The Rhode Island Republican

How Lorenzo raised the Devil.

A few years since, whilst the famous Lorenzo Dow was travelling through a certain state, he came to a solitary house in the woods, and asked for lodging during the night. The woman of the house reluctantly consented; (her husband being absent and not being expected home that night.) Lorenzo got his supper, attended family worship and went to bed in a room adjoining the one where the woman was, and separated from it by a rough partition with large cracks between the boards. Lorenzo could not get to sleep, and therefore lay in a wakeful posture for some hours.--About midnight he heard a gentle tap at the door, which the woman opened to a sturdy looking fellow, who it seemed, was the lady's paramour, whispered to him that Lorenzo was in the next room, and he must speak very low for fear of awaking him. The lovers sat up a while conversing together, and then retired to bed. In the course of an hour the husband unexpectedly began to thunder at the door: The lovers were put into terrible consternation: but the female mind is wonderful for expedients. The paramour was stowed into a large barrel and some cotton locks thrown over him. The woman opened the door and received her husband with as much tenderness as surprise. He was about three sheets in the wind, that is to say a little intoxicated, and began to talk loud and swear. She hushed him by informing him that a minister, the famous Lorenzo Dow, was asleep in the next room. The husband upon hearing this replied that Lorenzo should get up and sup with him: the woman's entreaties, and Lorenzo's excuses were in vain, a drunken man is a most unreasonable being. Lorenzo had to get up. Well (said the husband) I understand you can raise the devil, I wish you would bring him up now, I wish very much to see him. Lorenzo observed he made no such pretensions. The drunkard was importunate and would have the devil raised at any rate. Lorenzo told him he would be sadly terrified at the sight. No said the husband knocking his fists together, I defy him; well (said Lorenzo) since you will have him raised, I request you would open the door so that he may escape, otherwise he might carry off a side of the house. The door was opened and the husband prepared for the attack. When Lorenzo set the cotton on fire in the barrel, out came the Devil amidst the flames and made rapid retreat through the door. The husband reported the story about in the neighborhood and upon its being questioned, he went before a magistrate and made oath to it. It gained such credence that Lorenzo was compelled to explain the mystery by clapping a pair of horns on the head of the swaggering fool.