The morning call., 1893-01-21
the devil that he could not stay after day

"The little town OF Chester. just over the
| Berkshire line. had many superstitious peo-
| pie in ts midst. years ago. when | lived
| there. Deacon Eastman. who died about
| fifty years ago. was among the number.
"Several murders are said TO have been
committed there early in the century, and
| the superstitious used to say that there was
deep mystery centering in the Chester
woods, and people wers actually afraid TO
| 60 through them after dark.
Before Deacon Eastman had received his
title from the church he was going through
| these woods one time deeply meditating.
| The stories of the murders had never SO im-
! pressed him, for he grew exceedingly ner-
vous; this trepidation of mind was not
lessened by the sudden sight Of a child's
coffin resting on the fence.
He rubbed his eyes 10 make sure he WIS
not dreaming: he slipped forward to closer
examine the phenomenon. and, presto. 1t
| disappeared
Another man, ii is said. was passing
| through these woods just at twilight. AL
most exactly where Deacon Eastman saw
! the coffin he saw lying between the fence
and the road the headess trunk OF man.
AS he stood looking at 1t the object sud-
denly arose and f0ated off over the river
| into obscurity.
"0f course. / don't have the slightest
faith in supernatural things. Yet will tell
| the Globe OF an experience that | had, and
| have always had the name of truthful
man. One time was going through these
same woods. and very likely was thinking
OF the old legends.
''Some body. ! observed, had been chop
| ping wood, and had piled up three or four
| cords near the towpath beside the road.
Jus; before / reached the pile of wood |
saw a remarkably large dog coming toward
me. He disappeared about that wood 10
| in broad daylight before my eyes. 1t is
something l have never been able TO ex-
| plain.
"When l lived in that vicinity the farm
ers, as now. suppose, sailed their sheep in
| their pastures every Sunday. They carried
| tile salt in a bag TO the fields and spread it
| on the rocks.
"A prominent Chester farmer, whose be.
lief IN the supernatural and personal
devil were about evenly balanced, started
out OF Sunday morning to salt the sheep.
lie mentally expressed the wish that he
nigh, be favored with view of the devil,
IL such person existed. His wish WAS
fulfilled In most satisfactory manner. A
gigantic man strobe over the mountain
crest, and after remaining in sight for few
moments melted into thin air.
San ex-Alderman of Chester also had a
thrilling experience. On returning homo
one day he found perfect legion Of dimin-
utive devils had taken possession Of his
belongings. They were perched on the
gate posts. the fences and upon the hay
mows; each and all swooped down upon
the unlucky yeomen and mauled him un-
mercifully. He finally got into the house,
where the lights were, and they disap-
peared.
"At Woithington. just over the Berk-
shire line, lived a Ctaid old farmer, who
also recounted to me some thrilling expert
eDees.
1T seems that wealthy farmer had
been murdered In that section for his
money, presumably by a villainous inn
keeper.
"Rumor said that the tavern master had
buried his victims treasure in an iron pot,
and many were the attempts by different
persons TO locate IL.
Zone party In particular, through the me-
dunn OF a dvlniDg-rod Of witchhaZel, at
last succeeded in finding the resting place
Of the uncanny hoard. They resolutely set
about unearthing It, The lightning flashed,
the thunder roared. and pandemonium
Teigned generally, but ii did not deter the
audacious diggcrs. At last the pick struck
upon the iron pot; an exclamation from one
of the group broke the spell; there was a
tremendous clap of thunder. a binding
glare-the earth opened and The iron pot
sank from sight. 1t is needless to say that
the money seekers stood not upon the order
OF their going, but went at once"