Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-01-12

plunged in the churn containing the cream
the following charm was sung over in a dol
orous chant:
"Comc, butter, come,
Come, butter, come;
Peter stands at the gate,
Waiting for a butter cake,
Come, butter, come -
This was supposed to inflict the most cx-
crutiatiRg pain on the witch, and give the
most excellent butter.
II any epidemic disease broke out in any
PERSONS stock, a black sheep was taken from
the aock, tied in the lumber room Of the farm
house and there persisted to death and in
order to protect the members Of the family
from the assaults OF disease, the trumpet was
placed in the dinner pot on Friday and boiled
all day, during which time the entire house
bold observed the ~strictest fast, probably ow-
ing to the fact Of the dinner pot -hainGnthna-
or tI19 most respectable and wealthy
citizens OF the locality in question was one
Fetor om"ltchdhammcr, q man Of about five
and forty, about four feet six inches high.
weighing ten pounds over two hundred, who
glorled In the possession Of rich farm on
- Creek, six stout negro men and wo-
men to match.
As a means Of livelihood, Peter followed.
among other things, distilling spirits and fat
teNtng hogs on the waste from his distiIerv
Each year at killing time Peter had a fine lot
Of large, fat hogs, and he took particular pride
an taking his neighbors to his pen to inspect
his stock.
During the winter of 1S-ho had a re-
markedly ine stock of hogs, and one Of the
lot, q famous black fellow, Fat and gentle in
his department., Peter particularly p~ridedhim.
sen upon lie would patiently stand to have
his huge sides rubbed, and the little Smitchd-
hammers had enjoyed many a mcrv ride M
on him through the ytru.
Killing time drew on, and Peter sat in his
kitchen one night conycrsinG with his negro
Elln, Huns, his trusty and ~layorite foreman,
aboat the number Of hogsheals in tho still
house reilly to distii, and tho hog-killing,
concluded after a deal Of speculation that old
black would weigh down the scales at the
three hundred pound notch, if not more
Hans praised his masters hogs-said they
verc the finest In the settlement, and Peter
thanked his stars for his valuable stock, slip
ped y half dollar in his servants hand, took
a drink with him ana went to bed.
The next day the hogs were in the yard,
basking in the sunshine and glcrying in their
fat on the South side Of the smoke house in
which the old Dutchman kept stored away
his liquor. Owing to sDn9 cause, one Of the
barrels sprang a leak and the contents ran
out among the sleepy swine, and they being
used to feeding at the still house under cir
cumstances somewhat Similar Gell-4a-aaA
urmK. Tho old black being the strongest OF
the LOT, by fighting the weaker ones of. sue
ceeded in imbibing q larger quantity than
any Of the others, and in y short time was in
y decidedly queer fix. Ono Of the old mans
little girls was the first to discover the unu-
sual actions Of tn favorite porker, and She
ran to her father telling him thlt "oll blpck
was sick" The old man lett his cooporing
at the shop and followed his daughter to sec
what was tho m utter. at the first SIGHT Of
his tavoritc hos he vas perfectly astounded :
the animal was cutting NIL manner Of canars
and antics now running round like n ton
after his tail-now tearing old shoes and
Shucks into shrcds-now staggering up a.
gainst the fence aad biting the rails-tumh-
ling sumorsGts and fo3ming ut the mouth t.
the utter dismay Of the old Dutcaman. In =
moment OF perplexity Albright thought struck
him asto the evil that hal bofpIlon his hog.
and no hawled out at the top his strong voice
10 his wifc:-
''Barb-ale Woman. Barb. come here"
And his spouse ran oatof the kitchen viii
q lump Of dough in her hands excliIminc-
Here Better! Hero Better"
"Dunler and wlNcn Barb, ole blacks
bevitchcd-plow de horn"
And she did blow the horn, heartily am
10 tho purp1sc, which soon brought Hans or
. long trot across the fields to answer tho
unusual summons. When he came in SIGHT
Peter hlowed out to him: Run Hans Ruy
faster Hlns.' And Hans did run faster. a
tho top Of his speed he came rushing into thu
yard, blowing like Il four male engine, inqui
ring US to what was the matter.
Natter" exclaimed the excited Dutchmaa
"dundcr and vixen, don't You see ole placl
is bevitched like dc very tivil!'
Haas eyes grew larger and whittier. anc
he mounted the fence in mortal fear Of TIL,
excited hog.
Come down off dar, Hlns," ordered Pete.
in y o Of authority, come down l say =
ole plack Is bovitched and he mustn't pc burn
viii fire till he ish dead rs q dried apple o
all dc rest of us hogs viii pc in a bader fix no
ole plack"
Hans came doEn and they proceeded t
build the funeral pile. A few stout log
were obtained from the ~woodpile, and bar
split rails 1nddry shavings thrown on to max
q quick fire. The arrangements were for p
ter aad Hans to catch tho hog, and Barbar
was to ligat the pile when they secured hir
en- it. Thc old man threw or his oil ~is.