American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-08-28

the death of her husband, BY frequent views Of
futurity; and was expert in the art OF fortune
telling, that no one doubted her inspiration. Was
there a horse or COW lost in the neghbofhOo1, the
dame pointed out the runaway course of the estray
and pledged her reputation that immediate search
would procure return-was property stolen from
the neighbours, she would tell the day, hour and
minute Of the depreciation, describe the face, form
and coat OF the aggressor, and leave him little
hope to escape the vgiant eye and eager pursuit
OF the believing German.-But we're the horses
tails knotted; the cows horns made sharp and
crooked; did not the matron's cream refuse pro-
mise of butter; or the maden's spinning-Mheel
set about its task at mdnght without the touch Of
any visible hand-then were Dame Margaret
talents put in requlsion to discover the offender
and wheresoever her finger pointed, there the deed
was tone-there did credulity fix the crime to the
0ffender-and there must speedy vengeance fall
did not the suspected save herself BY flight, or by
the true faculty Of witch, Of shroudlng herself
in air, thin air.
Now, to relate half of the wonderful cures eff
fected. and events foretold by the dame, would be
to recount volumes of we'll approved tradition
and to tell OF her many virtues, her observance Of
holidays, her far-famed dish of sourcrout the ricl
,ariegated hues Of her painted eggs, and. withal
her silence at church, her perfect recollection o
the text, and her jolly Sunday after-meeting Wis
leave but little space for the deeds of Johan and
Vary. But to name only this virtue in Margaret
she was the mother Of Marie-and to be the blest
mother Of so approved maiden was both a vir
tue and praise.
All with whom I have consulted agree mos
cheerfuly in pronouncing Marie the fallest flower
that decked the banks Of the stream the frailes
memories dwell with rapture on her virtues ; ant
the coolest hearts yet treasure in their deepes
depths her sainted name.
Nay, my son. said Yok Hans De Wanakr
when answering my heterogeneous concerning
the renowned Marie--(N low Yok was a grey beard
ed old man. and tottered ON his cane as he adj
dressed mel -" nay, my son, thou canst know bu
little of the maid thou hast nothing like her il
these days; and hence can give thee no idea b.
| comparing her with any of thy Yankee sweet
hearts Thou hast seen the liy-she was ever
more slender than its stem. The blooming rose
her cheek was far more lovely. Thou hast notet
the gait Of the nimble deer, as he tripped acros
the lawn--she was even more gay and sprightly
Thou hast breathed the sweet breath of the morn
| ing-aye, she was sweeter still. My son, tho
canst know but little of the maid--and then he
voice She would sing on mild summer evening
and how did her sweet melody cheer me at m
window. Even the nightingale was charmed, an
would cease her paintive strain and listen ~ wa
a young man then, but alas. was a marrie
|
| Here the old man sighed, and before he resume
his speech inquired after the color Of her hair
Yok rested his forehead on his hand knitted hi
brows in most memory searching manner; look
ed intent on me and then upon the ceiling; an
having rumaged the store house Of his memory t
no effect, gave up the search, and declared FRANK
ly, but with much regret, that he had forgotten :
This imperfection in Yok's memory has left me
conjecture the color of the rnaden's ringlets; an
III.
they were neither black, red, nor yellow; leayin
to those who ask more definite account, to scare
more deeply than have done into the traditions
the neighborhood.
Up to this period of our history have gathere
, the facts already stated from the old people WI
could recount them; but what follows is transl;
Z, ted from a German MSS. found under gre
limestone. that composed part Of the floor OF II
I old fort; which stone had upon it these initial
t r. v. S., and hence the MSS. is supposed
S have been written by one Rip Van Schneider, a
eminent schoolmaster, historian and phiiosophe
who lived and wrote about the close OF the rev
!. lutionary war. This Rip could never compose b
nerves on the yell OF the savages. and from his I
j cluse and studous manner of life, never ca
: led to act in bloody scenes of the Mohawk; and
. being found that he was employed in writing a hi
v tory of the times each hero on his return iro
: slaughter, would recount to Rip his bloody deed
and hence his writings may be deemed authentl
e The Mss. commences. =
= "The hordes of savagcs that occupied our we
n tern and northern frontier were not unfregaent
st found lurking in the forests, as far down the riv
as the village Of Schenectady and every inhahit'
y spot in their course Land waste: and husband
!. wives and children made captive in their intern
J. progress. At the solemn hour OF midnight, Z
fl slumbcrs of our babes were broken By their yel
e and the flames of our cottages, touched by barb
:. rian hands, illumincd the sky. From the cous'
II grafton Of their dwellings. families were seen
N that hour in flight for the fort, where few sodc
n. were stationed, and where was afforded teMppr
s ry protection from savage butchery.