Devil's Sonata
(See Visions.) Devils, Afraid of Bells: It was an old superstition that evil spirits were afraid of bells and fled from the sound of them. Devon, Witchcraft in: The belief in witchcraft is not yet dead in Devonshire, as was shown in a curious case heard in Crediton County Court not many years ago, when a Diadochus young woman alleged that she was given a potion in a grocer's shop, and that as a result, either of the draught or of the incantation delivered while she was in the shop, she was getting thinner every day. Only those who have lived long in Devon can realise the widespread belief that still exists in remote corners of the county of the power of "the evil eye," and of the credence given to all kinds of weird superstitions. "Witches" are believed to be able to exercise a malign influence even after death unless they are buried with their toes downwards. Not very long ago, a woman suspected of being a witch, was buried in this way within twenty miles of Tiverton. In no part of the country is witchcraft more believed in than in the Culm Valley. There is a local saying that there are enough witches in the valley to roll a hogshead of cider up the Beacon Hill, at Culmstock, and old people living in the locality are not ashamed to say that they believe in witchcraft. The witches are of two kinds "black" and "white." The former profess to have the power to condemn those on whom they are asked to cast a spell, to all kinds of misfortunes; the latter impose on credulous clients by making them believe that they can remove evil spells and bring good fortune for a consideration, of course. For obvious reasons visits to "witches" are generally kept dark, but every now and again particulars leak out. In the Culmstock district, not so very long ago, a young girl went with her mother to a witch, in order to get a spell cast over an errant swain, who was suspected of bestowing his affections on another young lady. The witch professed to be able to bring the young man back to his first love, or to condemn him to all kinds of torture, but her price was prohibitive, and so the young man was left to marry whom he would. Farmers are the witches' most profitable clients, and it is a noteworthy fact that they generally contrive to visit the "wise woman when they are away from home, " at market." A few years ago, farmers used to go to Exeter for many miles round to consult a witch whenever they had any misfortune, and it is commonly reported that they can get the same sort of advice in the city at the present day. At many farmhouses Bibles are kept in the dairies to prevent witches from retarding the butter-making operations. "I'm 'witched," or " I must have been 'witched," are expressions heard in Devon every day in the week. Generally speaking, it is animals that are supposed to sustain the most harm from being "overlooked." The loss of cattle that have died has been put down to the power of evil spirits, and according to many superstitious people, witches have a peculiar power over pigs. A man who believed his pigs had been bewitched was told, not so long ago, to take the heart of a pig, stick it full of pins and needles, and roast it at the fire. He did this believing this would check the mortality among his swine. "