Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-10-25

] OS -, dAN NuAAOS4NN ~ A1-''-- :
ladies to the scene in spite of the ter
rors of the place They were, perhaps
desirous to test the courage Of their
lovers, and trusted for protection to
the big crowd in attendance. One
rough, clustering fellow came all the
way from Winchester, bringing with
him his rife. He was counting a girl
of the neighborhood of Livingstones
place, and he determined to show of
to the best possible advantage. Things
proceeded smoothly for awhile, and
the young people were engaged IN a
dance when suddenly clp-clip went
the goblin shears, and the Winchester
hero felt something flap against the
calves of his legs. He reached down
to investigate, and found to his con-
steruation that the most important
part of his neither garment had been
cut loose from the waistband, and that
there was nothing left for him to do
but to sit down and keep on sitting
till the festivities were over. His con-
dition soon became known to the 9TH
ers, and great as the terrors of the sit
uation We're, nothing could prevent
the company from tittering, until the |
hapless hero found his plight so pain
full that he resolved to leave the house,
which, for the sake of delcacy, he was
obliged to do by backing to the door,
while the ladies coyly looked IN an
other direction.
EXoRCIsED THE SPIRIT.
Numberless are the tales related of
the queer doings Of the demon with his .
invisible and diabolical scissors Poor
Livingstone lost heart, and even his .
wife's masculine courage gave way.
The whole neighboring country was,
ofcourse, intensely excited. One night /
Livingstone had a dream. He thought |
he was at the foot of a hill, on the top |
of which was man dressed in sacer-
dotal garments and appearing to be |
engaged in some religious ceremony. !
While looking toward this strange man
the afflicted dreamer became aware Of
the presence with him Of some disem-
bodied spirit that whispered to him
that the man in the priestly garb could |
relieve him from his great trouble. |
lie awoke and Immediately formed the |
resolution to appeal to some minister
of the Gospel to exercise his tormentor
the fend of the clip He applied |
to his own pastor, Lutheran preach
er, who, of course, had heard Of the af-
fair, as had everybody in the State
To please Livingstone the reverend |
gentleman visited the haunted house, |
but he experienced a reception so hot /
that he concluded not to try issues with |
so potent a spirit, and he left without /
accomplishing anything. Livingstone
now remembered that the minister Of
his vision wore priestly yestments, and, /
on the failure Of his own pastor, he
concluded that the party to help him
must be one who was usually arrayed
with such adjuncts in the performance
Of his rites. The Catholic or, perhaps,
the Protestant Episcopal, must there
fore be the denomination for him to
seek aid from, and he found out from
the Minghinis and the McShorrys that
a Father Cahill, who used robes such as
he had seen IN the dream, would, on a
certain day, be at Shepherdstown,
about ten miles away, to hold Catholic
service.
They promised him an introduction
to the priest, and on the day specified
they accompanied their unhappy neigh
Dor to the church meeting. At the
first sight Livingstone recognized in
Father Cahill the minister he had seen
in the dream, and, falling on his knees
and with tears streaming down hls
cheeks, begged to be relieved from the
thraldom Of the evil one. Having
been questioned by the priest, he gave
the whole history, including the un-
kindness shown to the strange guest.
Father Cahill, who was a joyial, big-6st-
ed Irishman, alive, as the Lutheran
minister had been to the absurdity Of
the whole affair, tried to convince the
sufferer that be was merely the victim Of
some malicious practical jokers Of his
neighborhood. It was all in vain,
however, TO try to disPel Livingstone's
fears, and for sheer pity, and, perhaps,
Irishnau ike, not being ayerse to a
shindy even with the devil himself,
the good father consented to accom-
pany Livingstone home and do all he
could to relieve him. at that time a
Catholic priest was something heard Of
with awe and superstitious dread in
Virginia, but very rarely seen there,