New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-20
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BY FERIwINKLE

344S 4aaSL Lays OF s5a1e41 Ff1IGL4SGd4ts
By PERIwINkLE-
On The afternoon Of clear, bright winter day in a
comfortable mansion the outskirts of the town Of
Salem, the master Of the house-a fine looking
Hlidded aged man, with frank, open English Couu-
tenance stood before the great blazing fire on the
hearth, buttoning his coat and drawing his nit
tens, preparatory to setting out on some Grand
abroad. His wife, comedy matrOn, seated in high
backed chair near the hearth, had been enumeratng
several new cases oil Wtchcrat and demoniac posses
sion that had occurred in the immediate neighbor-
hood this was id 1922. The good woman seemed
TO feel little piqued by the nereduty expressed
his Gonntenanee and his comments when she had CON
studded were not exactly calculated to allay this feel
ing.
ssPoohi pooh!n said he II tell you, wife, / don't
believe in witchCratt, and ii chance To- fall in with
aae of these fepnted witches this afternoon we viii
drink confusion to Cotton Mather in something that
Ell warrant is to hin familiar spirit and here he
slapped his coat pocket, where nestled flask Of
choice liquor.
And / tell YOU, John StanIey,n said the GOOD
wife, pitching her voice in key jast semi-tone
above that which is termed siVery. Here, would
beg leave to state for the benefit Of my experienced
readers, that whenever woman arraigus an offend
ing husband before the bar OF her dspleasure or in
other words lectures him, she usually commences by
sounding the cnprt's name in full, in obedience to
custom observed from time imnem0rfal, which seems
at the first view to have been originally borrowed
from courts OF law, but, as matrimony is the elder n
stitutian conjecture that the indebtedness is tine
other side
g tell you" said the worthy dame, that the
events occurring in this very town. are deserving
subjects Of conversation and belief as those stories oil
English fairies that you fond Of telling to the
children around the fire in the evening. And
shouldn't be surprised, she continued if some evil
heel you this day punishment OF your leyity in
speaking as you have
John Stanley was prudent man and the subject
iHquesion was Of small Importance, so he made no
reply, but having completed his preparations, be
q anfD fD thn rrrant f,yz clad
that stood ready and was urging his team along
tile road towards piece Of wood about mile dis
tsnt, from whence he was to bring a load OF fuel.
There had been heavy fall of snow few days pre-
vious, aud j now lay in huge bllowy drifts and fan
tasttc Wreaths on the cleared field while the keeu
north wind swept light particles that gttered in the
sunshine 10 binding guests across the road Yet The
keen north wind only seemed to brace the sneWs of
staWaFt John Stanley, and to blow rudder tint of
health over his bold countenance and as it scattered
ts jewels on his curling locks seemed rather to be
some good fairy shoWeTng down diamonds and pearls
But the snow jewels that lay on his chestnut hair were
ndHght ID the sparkling aneies and bright memories
that danced through his brain. for the north wind
brought him thoughts OF dear old England, and
dreams OF Christmas games, and blazing yule logs,
and the mistletoe bolgh-of Mayslay dances, and
Waving elms and stately parks, and summer land
scopes, crowned with the sunlghts golden glory 1t
whispered in his ear the tones 0t loved voices, the
low warblng at the dawn Of birds that nestled be-
meath the eFe's OF his childhoods home and the
sound oil the peaceful Sabbath bell pealing out from
the tower Of the old Uncovered church in his native
village. Surely The north wind was a good fairy
ALI, unused Stanley I'm afraid was sad dog when
4grew ups and when my father babe his wayward son
choose between disinheranoe, or being consigned to
Tue care Of his grim Puritan uncle and decided on
tho htter it was the first time in my life that mani
Tested wisdom, And who would have thought he
continued, twenty years age the wild, rolligking
JoAn Stanley could become the staid, thriving colo
MIST held in respect and esteem by his Puritan towns
IaeH although they do pull long faces when he hap
a nj yer an
as they term VIII Shakespeare. Perhaps he unused,
tlle key TO the mystery may be found in the fact of
my having taken to wife certain demure maiden
vino has been faithful hepmate through all the
years OF our welded life and whose gentle influence
haa sohered my reckless nature and made me what
am. Yes, it has been Madels work, God bless her!
