Year: 1877

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"But, my good woman" said the
parson, anxiously, "I have been wan
dering in this fearful storm since morn
ing, and IL you have any compassion or
pity at all, you will try and give me
some place where l can be sheltered
from the storm of the night" and he
offered five dollar bill.


Well" said the woman, avaracious-
ly clutching the money, elf you think
you can stay in the garret, maybe you
can stay; but hurry up, for expect my
husband home every minute, and it's as
much as your life is worth If he should
catch you here, for he's perfect devil
incarnate; would think no more of
numbering you than he would of shoot
ing grizzly bear"


The woman produced a small ladder
as she spoke.


There was small trap door in the
ceiling which raised of its own accord
on the parsons pressing it upward, and
not without some difficulty he managed
to squeeze himself through the aperture.
After he was up, the woman told him
to shut the trap, and not make any
noise for his life, and then, taking the
ladder away, the parson was left to his
own reflections.


Wet and uncomfortable as he was, his
fatigue was such that he had almost
fallen asleep when he was disturbed by
some one knocking at the door.


Being som ewhat curious to know
what kind of man his unknown host
was, he rose and peeped through a small
crack in the floor to the room under
meath. He saw the woman open the
door cautiously, and after admitting
a short, thick set man in heavy cloak,
lock it again.


From the mysterious actions and
whispering that ensued, our parson
rightly concluded that the person who
had just entered was not the woman 8
husband, but her paramour, who had
taken advantage of his absence to pay
her nocturnal visit.


After whispering together for while
the woman went to the cupboard and
produced bottle of whiskey and plate
of ham and bread, which she set on q
table, and the twain were soon engaged
in loving repast.


While the parson was watching the
guilty couple, there came laundering
knock at the door which caused them
both to jump to their feet in the greatest
CONSERVATION. Without a moments
loss of time the woman ran to the box
of fax and emptied in on the floor
Then she babe the man, who was al
most scared to death, to get into the box
which he was only too glad to do, and
when he was in she rapidly covered him
with the flax. The woman then ran to
the door and unbolted 1t, all the while
rubbing her eyes as if she had been
asleep.


6 was asleep and did not hear you
BEFORE" whimpered the woman. "And
don't for Gods sake curse so much, for
there is Methodist minister in the
garrett"


"Who cares for Methodist minister,
I'd like to know. But I'll soon have
him out of his hole. Here, you canting
hypocrte, come out of this and show
yourself, OF I'll make you,n he exclaim-
ed, with many imprecations, as he set
the ladder before the trap door.


The poor parson, almost dead with
frinl1t pInxx,I,v Ia.aa,oJoI L. L. 4
ing as white as ghost, for, from the
ruffian's manner, he would be a ghost
soon.


Don't hurt the poor man. See how
sickly he looks !" exclaimed the woman
plying the poor creatures distress.


You shut up and mind your own bu-
slness, or it will be the worse for you,'
was the gracious reply of her lord then
turning to the trembling parson, he
asked:


!" Are you Methodist minister, and
do you believe in hell and the devil 2"


The parson replied in the affirmative.


Well, by the eternal, don't, and il
you believe in the devil, you'll either
have to make him appear, or I'll cut
your lying throat and make you appear
before him." and he drew his bowie
knife in threatening manner.


The poor preacher was in anything
but an envlable situation, and thoughts
of another world filled his mind with
anxious foreboding; for it is a remarka-
BILE fact that however much clergyman