George Barrell Cheever: Deacon Giles' distillery (1844)

At length the perplexities of conscience, and the fears of self-interest, drove him to think seriously of quitting the business. One afternoon, as he was sitting at home, absorbed in thought, a loud, impetuous knock at the door of the apartment startled him, and in walked one of the most singular personages he remembered ever to have seen. It was a man apparently about fifty years of age, very short of stature and sturdy in bulk, with a countenance that indicated uncommon shrewdness, and an eye of preternatural brilliancy and power. Yet his features were extremely irregular, and so evidently marked with strong but compressed passion, as to put one in mind of the crater of a hushed volcano; in truth, his face, in some positions, almos t wore the aspect of a fiend escaped from the infernal regions. With all this, he could assume, if he chose, a strange, incongruous appearance of humor; his countenance had that expression when he entered the room where the deacon was meditating.

He had on a coat of blue broadcloth, of the fashion of Queen Anne's age, a white satin waistcoat with enormous flaps, covered with figures of dancing satyrs wrought in crimson silk, and pantaloons of red velvet, over which was drawn a pair of white topped boots, that reached nearly to his knees, with feet of extraordinary magnitude. On his head was a three-cornered adjutant's hat, which he raised with an easy bow as he entered. His salutation to the deacon was kindly expressed, though in a very deep, startling voice, that seemed as if it came almost from the centre of the earth. He told the deacon he , was happy to see him, and that knowing he was somewhat troubled in mind, he had called to help him out of his perplexities.

The deacon looked uneasy at this address, and told his visitor that he did not remember ever to have seen him. Upon that, the man laughed very extravagantly, and confessed it was not strange that he did not recognize him: "but no matter for that," said he, " I think I can certainly assure you that I am without doubt the best friend you have in the world."