Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-11-15
: THE DEVIL IN THE DELFRY :
BY EDGAR ALLAN POE. n
whnt o'clock is ltY-Old Saying.

Everybody knows, In general way,
or. alns, was-tho Dutch borough Of
Vondcrvottcimlttiss Yet, as It lies
some distance from any Of the main
roads, being In n somewhat out Of the
way situation, there nre perhaps very
few of my readers who have ever paid
II n visit.
fectly circular valley, about n quarter
of mile in circumference, and entire
ly surrounded by gentle hills, over
whose summit the people have never
yet vcnturcd to pass, For this they
assign the very good reason that they
do not believe there Is anything ut nll
on the other side.
Round the skirts Of the valley (Which
Is quite level and paved throughout
with fiat tIles) extends n continuous
row OF 60 little houses. These, having
their backs on the hills, must look OF
course TO the center Of the plain, which
is Just GO yards from the front door
of each dwelling. Every house has
small garden before 1t, with n circular
path n sundlal and "a cnbbages. The
buildings themselves are 30 precisely
alike that one can In no manner DO
distinguished from the other. Owing
TO the vast antiquity, the style of ar
chtccture IL somewhat odd, but 1t Is
not for that reason the less strIklngly
picturesque. They nre fashioned OF
hard burned little bricks, red, with
black ends no that the walls look like
n chessbonrd upon great scale. The
gables are turned TO the 'front.' and
there are cornlces, AZ big M all the rest
OF the house, over the caves and over
the main doors. The windows are mar
row and deep, with very tiny panes
and great deal OF sash
On the roof Is n vast quantity of tiles
with long, curly ears. The woodwork
throughout IL of II dark hue, and there
IL much carving about II, with but n
triiling variety of patterns, for time out
of mind the carycra Of Nondervottelmit-
tlss have never been nble to carve more
than two objccts--a timcpiece and n
cabbage. But these they do exceeding
ly well and interspersc them with sin
gulnr ingenuity wherever they find
room for the chiscl
The dwellings, are ns much alike In
side ms out, and the furniture Is MI up
on one plan. The floors are of square
tiles, the chairs and tables Of black
looking wood. with thin, crooked legs
and puppy feet. The mantelpleces are
wide and high and have not only time
pieces and cabbngcs sculptured over
the front, but II real tlmcpiecc, which
makes prodigious ticking, Oh the top
in the middle, with II iowerpot con
talning cabbage standing on each ex
tremIty by way of outridcr. Between
each cabbage and the timcpiecc, again
Is little china man having large
stomach with great round hole In II
through which Is seen the dial plate OF
Il watch.
The fireplnccs are large and deep
with fierce, crooked looking fire dogs
There Is constantly n rousing fire and q
huge pot over II full OF sauerkraut and
pork, to which the good woman of tn,
house Is always busy In attending. Sh,
Is n little fat lady, with blue eyes and q
red face, and wears II huge cap like 4
sugar loaf ornamented with purple ant
yellow ribbons. Her dress Is of orang,
colored linsey woolsey, made very full
behind and very short In the waist and
indeed, very short In other respects
not reaching below the middle of hel
leg. This is somewhat thick, and NJ
are her ankles, but she has fine pail
of green stockings 10 cover them. He
shoes OF pink leather are fastened cacl
with n bunch OF yellow ribbons puck
cred up in the shape OF Il cabbage. II
her left hand she has little hcav!
Dutch watch: In her right she Yields
iadle for the sauerkraut and pork. Is.
her side there stands fat tahby cnt
with gilt toy repeater tied to its tall
which "the boys" have there fastcnc,
by way of quiz.
The boys themselves are, all three o
them, in the garden attending the pig
They are each two feet In height. They
have three cornered cooked hats, pur
pile walstcoats reaching down to theil
thighs, buckskin knee breechcs, rec
wooden stockings, heavy shoes with bis
silver buckles and long surtout coat.
with large buttons OF mother OF
pearl. Each. too, has a pipe in hi,
mouth, and Il little dumpy watch in hi
right hand. He takes a pun and lool
and then look and pun. The pig
which is corpulent and lazy-is occu
pied now in picking up the stray leaves