, 1859-08-12
THE WITCH.


fully priced except by the want Of it Our fair
countrywomen; who are now instructed in every
branch Of education, can with difficulty realize
the ignorance Of their female ancestors, with
whom to read and write was considered learning
enough to have made o modern blue-stocking
II must be confessed that, even now, o woman
gifted with any uncommon literary requirements
falls under the displeasure Of the wcll-dressed
illiterate dandics Of the day; but their jurisdic-
ton Is harmless one, and seldom extends be-
yond shrug or tho opprObriOus epithet of 6tHtS.
But this was not the case in l6O0: Then, fe-
inalo literature excited serious suspicion, and
was taken under the cognizance Of that memor-
able and never-to- e.forgottcn synod Of pious,
enlightened worthless, who would fain have con-
demned all the ugly old women, and all the in.
telligent young ones, to bo hanged or drowned
as witches.
1t was the misfortune Of Ann Jones to be born
at this period. She lived at New Haven, and,
when child, discovered q remarkable faculty
Of learning. She could string rhymes together
as children of quick and playful imaginations
are won't to do. AIMS father died before her
genius had developed itself beyond any other
Indication of great powers than initiating the
language Of every animal she heard. This early
habit gave her, no doubt, fiexibility Of organs
In the present day, young lady may have the
EuB III null - uuhcl tOuSuCc1 ullu " hlOiO 1SSd-
rate knowledge Of all than her own, without ex-
citing wonder; but it must 10 remembered that
Ann fiOurished nearly two centuries ago. Her
mother was gOod-hearted, honest, respectable
woman, and early discovered that she had
brought prodigy into the world. This discov-
cry mothers are daily making now, and prodigies
have so much multiplied, that nobody is sur
prised to find the youngest or the oldest child
complete wonder. The mother was constantly
relating instances Of the extraordinary talents
of her child, and, among OthOr things, affirmed,
before number Of people who were afterwards
summoned as witnesses against the girl, that she
could say her letters before she could speak; /;
which, If the woman had not explained her
meaning by stating that she could pick them out
Of the alphabet before she could articulatc, was
certainly enough to have hung her for witch
in any court Of justice.
A Dutch family removed from New Amster-
dam to New Havon. Formerly tho people Of
New Amsterdam had designated the inhabitants
Of New Haven as "squatters," and now the
term was thrown back on the respectable and
ancient family Of Won PoiIenburghs, who, though
they purchased every inch Of land they occupied,
were, most unjustly, by way Of contempt, called
squattors. Some say that nothing serious was
meant by this appellation, and that It was only
In derision Of the superabundance Of petticoats
that were worn by Vrowe Won POiIcnburgh,
which, when she seated herself, gave her an APP
pearance 70 which the above Injurious term
might be applied. They built low house with
slanting roof and gable ends, and though it might
show meanly BY the side Of our city houses,
was then considered one Of Exceeding costli-
ness"
II must be confessed that the goOde vrows dis
covered little more pride in dress than was
congenial to the simplicity Of the times. Itwas
said she never walked out with less than ten
petticoats, and as confidently asserted she could
bring ten more to cover thom. And then her
jeweiry was of the most oxtravagant kind. She
wore her pinball and scissors dangling at her
side by massy silver chain, and her square
buckles contained more silver than any other
lady's in the colony. The shortness Of her pet
tcoats excited much indignation among tho New
England DANES. They said there would have
beon some excuse had economy been the object,
but il was evident what was taken from the
length was put on to the breadth. They there
fore very candidly concluded that their brevity
was contrived to show off q pair Of rcd stock
ings with gold clocks, well fitted to ankles that
did not discredit the epithet Of Dutch built
Unfortunately for poor Ann, the Vrowe took
great fancy to her, and said she was the very
image Of her little Dirk Won PotFenburgh, who
died when he was 4 baby. Nothing would do
but Ann must have n set Of petticoats, and she
actually riggcd out tho poor girl with buckles as
big as her own. Some said they were silver,
and others that they were only pewter, and
secured every week with the plates and porrin-
gers. At any rate she did enough to draw the
hatred and envy Of the whole village upon her.
II is no wonder that Ann, who could initiate
the language Of dumb beasts, should catch the
vrowe's. II was surely pleasanter 70 make hu-
man sounds than 10 6da-a like sheep, or mOO-0
like COWS. In q very short time she could speak
Dutch as well as mynhoer himself All this ut
first had no other consequence than exciting
envy aud il.will; but, not content with two
tongues, Ann cOntrivod TO exercise third. She
spoke strange, unknown words, that even The
Dutch people confessed they could not under
stand themselves. About this time tho witches
began their gambols In New England, and one Of
the strongest evidences against them was speak
ing in an unknown tongue. Ann began to be
looked upon with an evil eye. II was not how
ever, till a young man Of the name Of Hall became
strangely affected, that the whole village grew
alarmed. 1t was said that she had SO bewitched
him by her arts and Internal charms, that he
could do nothing but follow her about like a
Jack-o'-lantern. 1t was generally agreed that he
used to be q steady, buSinoss-liEe young man;
but since no had known her he had neglected all
work, and would saunter whole evenings under
her window. This was bad enough, but when
other young men began to show symptoms Of the
same kind, il was time to look into the matter.
There were strong arguments used by the more
Intelligent and candid against her being an actual
witch. ltwas said by every one who had deeply
stndi the subject that the "abOninablo and
damnablc sin Of witchcrail" was wholly eontin-
cd ~ ugly old women, whose faces were wTihkled
by time, whose joints were distorted by rheuma-
tsm, and whose steps were tOtiering from debil-
ity. Now il could not be denied that Ann
was lair 10 look upon, her complexion as smooth
as marble, and her step as firm and elastic as
that Of Q mountain deer. Possibly these favor
able circumstances might have acquitted her in
tho eyes Of the venerable magistrates and diVines