Year: 1867

A DEvIL-CAUGHT PARSoW.


In one of the small interior towns
of New England, where the super
stitions of our ancestors still possess
a hold On the people, the facts oc-
Cured, few years since, of which
the following is true narration:


An honest farmer and his family,
preparing TO celebrate Thanksgiving
at his wife's fathers, in an adjacent
town, were hurried and confused ex-
tremely on the day preceding that
festival, by the multiplicity of things
which must be done before they
could leave home with safety. The
house was to be "banked up and
the gleanings of the harvest-cab-
bage, turnips, and so forth--put into
the cellar, that the external entrance
thereto might be closed for the sea-
son. Having carried in the vegeta.
bles, the boys were dispatched to the
barn for straw to fill the passage with
while the COED old man himself was
busy on the opposite side of the
house


An old ram, the horned patriarch
of large flock of sheep kept on the
farm, having got taste of scattered
cabbage leaves, unobserved, entered
the cellar and silently continued his
feast. The avenue through which
he had entered was Immediately
closed up, and all the necessary work
and arrangements being completed,
the larger boys and girls set off on
foot in high glee, the dog running
and barking before them.


Soon after, the parents and their
little ones having put out the fire and
fastened the doors and windows to
keep cut thieves, started for the
same destination.


On the afternoon of the day fol-
lowing the festival the family re-
turned home, accompanied by some
young cousins. Some of their youth
full neighbors of both sexes were
invited in, and quite merry Thanks
giving carousal was in full tide of
successful operation, when one of
the boys, who had been sent into the
cellar with little tew-wick candle,
which gave enough light to make
darkness visible, to draw cider, ran
back into the room, with eyes glar-
ing wildly, uttering the half suffo-
eating exclamation:


''The devil is in the cellarn'


"Poeh'' said the father; ''you
have only been frightened by your
own shadow. Give me the light"


Saying this he seized the candle
leaving the candlestick fast in the
hand of the boy-and boldly rushed
to the cellar stairs; but before he had
descended half the steps, the large
saucer eyes and enormous horns of
the ram caused him to retreat, as
much terrified as his son, saying:


"Sure enough; the devil is in the
cellar


The good man seized the great
Bible and attempted to read, but the
candle burnt blue and threw such
feeble light on the pages, and the
book trembled so much in the hands
Of the reader, that he could not dis
tinguish one word from another
The little children cried and clung to
their mother; the girls nestled close
to their favorite swains, and the
whole house was shaken with aglta-
tion of its half demented inhabitants.
One bright thought, however, oc-
curred-and messenger was sent
for the minister to come and ''lay the
devil"


The parson, more celebrated for
good piety and credulity than for
talent and heroism, slipped a small
Bible into his pocket, put on his
bands and surplice, that he might
appear as formidable to his foe and
antagonist as possible, and hastened
to the relief of his distressed parish
toner's.


On coming to the house, the rev.
erend man was hailed as deliverer,
and implored by at least dozen
voices at the same moment to drive
the devil away. But few moments
were lost in asking questions which
no one could answer, before the
parson pushed forward as leader,
with the same penurious light, into
the cellar, the most courageous OF
the company keeping close behind
him. He reached the foot OF the
stairs. The eyes of fire, the shadowy
outline Of the enormous horns, mag
nified ten-fold at least by the terror
of those that beheld them, removed
all doubt, if any had existed In his
mind, as to the internal nature Of the
being with which he had to contend.


The divine instantly fell on his
knees, and, with uplifted hands, be-
gan to pray in his most fervent man
ner. The ram, not understanding
the pious mans motives, but suppos-
ing by the molten of his hands that
he was daring him to butting con-
test, made pass with all his might
at his supposed adversary, but, de-
ceived BY the swelling dimensions Of !