miser's Daughter" 90 Lancashire
Witches, ." The Fitch Of Bacon" 1.-THE Star Cham
ber," " The Constable Of the Tower" Mervyn
Clitheroe, " 0vingdean Grange" romance OF the
times Of tie Commonwealth Qrom which quotel
John Law, the Protector Hilary St. Ives,
" Middleton Pomfret," etc. He has also written a
number Of poems, amongst which are Z" Ballads,
Romantic, Fantastical, and Humorous, and
The Combat of the Tnirty,"a Breton legend
Cheap editions Of his works issued by Routledge
& sons,l
The wondrous event l am about to de-
tail happened in the time OF the good
Saint Cuthman of Steyning, in this county
"A holy man, who, from his extraordinary
piety and austerity, was believed to be en-
dowed with supernatural power. Many
miracles are attributed to him, some of
which occurred long before his canoniza-
ton. While yet boy, and employed in
tending his fathers sheep on the downs, in
order to pursue his devotional exercises
undisturbed, he was wont to trace a large
circle round the flock with his crook, be-
yond which none OF them could stray,
neither could an enemy approach them.
Moreover, the good saint could punish the
scoffer, as well as bless and sustain the
lowly and the Well-deer. Dsrided by GER
tain blasphemous haymakers for carrying
his palsied mother in barrow-no better
means Of conveyance being at hand at the
time-he brought down heavy shower
upon their heads, rendering their labor of
no account and thenceforward, whenever
grass was cut and dried within that
meadow, rain would fall upon it, and turn
it to litter. SRch was holy Cuthman-s
man, you will perceive, whom it was neces-
sary to treat with the respect due to his
exalted virtues.
At later period of the saints life, when
his aged mother had gone from him, when
he had built a wooden church with his
own hands at Steyning, wherein, in the
fullness OF time, he was iuterred-and
when his reputation for sanctity and
austerity had greatly increased, causing
him to be equally Teverenced and dreaded
dreaded, mean, by eyil-doers, to whom
he was especially obnoxious-the holy man
walked forth enc afternoon in early
autumn, wholly unattended, across the
downs; his purpose being to visit recluse
named Sister Ursula, who dwelt in soil
tary cell on the summit of a hill adjoining
PoyniDgs, and whom he had been told was
sick, and desireus of being shriven by him.
Now Saint Cuthman had his staff in his
hand, without which he never journeyed
abroad, and ne walked on until he reached
the eminence for which he was bond. On
the brow of this hill in former times the
heather invaders of the land had made
camp, vestiges of which may still be dis
cerned. But it was not with these me-
MORALS of by.gone and benighted people
that Saint Cuthman concerned himself.
II he thought about the trainers of those
mighty earthworks at all, it was with
thanksgiving that they had been swept
away, and had given place to a generation
to whom the purer and brighter light of
the gospel was vouchsafed.
Thus communing with himself, it may
be, holy Cuthman reached the northern
boundary of the rampant surrounding the
old Roman camp, and cast his eyes over
the vast weald OF Sussex, displayed before
him like map. TIE contemplation of this
fair and fertile district filed his soul with
gladness; but what chiefly rejoiced him
was to nete how the editices reared for
worship had multiplied since he first looked
upon the extensive plain. He strove to
count the numerous churches scattered
about, but soon gave up the attempt-he
might as well have tried to number the
trees. Put the difficulty he experienced
increased his satisfaction, inasmuch as it
proved to him that true religion had taken
deep root in the land. And he gave glory
and praise accordingly, where glory and
praise are due.
Scarcely were his audibly uttered
thanksgiving ended when he became
aware that some one stood nigh him, and
turning his head, he beheld tall man Of
siDgularly swarthy complexion, naughty
mien, and eyes that seemed to burn like
Goals OF fire. The habiliments of this mys.
FERROUS and sinister. locking parsonage were
of blood-red hue, ard though their richness
and the egret in his velvet cap betokened
princely rank, be bore the implements of
common laborer, namely, a pickax and
shovel. No sound had proclaimed the
strangers approach, and his appearance
was sudden and startling as if he had risen
from the earth. As Saint Cuthman re.
garded him with the aversion inspired by
the sight of venomous and deadly snake,
yet wholly without fear, he knew that he
was in the presence of the Author of Ill.
"Comest thou to tempt me, accursed
one % the holy man sternly demanded.
IS If so, learn that l am proof against thy
wiles. Depart from me, or | will summon
good spirits that shall cast thee hence"
"Thou canst not do So" the inauspi-
cious. looking stranger replied, laughing
derisively. II am master here. Affairs
have been reared to strange gods upon this
hill, and sacrifices made to them-nay,
myself have been worshipped as Dis, and
the blood of black bulls has been poured
out upon the groand in my honor. There
fore the hill is mine, aud thou thyself art
an intruder upon it, and deservest to be
cast down headlong into the plain. Yet
will / spare thes-"
"Thou darest net so much as injure a
hair of my head, Sathanas," interrupted
the saint 10 menaeirg voice, and raising
his staff as he spoke. Approach ! and
lightnings shall blast thee.
s'I tell thee l have no design to harm
thee, returned the fiend, with look that
showed he would willingly have rent the
holy man in pieces. But give heed TO
what / am about to gay. Vainly hast
thou essayed to count the churches in the
Sussex weald, and thou hast glorifed
heaven because of the number of the wor-
shippers gathered within those fsnes. Now
mark me, thou servant OF God Thou hast
taken q farewell look of that plain, so
thiOkly studded with structures pleasing in