Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-03-06
he padded back to his houseboat and

slept
The next morning he picked out fine
brace of cells and went up to see his
friend. Parson Sparrow. He told his
adventure of the previous nigat and held
up the two cells as corroborative evidence.
"Ha. hal" laughed the parson. why,
Daniel. you we're drunkr'
II tell yew | worn't. parson." retorted
Billy. "Do yew come an look at the
catch"
"well, we'll" said Sparrow. you'd bet
ter try the dodge. and if It is successful,
why, you must build round house with
out corner in it and cheat the devil
Ha. hal EhF'
"rhat will. bor," said Billy, delight
ed. "I'll cozen Old Nick yet. But don't
yew tell nobody on II, sir, win yew?'
The parson chuckled and promised to
keep the secret.
The dodge was successful Night aft
er night did the well get filed. and with
fine cells. Billy grew tired Of bobbing
and made a large. fine meshed scoop net,
and after repeating the charm he simply
shoyeled out as many fish as he wanted
He was drunk all day, but sobered up at
night, when he wanted cells, for he found
the incarnation too much to get his
tongue around when he was in liquor, and
the cells would not come for misquota-
tons.
He soon saved enough to build n cot
tage. He leased a few acres against his
boat from the lord of the manor at a rent
of four stone of cells per annum. planted
his willows and engaged local builder
A round, matched house was soon run
up under Billy's supervision. without a
corner in it. The old man got the parson
to come to the housewarming, and under
the influence of Red House old ale and
Struggled brandy the Rev. John Sparrow
concocted a hating screed to be cut in
stone over the door. He said, "Hic. a
shervant o. the Lord en- rhyme s well
IS the devil" This was it:
THE devil may come. and the devil may go:
The devil may rave. and the devil may swear;
! won't care curse for the old noodle crow
While my house stands round as it is. not
square"
The screed was duly cut, and Billy set
tied down in his cottage to many cells,
much drink and great content.
The third night of the third month of
the third year came in the course of time,
and Billy went to sleep drunk and hic-
coughing. 81 can't kneel in no coarner,
cause there amt no coarner."
The night was unusually close for
March, and. what was still more unusual,
shortly after midnight heavy thunder
storm broke over Cantley. The people in
the Red House said afterward that the
lightning played all around Billy's house
and the crash of the thunder was terrific,
and the storm made off to the northeast.
StTumpshire way, without disturbing the
drunken man. He woke in the morning
in the sunshine with n great thirst and
a desire for a small beer. He staggered
out of bed. across to his cupboard. where
the cask was and suddenly stopped.
"Wha, blame my old heart alive" he
said, "hare's a coarner" He looked
'mazedlike' about him. Everything
was as usual save that his house was
square. not round.
AS quickly as he could he went out
The screed over the door was gone. A
black smear like an eel was in its place
He lost no time in getting to the parson-
age, where he found Parson Sparrow
breakfasting off home brewed ale and
roast beef. The parson looked a bit Sc
rious at first after hearing Of the trans
formation, but after a mighty pull at the
ale he cheered up. why, Daniel, man,
you must sell your house now; that's ALL
You only swore to kneel to the devil in
the house you were to build"
Right yew be, born' said Billy, roar
ing with laughter
The parson bought the house for fish
ing box. and there the tale ends. Wheth-
err the magic Of the incarnation continued
history sayeth not. That is all that is
known of the way Billy Daniel cheated
the devil.
do not vouch for the veracity of all
tho "details Of tho laoanJ but I Epnu, +ho
cottage is now square. and there is no
screed over the door. The whole house
is so dirty that the mark of the scaleless
fish has merged in the general backness.
The probability is that the devil got
both Billy and the parson, after all, so he
may have got his own back in the end
Black and White