Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-02-11

| Cabin In one corner Of the hut, on a rag
| god couch, lay gray-hairod and emaciated
woman, evidently near unto death. On being
| informed that a magistrate had arrived, she
insisted on everybody else leaving the room,
as she would speak with him alone Her re-
quest having been complied with, Old llurri-
cane drew from his pocket Bible admins
tered the oath, and then said
"Now then, my good soul begin--'the truth
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
you know But first your name y
"ls it possible you don know me, master p
mot !, in faith !"
For the love of heaven, look at me and
/ try to recollcct me. sir II is necessary some
ono 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 spcctaoles and
gave her scrutinizing look. exclaiming at
intcreas-
Lord bless my soul it is it amt it must
/ it can't be Granny Grewel-the--the-
/ midwife that disappeared from here some
twelve or thirteen years ago -
eyes, master, | am Nancy Grewel. the
ladies' nurse, who vanished from sight so
mysteriously some thirteen years ago e. re-
piled the woman
Heaven help our hearts And for what
crime was Il you ran away Come-mako a
clean breast Of il. woman You have nothing
TO fear in doing so, for You are past the arm
Of earthly law now ~
81 know it. master"
"And the best way to prepare to meet the
Divine Judge is to make all the roparaton
that you can by a full confession
IL know it. sir-if ] had committed a crime F;
but have committed no crime, neither did l
run away
"What; what what What was it then /:
Remember, witness, you are on your oath a.
'l know that sir, and will tell the truth ;
but IL must be in my own way
At this moment a violent blast of wind and
hail reared down the mountain side and rat
tied against the walls, shaking the witch hut,
as if it would have shaken il about their ears.
Ii was a proper overture to the tale that
was about 90 be told Conversation was i'm
possible until the storm raved past and was
heard dying in deep rcvcrberating echoes from
the depths of the Devils Punch Bowl
at is some thirteen years ago began
Granny Grewcll, ''upon just such night Of
storm as this, that / was mounted on my old
mule Molly, with my saddlc-brgs full Of dried
YARDS, and stiled waters and SIGH, as | allus
carried when | was out 'tendin' on the sick
was on my way a-going to see lady as
was sent for TO tend"
"Well. master I'm not shamod TO saw. MS
| never was afraid OF man, beast nor spirit :
and mover stopped at going ont all hours Of
the night, through the most loansomcst roads,
IL $50 be was called upon $50 to do Still /
mast 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 qucerish 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 mp her ears. stiff as
quilts SO. partly 60 keep no nv own sririt.
and partly 90 courage her, saws ]. Molly
says ], what are we afcard on: Be man.
Molly! But Molly stepped out cautious, and
pricked up her long cars all the same.
"Wcll. Master, it was SO dark couldn't
see yard past Molly's ears, and the path was
$50 marrow and the busho. SO thick we could
hardly get along bat inst as we came TO the
little creek as they calls the Spout cause the
water Jumps and jets along tin it ompties into
the Punch Bowl, and Just os Molly was eau
tiously putting her fore foot into the water.
out starts two men from the bushes and sell
/ zes poor Molly's bride ="
Good heaven o. exclaimed Major Warfeld.
"Well, master, before | could cry out. one
/ of them williams seized me by the scruf Of
my neck and with the other hand on ny
mouth lac says:
BE silent you old fool. or I'm blow your
brains out"
And then master ! saw for the first time
that their faces were covered over with black
Grape | couldn't a screamed If they'd let
me, for my breath was gone and my senses
were going along with it from the fear that
was on me.
Don't Struggle come along quietly and
you shall not be hurt says the men as had
spoke before
struggle ! couldn't a-struggled to a-saved
my soul couldn't speak couldn't
breathe liked to have a-droppcd right Of
len Mol'ys back. One on en- says he:
GIVE her some brandy And t'other
takes out flask and puts it to my lips and
says says he
Here drink this.
well, master as he had me still by the
soruf o the neck couldn't do no other WAYS
but open my mouth and drink it, And as
] ms | fpol