Just in case you don't remember the story line.....The story is about a New Hampshire farmer, Jabez Stone, who is plagued with unending bad luck. It is set in 1841.
Stone swears that "it's enough to make a man want to sell his soul to the devil!" When Satan, disguised as "Mr. Scratch", arrives the next day, he makes such an offer, and Stone reluctantly agrees to the deal.
Stone enjoys seven years of prosperity, and later bargains for three more years, but as the "mortgage falls due," he convinces famous lawyer and orator Daniel Webster to argue his case with the Devil.
At midnight of the appointed date, Mr. Scratch arrives and is greeted by Daniel Webster presenting himself as Stone's attorney. Mr. Scratch tells Daniel, "I shall call upon you, as a law-abiding citizen, to assist me in taking possession of my property," and so begins the argument. It goes poorly for Daniel since the signature and the contract are clear, and Mr. Scratch will not agree to a compromise.
In desperation Daniel thunders, "Mr. Stone is an American citizen, and no American citizen may be forced into the service of a foreign prince. We fought England for that in '12 and we'll fight all hell for it again!" To this Mr. Scratch insists on his citizenship citing his presence at the worst events of America, concluding that "though I don't like to boast of it, my name is older in this country than yours".
A trial is then demanded by Daniel as the right of every American. Mr. Scratch agrees after Daniel says that he can pick the judge and jury, "so it is an American judge and an American jury". A jury of the damned then enters, "with the fires of hell still upon them". They had all done evil, and had all played a part in America:
Stone swears that "it's enough to make a man want to sell his soul to the devil!" When Satan, disguised as "Mr. Scratch", arrives the next day, he makes such an offer, and Stone reluctantly agrees to the deal.
Stone enjoys seven years of prosperity, and later bargains for three more years, but as the "mortgage falls due," he convinces famous lawyer and orator Daniel Webster to argue his case with the Devil.
At midnight of the appointed date, Mr. Scratch arrives and is greeted by Daniel Webster presenting himself as Stone's attorney. Mr. Scratch tells Daniel, "I shall call upon you, as a law-abiding citizen, to assist me in taking possession of my property," and so begins the argument. It goes poorly for Daniel since the signature and the contract are clear, and Mr. Scratch will not agree to a compromise.
In desperation Daniel thunders, "Mr. Stone is an American citizen, and no American citizen may be forced into the service of a foreign prince. We fought England for that in '12 and we'll fight all hell for it again!" To this Mr. Scratch insists on his citizenship citing his presence at the worst events of America, concluding that "though I don't like to boast of it, my name is older in this country than yours".
A trial is then demanded by Daniel as the right of every American. Mr. Scratch agrees after Daniel says that he can pick the judge and jury, "so it is an American judge and an American jury". A jury of the damned then enters, "with the fires of hell still upon them". They had all done evil, and had all played a part in America:
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