Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-02-11

tho Justices Of the Peace for Allegheny
| YES we'll, what Of that That does not COM
| prise the duty of my getting up out Of my warm
bed, and going through snow storm to see an old
| woman expire
Excuse me for insisting, sir but this IL an of
fetal duty, said tho parson, mildly but firmly.
| IT-Tn throw up my commission tomorrow
growled the old man.
Tomorrow you may do that, but meanwhile,
tonight being still in the conmssion of tho peace
you are bound to get up and go with me to this
womans bedside
and what the demon is wanted Of me there p
TO receive her dying deposition
ITO receive dying deposition Good heaven !
| was she murdered, then exclaimed the old man.
| in alarm. as he started out of bed and began to
| draw on his neither garments
BE compo sed-she was not murdered, said the
pastor.
| We'll, then, what is it Dying deposition It
must concern crime exclaimed the old man.
hastily drawing on his coat.
| ut does concern n crime.
| What crime, for the love of heaven p
| Il am not at liberty to tell you. She will do
| Wool, 60 down and rouse up Jehu, and tell him
to put Parson Goodwins mule in the stable for the
night. And tell him to put the black draught-
horses to the close carriage, and light both the
| front lanterns-for we shall have dark, stormy
road--shut the door, you Internal rascal II
beg your pardon, parson, but that villain always
leaves the door ajar after him.
| The good parson bowed gravely and the ma
jor completed his toilet by the time the servant re-
| turned and reported the carriage ready.
ITO the Devils Punch Bowl-was tho order
| given by Old Hurricane he followed the minis
ter into the carriage. And now, sir he contin-
ued, addressing his companion, Il think yu had
better repeat that part of the church litany that
prays to be delivered from battle murder and sud-
den death for il we should be Sc lucky as to es-
capo Black Donald and his gang. we shall have at
least an equal chance of being upset in the dark
| ness of these dreadful mountains
"A pair of saddle mules would have been safer
conveyance, certainly said the minister
Old Hurricane knew that but though great
sensualist, he was bravo man, and so he had rath
or risk his life in close carriage than suffer cold
| upon q sure-footed mules back
| After many delay and perils the pastor and Old
Hurricane arrived at their destination. called the
| Witchs Hut or old Hats Cabin. In one corner of
the hut on ragged couch, lay gray-haired and
| emaciated woman, evidently near unto death. On
| being Informed that magistrate had arrived. she
insisted 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 Bible, administered the oath, and then
| said
| Now then, my good soul bcgn-the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth, you know.
But first, your name p
rs it possible You don't know me, master ?
Not l. in faith =
For the love of heaven look at me and try to
| ity should be able to know me- said tho woman,
raising her haggard eyes to the face of her visitor
The old man adjusted his spectacles and gave her
scrutinizing look, exclaiming ut intervals
Lord bless my soul it is it amt -, it must it
can't be Granny Observation-Disclosures
wife that disappeared from here twelve or
| thirteen years ago p
Yes, master am Nancy Grewell the ladies'
| nurse, who vanished from sight mysteriously
| some thirteen years ago replied the woman.
he'll MIR hear tpdf for nj rne
was it You ran away Come-make clean breast
| OF it, woman You have nothing to fear in doing
so, for you are past the arm of earthly law now
Il know it, MASTER
And the best way to prepare to meet the Divine
Judge is to make all the rsparation you can by
full confession y
Il know it, sir---if had committed a crime
but have committed no crime, neither did ] run
away
WHAT what what What wa. it then ? Re.
member witness you are on your oath =
4 know that, sir, and will tell the truth but
it must he in my own way
At this moment a violent blast of wind and hail
roared down the mountain side and ratified against
the walls, shaking the wtch's hut, as if it would
have shaken it about their ears.
1t was proper overture to the tale that
| about to be told. Conversation was impossible
until tho storm r"vod past and heard dying in
deep reverberating echoes from the depths of the
Devils Punch Bowl.
1T is some thirteen years ago, began Granny
Grewell, upon just such night of storm as this
that wa, mounted my old mule Molly, with
my saddle-bags full of dried yarbs and stilled wa
tiers and SIGH as allus carried when was out
tcndin' on the sick. I was my way a-going to
see lady as I was sent for to tend
WELL master I'm not shamed to say, as 7
never was afraid Of man, beast, spirit and
never stopped at going out all hours of the night
through the most lonesomest roads, if so be was
called upon to do. Still 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, did feel queerish case it
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 she stuck up her ears, stiff as quilts &c.
partly to keep up my own spirits, and partly to
courage her, says l, Molly says 7, what are We
afcard on BE man, Molly = But Molly step
pod out cautious, and pricked up her long ears all
tho same.
We'll, master, it was so dark couldn't see a
yard past Molly's cars and the path was so mar
row and the bushes were so thick could hardly
get along but just as we came to the little creek
rs they calls the Spout, because the water jumps
and jets along till it empties into 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 Mollys bride =
Good heaven = exclaimed Major Warfcld.
We'll, master, before | could cry out, one of
them Williams seized me by the scruf of my neck
and with the other hand on my mouth he says
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. I
couldn't a-screamcd if they'd let me, for my breath
was gone and my senses were going along with it
from the fear that was me-
Don't struggle, come along quietly and you'll
not be hurt says tho man as had spoke before.
u Struggle I couldn't a-strugglcd to a-saved my
soul l couldn't speak , / couldn't breathe I
ed tn off VI boc I'M
on EN- says, says he
"Givo her some brandy = And tother takes
out flask and puts it to my lips and says, says
he:
'IIere, drink this
We'll, master, as he had me still by tho scruT O.
the neck could.t do no other ways but open my
mouth and drink it, And as soon as | took
swallow my breath come back and my speech
'And oh, gentlemen, says l. 'ef its your
money your life you mean, l haint it about
me Deed clare to the Lord-a-mighty 1 haint
it's wrapped up in an old cotton glove in hole in
the plastering in the chimney corner at home and
eff you'll spare my life, you can 60 there and get
it, says l.
''You old bockhead,' says they, I'VE want nc-
Their one nor tother Come along quietly and
you shall receive no harm But at the first cry or
attempt to escape, this shall stop you And with
| that the william held the muzzle of a pistol so
nigh to my nose that smelt birthstone, while
| t'other one bound silk handkerchief round my
| eyes, and then took poor Molly's bride aud led
her along, l couldn't see in course, and dassent
breathe for fear of the pistol But / said my
prayers to myself all the time
We'll, master, they led the mule on down the
path, until coined to place wide enough to
turn, when they turned us round and led US back
outen the wood, and round and round, and up
| and down, and cross ways and length ways, a.
Ell they didn't want me to find where they were
| taking me.
well, sir, when they'd walk about in this fused
| way, leadn' of the mule about a mile kn1ww
| was in the woods again. knowed by the EEL Of
the place and the sound Of the bushes, as we hit
| up against them each sine, and also by the rum
bling Of the Spout as it tumbled along toward the
| Punch Bowl. We went down, and down, and
| down. and lower, and lower, and lower until we
| got right down in thu bottom Of that hollow.