The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-04-13
THE WITCH

| ~ - " y VII
They talk ignorantly of human ma
turc wito regard tho abolished crime OF
! Witchcraft as having had lis origin ~
the phantasma Of the super1uities. NJ
thing is more common IN the manaee-
ment Of mankind, than TO see persons
VINO, from having felt Difference paid TO
their meutal superiority, have assumed
10 themselves the PREF ogative OF govern
ing others by then dicta, + her than by
the reasonable exercise OF their under
standing. IL such assumption OF arto-
ounce consist the crimiuality II winch
craft crime rs old as humanity, aud
elefnal as power and imberiliy ia. tho
/ faculties = man. he following I.ttic
anecdott is q demonstration ot the mo-
raj theorem here propounded
About the end 81 the reign Of King
Jamcs the FIRST of Great Britain, ma
trony woman, Of the name of Kebecca
! Swaf, came TO reside IN The village OF
Stoke Regis. Ter appearance VS. ra-
thef, though III no remarkable degree,
} above her apparent condition. Some
said she had surely been grntlewo-
man, others We're Of opinion that her
husband had been an apotlecary aud
the whole community OF the village were
somewhat surprised that she did not
practise Us a midwife She lived, how
esef, among them many years, avoiding
the observation winch she was evidently
conscious Of having attracted. During
the whole period, her mahncrs were
mild hut reserved, and her conduct and
| department singuiarly uuexcoptionable
Ths iriendlcss and fuilorn person AT
last became old her means, Ii ON what
ever source derived, whether from any
undivided source, gradually diminish
ed, I'll she became almost mendieant.
She was not entirely 50, because her
wasieo form, and the variety of wretch
edness exhibited in her patched aud I'M
renewed attire, attracted he charity she
required without any solicitation On her
part She did not beg, she was only
helped.
One dav, il was in January, and after
many stormy days Of slect and shower,
she came TO the door OF Ailce Thorn
wala, a neighbor, and requested tho loan
of little meal or flour. Alice at the
time was busy londling her child, aud an
swered the requisite which was modest
ly enough made---hlrshly. Robecca
repeaied it, and received sill more
unpracious reply Rehecca third
time begged the little loan Of which she
,yoo6, as 80 said, really II great Mood !;
but the third answer was still less kind
than the former two, and she was told
To 90 elsewhere; "for,n said Alice
Thornwali, g" have something else To
d. with my dear child than 10 heed such
appi.cations.'
Re5ccca swarf made no immediate
rorly, bu. drawing her cloak around her,
she looked sternly at Alice for "A short
space oftime, and then repled---"N ell,
as YOU love,or think YOU love, that dar-
ling, beware of the harm you are DOOM
ed 10 do II.
When the oldwoman had retired, her
words recoied upon Alice, aud when
Eben Tholnwald returned nome in the
evening, Alice mentloncdto him the oc-
cufrencc and the malediction, for so She
had felt il, OF Rebecca Swarl.
Eben was OF gloomy irane OF feel
ing, strong in resolution, and wIthal DIS
posed TO the worship of superiority,
however constituted. lie was ndturl-
" suspicious, and moi uulinctured with
envy; hence, either from antpathy or
from the effect OF some experienced
slight, he at once disllked Rebecca
Swari, and was awed by her sagacity.
He caused Alice, his wife, 10 repeat
10 him the malcdIclion he thought he
oaul1 discern in 1t something more
dr. oe. he ear ;---he stripped The child
max ed---ca carefully examined all ms body
---couI1 find no mark Of seattle upon It's
skin---aud he finally concluded, tllat if
there we're any power in the bodement,
the evil thereof was 10 fall upon Alice.
Alice laughed al tins conclusion, aud
I for some time afterwards no change was
Observable IN her conduct but in the
end, Eben saw, or thought he saw, lhlt
she did not treat the child with her Won
led affection, and chided her for the ~
elect, reminding her at the same time
OF Rebecca Sw IFS prophecy.
Alice, disturbed by his eHbortations,
affected TO fondle and caress the bahe
ten times more than she would otherwise
have done, ill her anxiety grew to ha-
bitude, and all her neighbbrs spoke to
her, aud maryeIIcd at the inordinafe
fondness for the child with which she
embittcred both her own life and that
of her husband. Eben himself becalne
impatient at her excessive endearments,
- l.. L. ..-,..r..t :, ...,.,...I,,