Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-10-21
From the National MteWgencer.
Love ofthc Marvellous.

Love OF MhrSsIlouss
That the progress Of enlightenment has not
yet entirely etfaccd that inclination for the Fu-
pernatural which men in all conditions and in
every age betruy, the following, from a New
York paper, may testify
"WircucRArr IN New ENGLAND-We OBJ
serve by the Nashua IN. H. Gazette that a
witch Of extraordinary powers and 'diabolcal
propcnsities has appeared in that neighbor-
hood. The daughter Of Mr.. Absalom Law
renee, Jr. Of Pepperel, girl of about thirteen
years old, has been for months strangely aic-
ted, her knees drawn TO her breast, her head
backward, and her Jaws set ten hours out of
twelve, day in and day out. For months she
was unable 10 swollow any thing but little IL
quid sucked from cloth prepared for the pur-
pose. The Gazette says In the opinion Of
many, an old witch in that neighborhood is the
cause Of the trouble. The evidence in the
case is, that the old hag got into the cream
one morning aud the butter would not come.
The hot tongs were applied and the old tormen-
tor icit the print OF her hand upon the ceiling,
where il can now be seen. a few days after
this the old witch in bodily form, applied to
the family she had been tormentng for some
rum TO bathe a burn with. The burn being
exhibited, behold there were the prints OF the
same old ,ongs that went sizzling into the
cream. That was proof positive that the witch
had been in the churn. Furthermore, the old
woman's husband has been afflicted in a similar
msnner TO the little girl, and the old woman
says if he will lei her have what money she
wants. she will cure him in one months time
And then, TO make il certain Doctor Nevens,
with his eomnamhulist. were called, and they
s7w wonders which astonished even them. The
eomnaubulist saw when asleep the spirit Of the
old witch approach the house on a white horse
on which shoe had never been placed and come
in under the crack of the door, leaving the
horse outside. The spirit appeared to he ycx-
ed. nnd the somnambuliSt SAID il was because
the doctor was there endeavoring 10 thwart her
plans by his mesmerck power |Vitches fear
magne, s.-Being dispeascd at the appear.
ance Of things about the house, shc soon icit
by way OF the cellar, aud while going down
stamped terribly upol the stairs, som shs
passed the windows, b'...c,oq hard agains,
th'"l' ....,g neavy groans and went into the
uack room (Which by the way was fastened,
where the pots and Kettles danced hornpipe
and the door leading into the kitchen shook a'
If i, was coming OF It's hinges and the devl
himself yas there. The Doctor wanted to q
and see what was to pay, (ior he did not be
lieye in witches but the family would not le
him. Other things are related quite as won
derful as the above, which we have not room
10 recount We have related enough, however
10 prove the existence of witches, il any epi
dence can 20 we will leave the subject here
The above is told with all sincerity by DR.. Ne
vens and he is backed in his assertion by NJ
Lawrence himself and thus the public hav
IT, Mr. Lawrence has moved out Of his hous
into another, with another family, since whe
he says, his daughter has improved. The owl
CT of the house says if the old hug comes theI
he will be the death Of her. II is thought 81
vii! not venture.