Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-02-08

authority sould be able to know me- said the
woman, raising her haggard eyes to the face Of
her visitor.
The old man adjusted his spectacles and gave
her scruunizing look, exclaiming Mt intervals
"Lord bless my souli it isl it amt it must
it can't be! Granny Grewcll-the- -the-the-
midwife that disappeared from here some twelve
or thirteen years agos"
ssYcs, master, I atn Nancy Grewel the ladies'
nurse, who vanished from sight so mysterious
| fy some thirteen years ago!" replied the wo-
man.
"Heavcn help our heartsI And for what crime
was it you ran away? Com.-make clean
breast Of it. woman! You have nothing to fear
in doing SO, for you are past the arm of earthly
law now!"
II know it, master"
"And the best way to prepare to meet the Di
vine Judge is to make all the preparation that
you can by full confeSsionl"
81 know it, sir-if had committed a crime;
but have committed no crime, neither did
run away"
"What? whatg what2-What was it then? Re
member, witness, you are on your oathl"
81 know that sir, and will tell the truth;
but it must be in my own-way."
At this moment violent blast of wind and
hail roared down the mountain side and ratified
against the walls, shaking the witch's hut, as if
it would have shaken it about their ears.
1t was proper overture to the tale that was
about to be told. Conversation was impossible
until the storm raved past and was heard dying
in deep reverberating echoes from the depths OF
the Devils Punch Bowl.
at is some thirteen years ago, began Granny
Grewell, "upon just such night of storm as
this, that Twas mounted on my old mule Molly,
with my saddle. bags full of dried YARDS, and
stillcd waters and sich, as allus carried when
was out 'tendin' on the sick. was on my way
a.going to see a lady as was sent for to tend
''Well, masterl I'm not 'shamed to say, as
never was afraid of man, belst, nor spirit and
never stopped at going out all hours of the night
through the most loansomeSt roads, II so be
was called upon so to do. Still must say that
jest as me and Molly, my mule, got into the
deep, thick, lonesome woods asstands round the
old Hidden House in the hollow, I did feel queer
ish; case it was the dead honr of night, and 1t
was said how strange things were seen and
hcarn, yes, and done too, in that dark, deep,
lonesome place. ] seen how even my mule
Molly felt queer too, by the way she stuck up
her ears, stiff as quils, So, partly TO keep up
my own spirits, aud partly to courage her, says
|, tMolly," says I, what are ye afeard on! BE
man, Moly!' But Molly stepped out cautious,
and pricked up her long ears all the same.
t'iYell master it was so dark couldn't see q
yard past Molly ears, and the path was SO mar
row and the bushes so thick we could hardly
get along; but just as we came to the little creek
as they calls the Spout, cause the water jumps
and Jets along till it empties into the Punch
Bowl, and Just as Molly was cautiously putting
her fore foot into the water, out starts two men
from the bushes and seizcs poor Molly'S bridle!'
"Good heaveni" exclaimed Major Wartield.
"Well, master, before l could cry out, one Of
them Williams seized me by the scruf OF my
neck and with tho other hand on my mouth
he says: iai se-
"sBo silent, you old fool, or I'll blow your
brains outl'
And then master, saw for the first time that
their faces were covered over with black Grape.
I couldn't a.screalned if they'd let me, for my
breath was gone and my senses were going
along with it from the fear that was on me.
"sDon't struggle, come along quietly and you
shall not be hurt, says the man as had spoke
before.
"Strnggle! / couldn't a.struggled to n-saved
my soulI couldn't speak! couldn't breathe!
iiken to have a-droppel right olfen Moly's
back. One on 'eu says, he:
"'Giver her some braudy!' And tother takes
out flask and puts il to my lips and says says
".Here, drink this
".WelI' master, as he had me still by the
scruif o the neck l couldn't do no other ways
but open my mouth and drink it. And as soon
as took swallow my breath come back and
|'And oh, gentlemn, says I, 'ef it's your
money or your life you mean, l haint 1t about
me! Deed clare to the Lord mighty haint
it's wrapped up in an old cotton glove in a hole
in the plastering in the chimney corner at home,
and eff you'll spare my life, you can so there
and get it, says !:
lyon old blockhead' says they, we want
neither one nor t'otherl Come along quietly
and you shall receive no harm. But at the first
cry or attempt to escape this shall stop you'll
And with that the william held the mizzle of
pistol so nigh to my nose that smct birthstone,
while t'other one bound silk handkerchief
round my eyes, and then took poor Molly's
bride and led her along. | couldn't see, in
course, and dissint breathe for fear o the
pistol But said my prayers to myself all the
time.
"Well, master, they led the mule on down the
path, until we coined to place wide enough to
| turn, when they turned round and led US
back outen the wood, and then round and round
and up and down, and cross ways and length
ways, as eff they didn't want me to find where
they were taking me-
ssWell sir, when they'd walked about in this
fused way, leadin' of the mule about a mile, 1
knew we was in the woods again-the very same
woods and the very same path-I knowed by
the feel of the place and the sound Of the bush.
es, as we hit up against them each side, and also
by the rumbling Of the Spout as it tumble along
toward the Punch Bowl Wewent down, and
down, and lower, and lower, and lower, until
we got right down in the bottom of that hollow.
IEfhen We stopped gate was opened. i