The Devil's Money.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 599, 31 July 1858, Page 5

The Devil's Money.

The following; extraordinery story has gone the round of several papers in' Brussels, and has been much spoken of during the last two orthreedays: —Ajourneyman of Alsemberg, a hamlet situated a couple of leagues from Brussels, in the direction of Uccle, ha/a family of children, and a wife enceinte. Returning liome half drunk a few days ago, and being well scolded by his wife, he was wicked ! enough to wish his wife and children to the deviC in the plainest terms. Scarcely had he uttered the sacrilegious desire, then a personage with a most sinister aspect, and clothed from head to foot iv black, entered the door of the house, when the folio wing con venation is reported to have taken place:—" I see, my good people, that you have a good family. Are you not disposed to sell me one of your children?' '" Monsieur," answered the mother, " we are poor, but we wish not to sell our children to any person. If, however, we are offered a good price-"— "Hum !" said the husband, who had drank his last sous at the cabaret, " let us see." " I will give you." replied the stranger, francs for the child of whom your wife is enceinte." " And will }'ou pay beforehand" ? demanded the husband. "I will pny when I come to fetch it. In the meantime, while waiting, here are five francs ns earnest money." " Agreed," said the husband, while stretching out his hand to

receive the five franc piece. The unknown, instead of handing the money, placed it on the table. Having done so, being conducted by the husband, he took his departure from the house. The workman,quiterejoiced atthebargainhehad made, returned precipitately, and anxiously stretched out his hand to take up, the money. The piece of siver, however, adhered closely to the table by a mysterious attraction, and all the efforts of the man were utterly vain, either to detach it or to^ move it. At the same '■ time he perceived in the chamber an enormous' black dog, with a huge mouth gaping open,''whose fiery eyes were fixed on him, regarding him with an expression of a menacing, and at the same time, ironical character. Since then no human force has been able to raise the piece ot money, or to expel the. dog, its infernal guardian. Every day the house is visited by considerable crowds of people, not only from Brussels, but from the neighbouring villages, who it is said, contemplate with a pious horror this undoubted miracle, the recital of which, more or less enriched by various commentaries, is now in every body's mouth. The history has assumed such a consistency that the police of Brussels felt it their duty, on Tuesday, to institute a searching inquiry into the whole affair. Let us hope that the intelligent scepticism of those authorised agents will dissipate this new popular phantasmagoria.— Sunday Times, April