He knew his false
moustachios, he would swear to them in any court of justice in the
world. "Deil a bit is ta loon Jehu Judd," he said, "her name is
prayin' Joe, the horse-stealer."
For the truth of this charge he appealed to his daughters, who stood
aghast at the fearful resemblance his moustachios had given him to
that noted borderer.
"That man of Satan," said Jehu, looking very uncomfortable, as he saw
Peter flourishing a short dirk, and the doctor holding him back and
remonstrating with him. "That man of Satan I never saw before
yesterday, when I entered his house, where there was fiddling and
dancing, and serving the devil. Truly my head became dizzy at the
sight, my heart sunk within me at beholding such wickedness, and I
fell into a swoon, and was troubled with dreams of the evil one all
night."
"Then he visited thee, friend," I said, "in thy sleep, and placed his
mark upon thee--the mark of the beast, come and look at it in the
glass."
When he saw himself, he started back in great terror, and gave vent to
a long, low, guttural groan, like a man who is suffering intense
agony. "What in the world is all this?" he said. He again approached
the glass and again retreated with a look of unspeakable despair,
groaning like a thousand sinners, and swelled out about the head and
throat like a startled blauzer-snake. After which he put his hand to
his lip and discovered there was no hair.
Pages:
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190