Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-12

"Take NE with you'll No. no, my good sir!
no, no, that is too good a joke-hal hail.
Sir, fear that you will find it a very
serious onel Your servant told you that my
errand was one of imminent urgency?"
'-Yes. something like life and DEATH.
.'Exactly--down in the cabin, near the
Punch Bowl, there is an old woman dying
There. l knew it. was inst saying
there might be an old woman dying. But,
my dear sir, what's that to mel What can
/ do? - tAs AZ 8SA.% -4AJ ~ s---A-A
Humanity. sir, would prompt YOU"
But my ar sir, how can help her? am
not physician to prescribe-."
''She is far past physician s help
Nor am l priest to hear her confes-
Her confession God has already received."
''Well, and I'm not a lawyer to draw up her
will"
..No sir; but you are recently appointed
one of the Justices of the Peace for Allegha-
n.y."
Eyes; well, what of that? That does not
comprise the duty of my getting up out of
my warm bed and going through snow
storm to see old woman expire"
Excuse me for insisting, sir; but this is an
official dtuy," said the parson, mildly bnt
firmly.
"I'll-I'l throw up my commission to-
Tomorrow you may do that, but mean
while. tonight, being still in the commission
of the peace you are bound TO get up and go
with me to this woman's bedside"
"And what the demon is wanted of me
there ?'
ITO receive her dying deposition"
ITO receive a dying deposition Good
Heaven was che murdered, then p exclaimed
the old man, in alarm, as he started out of
bed and began to draw on his neither gar
ments.
BE composed she was not murdered"
said the pastor.
well. then, what isit? Dying deposition!
must concern crime" exclaimed the old
man hastily drawing on his coat.
at does concern a crime"
s"What crime, for the love of heavenT'
81 am not at liberty to tell you. She will
do that
"Wool, go down and rouse up John, and
tell him to put Parson GOodwin's mule in the
stable for the night. And tell him 10 put the
black dranght-hOrses to the close carriage.
aud light both the front lanterns-ior we
shall have dark, stormy road-Shut the
door. you internal II beg your pardon, par
son, but that villain always leaves the door
ajar after him.
The good parson bowed gravely; and the
major completed his toilet by the time the
servant returned and reported the carriage
ready
$40 the DEVILS Punch Bowl was the or
der given by Old Hurricane as he followed
the minister into the carriage. And now sir
he continued. addressing his companion, Il
think you had better repeat that part of the
church litany that prays to be delivered from
hattie. murder and sudden death;' for if we
should be so lucky as To escape Black Donald
and his ga ny, we shall have at least an equal
chance of being upset in the darkness of
dreadful monntains'
"a pair of saddle mules would have been
a safer conveyance, certainly" said the min
lister.
Old Hurricane knew that. but though a
great sensualist. he was a brave man, and
SO he had rather risk his life in close car
riage than suffer cold upon surefooted
mules back.
After many delays and perils. the pastor
and Old Hurricane arrived at their destina-
ton, called the Witch's Hut or Old fats
Cabin. In one corner of the hut, on ragged
couch, lay gray-haired and emaciated wo-
man, evidently near unto death. On being in
formed that magistrate had arrived, she in
sisted on everybody else leaving the room, as
she would speak with him alone. Her request
having been complied with, Old Hurricane
drew from his pocket a Bible, administered
the oath, and then said:
''NoW then. my good soul begin-The TRUTH
the whole trutn. and nothing but the truth,
you knox. But first, your name?"
is it possible you don't know me, mas
ter?''
Not I, in faithr'
For the love of heaven, look at me and
try to recollect me. sir 1t is necessary some
one authority should 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 scrutinizing look, exclaiming at
Intervals
Lord bless my soul it is it aint it must
it can't be Granny Grewell--the-th e--the
midwife that disappeared from here some
twelve or thirteen years ago."
''Yes, master, / am Nancy Grewell, the la
dies nurse, who vanished from sight so mys-
teriously some thirteen years agow replied
the woman.
Heaven help our hearts! And for what
crime was it you ran away? Come-make
clean breast of it, woman! You have moth
ing To fear in doing so, for you are past the
arm of earthly law now ! Z"
Il know it, master"
Aud the best way TO prepare to meet the
Divine Judge is to make all the reparation
that you can by a full confession"
Il know it, sir-if had committed crime;
but have committed no crime, neither did
run away"
What? what? what What was it then
Remember, witness, you are on your oath ~
IL 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 rat
tied against the walls, shaking the wiich's hut,
as if it would have shaken it about their
ears.
1t was a proper overture to the tale that
was about To be told. Conversation was inn
possible until the storm raved past and was
heard dying in deep reverberating echoes from
the depths of the Devils Punch Bowl.
1T is some thirteen years ago" began Gran
ny Grewell, "upon just such night of storm ,
"a this, that was mounted on my old mule
Molly. with my saddle-bags full Of dried yarhs
and still d waters aud sich, as alus carried
when was out 'tendin' on the sick, was on
my way a-going to see lady as l was sent
for tn tend.
"Well master! I'm not slammed to say,
as never was afraid of man. beast, nor spir-
it and never stopped at going out all hours
of the night, through the most loausome It
roads. il so be was called upon so to do.
Still must say that Jest rs me and Molly, my
mule, got into the deep thick. lonesome woods
a. stands round the old Hidden House in the
hollow, | did feel-queerish; ease it was the
dead hour of night. and it was said how
strangc things were seen and hearn, yes, aud
done TOO. ia that dark. deep, lonesome place.
sen how even my mule Molly felt queer
too. 10y the way she stuck up her ears, stiff as
quills. So, p,rtly to keep up my own spirits
a0d partly 10 courage her, says /, Molly
says l. what are We afeard on BE q man,
Mollyr' Bat Molly stepped out cautioas,and
pricked up her long ears all the same.
We'll, master, il was so dark ! couldnt see
a yard past Molly's ears, and the path was 20
narrow aud the bushes so thick We could hard
ly get along; bGt just as We came TO the little
creek they eallsgthe Spout cause the water