Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-03-06
The DEVILS House
How Billy Daimler outwitted
the Arch Fiend.

= :-!-9-i.
Nearly every coarse fisher who has
been down to the Norfolk waters TO
ledger for Dream knows the Red House
at Cantley, on the Yare. The present
building IS modern, but there was Red
House on the same spot many years be-
fore the existing licensing laws were
heard of-when the landlord used to brew
his own beer and a eask or two Of spirits
that had never paid duty could be SNUG.
gled up the river.
At the beginning of the century Billy
Daniel earned a precarious livelihood by
eel fishing. His home was an old Var
mouth yawl tarred over with a shedlike
edifiee over the stern that made sufIi-
Gent cabin for the old man when he was
sober enough Of nights &c seull down to
II in his punt from the Red House. This
elementary houseboat always lay In the
dixie against the Devils House that now
is, but then was not. and Billy had fash
Toned large eel tank beneath II and kept
his Shiny riches therein. He sent up
load to Norwich. when he had one, by an
up bound wherry and disposed of his
small catches at the Red House or at the
village inland
dissatisfied with his houseboat as dwell
ing on the misty autumn nights and in
the biting east winds and frost and snow
Of winter. His desire was toward brick
cottage, and he grumbled to himself
about it. He was a lonely man and did
much self eommuning aloud. He did not
live in the SAVIOR OF sanctity. He drank.
he sworc, he Struggled. and he poached
and was a thorough paced rascal. This
did not influence Parson Sparrow against
him. The worthy divine was one of the
hard drinking Norfolk parsons of the old
school and could drink and swear with
Billy himself. Indeed the two were good
friends, each looking on the other as
sportsman, Many a good days pike fish
ing did they have together, and many
tree pound cells did Billy take up to the
parsonage to be stewed in sound port.
Before the nets went down for the au-
tumn run" Billy got most Of his cells by
bobbing, at which he was an expert.
One summer Billy had not been doing
as well as usual Whether 1t was that
his hand was getting shaky or his luck
bad does not appear, but ii Is certain
that his prospects of getting a cottage
seemed to him poorer than ever.
On n hot night in June he was out bob
bling half q mile below his houseboat.
The night was dark. There was no moon,
and the stars were clouded over. There
was scarce breath of air. 1t was near
midnight. and the silence was only bro
ken by white owl and the ceaseless
whisper of the reeds on the road-a per-
feet night for bobbing, but Billy Jared
badly and cursed as he sat with a pole
in each hand waiting for the tugs that
were few and far between.
"Durn it"' he said. THE devils in the
GELS. wish had the old varmint here
along o me. Perhaps he'd give us bit
o luck-hOuse an ALL"
As he spoke he heard mutIled sound
of sculls coming up the river. Now.
wunncr." he continued. "whew that be
a-comin up bare this time o night dis
tarbin the eCfs. blarm him..
\ punt came quickly aud very quietly
up. 4 gaunt figure clad in dark fenmans
clothes was sculling backward, He eased
against Blly's punt aud held" up till
the way was stopped.
"Wheer be yew a-comin tew?' said
the old man. "Yew sling your hook"
whats the matter, Wiliam?" said the
stranger. I've come TO do you n good
turn if you'l help me-"
IL yew doan't sheer off" growled Billy.
"Don't be n fool. William" said the
stranger. Listen and see"
Pointing to the four quarters in turn
the stranger spoke again.
"By the murmur Of the rond.
BY the whisper OF the reed.
Hail. from river. broad. and pondl
Hail. ye goodly tribe Of cells
Ere the dawn upon ye stealsl
Here Is that on which 10 feed"
Billy declared to Parson Sparrow aft
erward that the poles were almost
chucked out of his hands and he "worn't
sartain as how he worn't to be the fewd."
He hauled up and landed what he called
''skepful." The whole water around
was alive with eels.
There you are. William" said the
stranger Don't be frightened"
''It nd take an uglier face than yewrn
TO Brighten me-" said Billy. who knew
not fear. But whew be yew. maester"
he continued. smitten suddenly civil.
"Never mind that. Would you like to
always get as many cells as you want
enough to build yo-your cottage and set
you mp for life?"
"Wha naturalligh," said Billy. and all
the time his punt rocked with the motion
OF the eels.
"will you swear any oath | may die
tate to do what l commandT said the
stranger.
aye. Dor: that will l." said Billy. for
whom fancy swearing had no terror.
The stranger laid a lobworm, an eel
and a piece of ribbon in Bily's hand.
Repeat after me-" he said, and in the
manner Of the bridegroom in the mar
rage service Billy swore:
"By the worm of the dewy night, by
the scaleless fish of the mud and by the
snaky ribbon of the river, | swear to
obey"
"yery good. William" said the stran-
ger. "Now all you have to do is this:
Whenever you want cells, come here alone
and call them near midnight as | did.
They will come" He repeated his In
cantation until Billy knew it, and the
river boiled with cells.
"At midnight" the stranger went on.