and am an ungrateul rascal, thought John Stan.
ley, If dc not feel richer than an Emperor, when
thiuka ct herand our dear children-my household
treasures
Diamonds and pearls, screamed the north wind
g diamonds and pearls! 0, no I'm y0nr good
faryi y
Staneyhad now reached point in the road where
lane diVerged fr0mit leading into the depth of the
Woody whenjust az he turned his team into this path
he heard q harsh, shrll voice call out-estop, John
stanley.a
The person addressed checked his oxen, and looked
aFGaad for the speaker. Presently there emerged
from the thick bushes on the side Of the road the
figure OF an old Indian woman, wrapped in tattered
red blanket with an old souehed hat on her head.
Stanley recognized in this parsonage one who had
for some time lain under suspicion of being witch
but who had hitherto alluded apprehension
well said Stanley, ''what do you want with me n
q want liquorH said the bag "liquot to warm
This old body that your talking men have driven out
70 perish; liquor to give me strength to carse your
whole race OF robbers and m0rderers r.
Here was Stanley fairly entrapped, and he began
30 cast about for SOME excuse for not fulfilling his
Fash vow Of hobanobing with the powers Of darkness
0ut upon more practical view Of the case he came
10 the conclusion, from the appearance of the old
crone, that she had already been suppled with sniff
Gent stimulus for the landable purpose which Rhe
ag0wed in the latter clause OF her remark SO he init
mated as much, at the same time starting m, His
team 70 cut short further discourse. AS he east
look back he saw the old woman standing ii the
middle 0f the road with her hand raised neBaeingiy
and be heard her yell after him Ill make Won
sorry, john Stanley!n
Perhaps there might have been some superstition
lurking nhis breast, for he felt reeYed when turn
in the road shut him from her sight
Arrived at his destination. Stanley proceeded at
to his task Of loading up but from some cause
whether the gloom OF the forest, or the melancholy
sounds Of tie wind, hghaup in the sombre pines 81
fr1ni some dim foreboaings Of impending evil il is
Impossible to say, but certain it is, he began to be
unusually depressed in mind, and more than once in
the ealrseo bis work be applied himself to bis flask
which became lighter ia proportion as the load on
his sled grew heavier. At last, having completed
bis task, and feeling somewhat iatiguRd he seated
himself upon the top Of his load and commenced his
h0gnewaFd course IL was new twilight and as stan
was something favorable to reflection in the soil
tade aud the deepening gloom. that his mind fnyol.
UNFAIRLY required 70 wild tales Of Scandinavian fairy
daites that he had read Of in his youth and it was
while occupied with such thoughts that he suddenly
observed, With start Of unpleasant surprise to say
tie least, direct in the path before him. the azure 81
the old Indian witch,
To add to his establishment his cattle Immediately
came % halt, nor could the utmost exertioas with
his stick induce Them % light a bo0f At hist the
witch slowly raised her hand with the shrgele fore
finger pointing upwards, wheeeupon the oxen rising
up, stood erect upon their hinder feet, By this time
Stanley felt his eaarage giving away, and lie began
TO fdmhle IN his memory for passage Of scripture
bat as in some cases where life is ia extreme peril
events Of childhood are presented To the mind with
almost vivid distuetaess, SANKEY'S memory, skip
ping over the goudly text he had often heard ex-
naaaded, was rumnaging among odds and ends Of
p42Fs, conned many years before.
% AVont thee, witch y he exclaimed at last, In
tone, however, more expressive Of eareaty than com.
Haaad-
The old woman, without needing this exoreism,