The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-09

"To-norrow you may do that, but nieaswbi lie,
to'nighs, beiax stiil Ia the comm ission OF the
this womans bedside
"Asd ~hat The csmcn is wanted Of me Their 2"
ITO receive her dying deposition"
To receive dyi lag deposition. Good Heaven I!
was she murdered, thopl exclaimed the old niau,
in alarm, as be started oct Of bed and began TO
dra~ on his neither garments.
"Ge compossd-she was not murdered" said
the pastor.
must concern crime" exclaimed the old man,
hssaiy drawing on hiseosf
"lt does coneera q crime"
"Wbas crime, for tho lore OF Leavsp {"
II attn not at liberty 10 toll you. She will do
that"
wool, go down and rouse up Jeha, and tell
him 10 pat Parson Goodwi mule la the stable
for the hight. And tell him to put the black
asaaght horses to the close carriage, and light
ootn the front isuterns-for " Q shall have dark,
stormy road-Shns ,ae door, you infernal!--I beg
your pardon, parson, but that villain always
leaves the door sisr after him"
The good parscn bowed gravety; aud the major
completed his toilet by the time the servant 70.
turned and reported the carriage ready.
TO tbe Devii's Punch Bowl"--was the or ier
given by Old Hurricane az he followed the minister
iafo the carriage And now, sir" he continued,
addressing hin companion, IL think Won had bet
ter repeat that part OF the church litany that
praysto be delivered from battle. murder and
sudden DEATH for il We should DO so lucky a. TO
nk,
at least an equal chance of being upset in the
dark ness of these dreadful mou utaips'
Il pair of saddle mules would have been safer
coureysnce, certainly" said the minister.
Old Hurricane knew that, but though q great
sensuaiist, be was brave man, and SO he had
rather risk bis life in close carriage than suffsr
cold upon n sure footed mules back.
A ter many delays aud perils, the pastor and
Old Hurricane arrived at their destination called
the witch's Hut or Old Hats Cabin. In one cor.
Der of the hut, on ragged couch, lay grey.
haired and emaciated woman, evidently near unto
death. On being informed that magistrate bad
| arrived she insisted on everybody else leaving
| the room, as she would speak with him alone
| Her request having been complied WITH Old IIur-
rcaUe drew frt In his Pocket Bible admi mis- tel ed
| the oath, and then said
Now then, my good soul begn-'the truth, the
whole truth, aud nothing but the TRUTH you
know. But first. your name"
| "ls il possible you don't knew me. master 2"
| "Not |, in faith =
For the low Of heaven. lock at me and ry to re-
collect me. sir! tits necessary some one Suthority
sltouId be able TO know me-, said he ian raising
her hsgsard eyes to the lace OF her visitor.
The cid III adjusted his spect scles aud gave her
| . ratinZing look, txcaiming 1T intervals
| Lord bless my sou It il! it ain's! is must! it
that disappeared from here some twelve thirteen
Yes. mxste,. I am Nancy G1ewell, the ladies'
nurse who vanished from sight 80 mysferi3uslJ J
some thirteen years ago. replied the woman
Heaven help our hea'ts! And for what Grim.
Sas IL yOu rpn away C0Ine-u axe clean breast
Of it. woman, You have nothilg to fear in doing
so. ior ou are past the arm of earthly Law now :"
Il know IL, master"
AMI the best wsv TO prepare to In at the Divine
| 8 fu.l confe Aionl'
| II know it. sir-if had committed a crime; bu,
I have committed no crime, neither did run
what. what? what What was it then: Re
member, witness, you are on your oath"
Il KNOW thaf, SIR, and Will tell the tru' h. but il
must be in my own way
reared down tho mountain side and ratified aEaih Il
the wallis. shaking the witches hut. as if it wou ID
have shaken it about their cas-.
IL was proper overture to the tale that was about
| to bs told Converse ion was possible until the
| storm rsved past AMI wes heard dying in deep re-
verberatinx eeh 1es from the depths of the DEVILS
1T Is tcme thirteen years ago." began Granny
| Grewel, upon Just such a night of storm ss this
that l was mounted on my old mule Molly. with
my bsgs full Of dried yarbs and s,iled waters
| on the lick. WAS on nv way going to see a lady
| rs ives sent for to tend
Well, master I'm not shame to say. as never
was AFRAID OF man, Aas hpirt and never stop-
ped ct going cut all hours of the pi sht ihrou h the
most oapsomest roads, if so be was called upon 80
my mule, got into the deep, thick Ion. some woods
as stand round the Q Ii dden House in the hollow
night and il said how strange things were seen
and hea-n yes. aud done too. in tbs dark. deep
Lonesome place; l seen how even my mule Molly
felt queer. too, by the way she stuck up her sars
suf as quls. 60. partly to keep up my own spirits.
and par ly to ceGra 20 her, Gays |. Molly. says l.
