The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-26
SUNNYSIDE'S DEVIL SEASON.
II is in july and the old Boy Has Come
Around as Usual.

Sunnyside is a typical Long s<apo VIII
laee community a place where the cur
rent Of life Is as I'm a mill pond. where
ambitions slumber and aspirations stag
nate. where each man knows the quality
OF his neighbours dinner. each woman the
extent of her neighbours wardrobe. whore
conversation is limited 20 funerals and
personalities, where a. chance meeting j.
a topic. an engagcn emit an event scam
dul a cataclysm. Such is Sunnyside I'm its
normal state eleven months out Of the
twelve. but during the remaining one all
is changed Births. marriages. deaths.
dinners dresses, and evening parties, the
world and the flesh. are forgotten and
overshadOwed by one absorbing interest
and commanding personality, the Devil.
July is the Devils month at Sunnyside
where 10 is the firm conviction Of the
whole population. including the dozen or
SO Of oldest inhabitants. that his Satanic
Majesty visits the village in person. His
drst appearance this year was about TWO
weeks ago, when he was seen I'm Hulst
street by one Miss Madge Wynne. a
young woman OF unimpeachable veracity
and incidentally one of the bellies of the
village Since then Sunnyside has has
been all agag. and the Prince of Dark
ness and his attributes arc the sole sub
tect Of discussion among tho Inhabitants
This Is the only occasion on which the
devil has been seen in Sunnyside this
year. and as the glimpse obtained OF him
was fleeing 30 is impossible 90 arrive at
an accurate description of his exterior
Miss Wynne. however. has not the least
doubt of his identity. She had the pleas
ure of meeting him last year when he
paid the village an extended visit and
manifested himself TO "a number OF the
most reputable inhabitants.
The Sunnyside devil appears 20 be OF
the old-fashioned type d depicted I'm the
illustrations I'm editions of pilgrim
Progress" He is ugly, mean and dis
reputable. none Of your romantic Meph-
istOpheless in nice red clothes and
feathers. A. he wears nat there Us
some uncertainty about the horns. but
the cloven hoof is there an right In.
deed. IL was this that decided the inhabi-
tants Of Sunnyside as 10 the internal
Identity OF their visitor
"Oh. it was the devil all right" said
Miss Wynne. "I saw him close last year,
and ] couldn't make "a mistake. lie was
Just too fierce" Here she shivered. and
her assertions were corroborated by Miss
Lydia Fitzgerald and Miss Maggie O'Con-
nor. two more Sunnyside beauties who
had also been favored with private
view
street he came first" went on Miss
Wvnne. Some one knocked at the door,
and when Mrs Gardner went 20 open IT,
there he was standing on the doorstep.
OH be was just too terrible \ little
black creature an dressed In dirty black.
with shining eyes and black beard and
dirty face and a limp. lie asked for
glass Of water or something and Mrs.
Gardiner didn't know what 10 do. De
looked so wicked She didn't know what
he was at first. until she cast her eyes
down and saw his left foot, and mere
was no foot there. only lump IN
round sort of boot with a thick
sole. and when Mrs. Gardiner saw
the cloven hoof she was fit TO faint. and
she slammed the door in his face and ran
I'm saving her prayers. And then she ran
ont nj the back door and holered out 20
me that the devil was after her And
and Maggie and Libby. We ran out. and
then he was standing outside and ours
ing dreadfully.
",rhen he came on TO our house. but
Won NAV be sure we didn't open the door,
and he went ON 90 all the houses IN 90
street pretending he wanted crust or
bread and a drink Of water. but he didn.t
get anything for were an good 'hrla-
tans i'm Sunnyside
.ryhat do YOU suppose ne wanted?"
asked the reporter.
How should I know our souls, may
he He did look hungry poor creature
But he was the devil all right you may
bet on H. and now he's come again, and
I'm afraid of my life.
The devil is not the only supernatural
visitor 10 this peaceful Long Island VII
LACE. Sunnyside is Dr. possession OF
ghost of It's own, which likewise selects
the month Of July for its manifestations.
The ghost has not been seen this year.
hut last July IL was nightly in evidence.
II is composite ghost, taking the form
Of three women robed in black and OF
superhuman stature who spends the
evening sitting on certain rock close 10
the village They are said 10 be the spir-
ts Of three nuns who were murdered on
the spot over a century ago. BE that as
II may. there IS not a young girl In sun
nvside who will pass the rock after
nightfan during the ghost-devN season.
N y sun.