CHEATING THE DEVIL.

Western Star, Issue 147, 1 July 1876, Page 7

CHEATING THE DEVIL.

I have just seen a striking anecdote of humble Wiltshire life, which contains so deep a moral in regard to Mr Osborne Morgan’s Burial Bill that I reproduce it specially for Mr Hammod’s consideration. A good couple in that county had twins born to them, and one of the little ones sickened and died. The other was so ill that the mother in great distress called in the parish priest and had it baptised, But it came to pass that the second child died also. The two little coffins were taken to the churchyard. One was committed to the earth in the “ sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life ” ; but the parish priest refused to inter the other. It had not been baptised, and must be buried at night in unconsecrated ground. But motherly love was not to be thus worsted. She declared the buried child was the unbaptised one, and that now being committed in “ sure and certain hope,” he was safe; while she claimed Christian burial for the other on the ground of his having been made “a member of Christ,” &e. In this dilemma the parish priest denounced the woman as a cheat, and charged her with cheating God, cheating the Church, and cheating him also. The reply was a nonplus. “ I am very sorry,” sobbed the mother, “ if I have done wrong; I did not wish to cheat God, nor the Church, but I have no scruples about cheating the devil.” Comment, adds the narrator, is needless ; but to finish the story, it is said that on hearing of the circumstances of the case one of the Tory M.P.’s for that quarter of the globe determined to give his support to Mr Osborne Morgan’s resolution! What else could he do, even

if at the hustings he had promised to support the principle of the Bill, and forgotten it afterwards ? —“ Elfin,” in Newcastle Chronicle.