Mof. Sc p5ed cut cautious and prcked upher ions
ears all the same
w eli, master it WAS so dark couldn't see yard
past Melly's ears and the path was 70 narrow, and
the bushss thick, could hardly get along: but
est ss we came to the little creek they calls the
emp ea into the Punch Bowl; and Just as Molly wss
cautiously putting her fore foot into tie water out
ly's bride"
"Good heaven exclaimed Msjcr Warfeld.
We'll. master. before | could cry out, one Of them
williams seized ms by the scICff uf my neck and
With the other hand on my mouth he says:
BE silent, you old fool, or I'll blow your Brain
And then, master. saw for the first time that
their aces were coyei ed over with black Grape |
couldn't screamed il they'd let me- for my breath
was gone and my senses were going along with 1t,
from the fear that was on me.
Don't struggle. come along quietly. and you
nall not be hurt says the man as had sp Ike Le-
Struggle: souldn't a-strugg'ed to e-ssved nv
to have adropped right ofien Moll5's hack. One on
GIVE her some brandy" Andtother takes ou.
"ntIf -. aou pn,L M 10 ny lips and says, s.ys he
We'll master as he had me still by the serutf o.
the neck. eonldn,t do no other ways but open my
| mouth and drink it. Ard as soon as took swallow
my bfesih come back ard my speech.
,r ,onr liz, Ss gentlemen gen ,ays efits your money
clare to N Lord almighty ] hsintl it,. wrapped
up IN an ola cotton eiave in hole in the plas.ering
VI
my NE. You can gp there and get it, saysI
You old blockhead.' says they. we want Meth
shall receive no harm. But at the first cry or a.
tempt to escape this shall stop your And with that
%ass ,ba. asa s, as hr S1s of pistol 80 nigh
bound SILK hsndkercher round my eyes. and
then took poor Mollv's bride and led her along -
couldn't see, in course and dissint breathe for
Far O the pstoi But said my prayers to my SELF
We'll. master. they led the mule on down thu
path. until We canned to g place wids ansuab to
turn, when they turned us round and led ms haek
outen the wood. and then round and round, ard IN
and down. and cross way and length ways as il
they didn't want me to find where they were taking
ne.
way, leadin' Of the mule about mile. knew we
was in The " ,ods sgain-the very same woods ard
the very same path.,I kaowed By the feel Of the
pla CO and the sound of the bushes, ~ bit I'D
against them each side. and also by the rumblng
of the Spout as it tumbled alsng toward the Punch
over and lower and lower until we got rieh; down
in tho bottom of that holl w.
opened put
j was; but. Just at that minute. felt the mzzls
o the ptle ike a ring of ice right aGn my risht
temple and the villain growing into my ear;
"Bu.I didn't-s. dropped my hand down as if
had been shot. and afore bad seen anything eth
er. 20 vent through the gate, and up . gravel.
iy walk-l knew il by the cracking OF the gravel
under Mollys g 'sst-and stopped at "a h.rs -hleck.
my hans again.
do. II yOu dare eays tother One with the miZ
zle o'the pistol Af my head.
L dronpFd my hand like lead So they eesl me
IN a little way, and then up some steps counted
them to myself as went along They were six -
You see. master, took all this pains to know the
house again Then they op ,Ied door that opened
in the middle. They tn" went along PASSAGE and
up more stairs-fhsre was ten aud iurn al d then
ten more. Thea along another passage, and up an
other Eight OF stairs. inst like the first Then along
snother passage, and M third fi'gh: Of stat s.
They WIS alike
Well sir. here We was at the top O the house -
One o them williams opened door the left side,
AID rother said
""There-aoin aud do your duty = and pushed me
through the door and shut and locked II on me -
God gracious sir. how scared was. L slipped off
the silk Handkerchief. and feared as was, ddn't
forget TO put It ia my bosom.
'Thsn looked about ma. Right sfo Q n Q on the
hearth was little weny taper burning that sbo we'd