ouse and orchard--and moreover, if he was able
to cast out the devil that evidently possessed this horse, and make it a
sober and docile riding animal, it would not only be the gain of a very
pretty beast, but would prove that something of the power of casting out
devils, which had been given to the disciples of old, had come down unto
him. In such a case, his fame probably would equal, if not surpass, that
of the great Boston ministers, Increase and Cotton Mather.

Goodman Buckley had brought down the little mare, the next morning after
the examination. The mare would lead very well, if the person leading
her was on horseback--very badly, if he were not, except under peculiar
circumstances. She was safely housed in the minister's stable, and gazed
at with mingled fear and admiration by the family and their immediate
neighbors. Master Parris liked horses, had some knowledge of the right
way to handle them, and showed more wisdom in his treatment of this
rather perverse animal of Dulcibel's than he had ever manifested in his
church difficulties.

He began by what he called a course of conciliation--to placate the
devil, as it were. How he could bring his conscience to allow of this, I
am not able to understand. But then the mare, if the devil were once
cast out, would be, on account of her rare beauty, a very valuable
animal. And so the minister, twice a day, made a point of going into the
little passage, at the head of the stall, speaking kindly to the animal,
and giving her a small lump of maple sugar.

Like most of her sex, Susannah--as Master Parris had renamed her,
knowing the great importance of a good name--was very fond of sugar; and
her first apparent aversion to the minister seemed gradually to change
into a kind of tacit respect and toleration, under the influence of his
daily medications. Finally, the wary animal would allow him to pat her
neck without striking at him with one of her front feet, or trying to
bite him; and even to stroke her glossy flanks without lunging at him
with her hind heels, in an exceedingly dangerous fashion.

But spiritual means also were not neglected. The meeting-house was very
near, and the mare was brought over regularly when there were religious
services, and fastened in the near vicinity of the other more sober and
orthodox horses, that she might learn how to behave and perhaps the evil
spirit be thus induced to abandon one so constantly exposed to the
doubtless unpleasant s