The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-02-16

nut on Il ragged cOucn, lay gfay-nalTeu
and cmaciated woman, evidently near un-
to death. On being informed that mag
istrate had arrived she insisted on every
body else leaving the room, as she would
speak with him alone. Her request hav-
ing been complied with, Old Hurricane
drew from his pochct Bible, administer
ed the oath, aud then said;
Now then, my good soul hcgiu -' the
truth. the whole truth, and nothing hut
the truth you know. Bur first yonr
name ?
Is it possible you don't know me,
master ?"
d" Not |, in faithw
For the love of heaven, look at me
and try TO recolect me, sir 1t is noces-
sary some one authority should be able to
know me- said tue woman, raising her
haggard eyes to the face of her visitor.
The old man adjusted his spectacles and
gave her scrutinizing look, cxclaiming
at intervals
" Lord bless my soul it is it amt /!
il can't be Granny Observation-Disclosures
--the--midwife that disappeared from
here some twelve or thirteen years ago 2"
Yes, master, I am Nancy GreewelI,
the ladies' nurse, who vanished FROM sight
so mysteriously some thirteen years ago"
replied the woman.
Heaven help our hearts And for
what crime was it yon ran away2 Come
make n clean breast Of i,,woman' You
have nothing to fear in doing so, for you
are past the arm Of earthly law now !"
" know it, MASTER"
"And The best way to prepare to meet
the Divine Judge is to make all the re-
paration that you can by full confess
sion |!
81 know it, sir---if I had committed
crime, but l have committed no crime,
neither did l run away"
What? what what?-What was it
then? Remember witness, you are on
your oath !"
d" l know that, sir, and l will tell the
truth but it must be in my own way"
At that moment violent blast ofwind
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 dyirg in deep reverberating
echoes from the depths of the Devils
Punch Bowl.
C 1t is some thirteen years ago." began
Granny Greewell, "upon Just such night
of storm as this, that l was mounted on
my old mule Molly, with my saddle-bags
full of dried YARDS, and stiled waters and
sch, as I alus carried when I was out
'tendin' on the sick. was on my way
a-going to see a lady as I was sent for tc
tend"
"Nell, master I'm not shamed to
say, as I never was afraid of man, beast,
nor spirit! and never stopped at going
out all hours of the night, through the
most loansomest roads, if SO be l was cal
led upon so to do. Still 1 must say that
jest as me and Molly, my mule, got into
the deep, thick, lonesome woods as stands
round the old Hidden House in the hollow,
I did feel queerish 'caseit was the dead
hour Of night, and it was said how strange
things were seen and hearn, yes, and done
too in that dark, deep, lonesome place.
seen how even my mule Molly felt queer
too, by the way che stuck up her ears,
stiff as quilts So, partly to keep up my
own spirits and partly to courage her,
says l, Molly says what are We afraid
on? Be man, Mollyn But Molly
stepped out cautious, and pricled up her
long ears all the same.
Well, master, it vas so dark | couldn't
see a yard past Molly's ears, and the path
was SO narrow 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 les
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 seizes poor Mol.
ly's bridle!"
Good heaven" acclaimed Majo,
Warfeld.
Well master, before I could cry out
one of them villains seized me by the
scruff of my neck, and with the other hand
on my mouth he says:
4" BE- silent, you old fool, or I'll blow
your brains out !"
And then master, saw for the first
time that their faces were covered over
with black Grape. 1 couldn't a-screamed
if they'd let me, for my breath was gone
and my senses were going along with il
from the fear that was on me-.
90 Don't struggle, come along quietly
and you shall not be hurt says the mar
as had spoke before.
Struggle! l couldn't a-strugged t.
a-saved my soul 1 couldn't speak
couldn't breathe l liked to have a.drop
ped right often Molly's back. One OF
'em says, says he;
"'Give her some brandy And t'othel
takes out flask and puts it to my lip.