The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-17

know II, Sill j had committed Q
crime but have committed no crime, nei-
ther did l run away"
What what. what What was it
thens Remember, witness, you are on your
oath
Il know that, sir, and | will tell the
truth; but j, must be in my own way
AT this moment violent blast OF wind
and hail reared down the mountain side and
raj tied against the walls, shaking the witch's
hut, as if it would have shaken it about
their ears.
1t WAS proper overture TO the tale that
was about to be told. Conversation WAS
impossible until the storm raved past and
WAS heard dying in deep reverberating
echoes from the depths of the Devils Punch
Bowl.
at 10 some thirteen years ago began
Granny Grewell, d" upon just such night OF
storm rs this, that l was mounted on my
old mule Molly, with my saddle-bags full Of
dried YARDS, and stilled waters aud sich, a.
| allus carried when was out 'tendin ON
the sick was on my way a-going TO STE
lady a. was sent for TO terd.'
"Well, master I'm not shamed to say,
as never was afraid OF man, beast, nor
spirit aud never stopped at going out oil
hours Of the night, through the most lone.
soonest roads, il so be was called upon 80
to do. Still | must say that jest as Inc and
Molly, my mule, got into the thick, lone
some woods, as stands round the old Hidden
House 10 the hollow, did feel queerish !;
case it was the dead hour Of night, and il
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 rs quilts. So partly To
keep up my own spirits, and partly 10 cour-
age her, says l, Molly says |. what are
ye afeard on? Be man Molly" But
Molly stepped out cautious, and pricked up
her long ears all the same.
"Well master, it was so dark ! couldn't
see yard past Mollys ears, and the path
was 80 narrow and the bushes so thick we
could hardly get along but jest as we came
to the little creek as they calls the Spout,
cause the water jumps and jets along till it
empties into the Bunch Bowie, and jest as
Molly was putting her fore foot into the va
ter, out starts two men from the bushes and
SEXES poor Mollys brdle"
GOOD heaven" exclaimed Major War.
field.
"Well, master, before | could cry out,
one oil them Williams seized me by the scrut!
OF my neck, and with the other hand on my
mouth be says:
"' BE silentyou old fool, or III blow your
brains out
Aud then master. | saw for the first
time that their faces were covered over
with black Grape. couldn't a-screamed il
they'd let me, for my breath was gone and
my senses were gong along with it from the
fear that was on me.
90 Don't struggle, come along quietly and
you shall not be hurt says the man as had
spoke before.
Struggle. | couldn't a.struggled to
a-saved my soul, couldn't speak /
couldn't breathe liked to have dropped
right Often Molly's back. One on EN- says,
he says:
Give Der some brandy And t'otber
takes out flask and puts it TO my lips and
says, says he:
a. Here, drink this
Well, master. as he hal me still by the
scruf Of the neck | couldn't d. no other
ways but open my mouth and drink it..
And as soon as took a swallow my breath
come back and my speech.
40 And oh, gentlemen says |, 'ef it's
your money or your life you mean, haint
il about me. Deed, clare to the Lord a.
mighty Lant its wrapped up in an old
cotton glove in hole in the pIasterIng ia
the chimney corner at home, and ef you'll
spare my life, you can 90 there and sc, it,
says |.
:" You old blockhead, says they, We
want neither one nor t'other Come along
quietly and you shall receive no harm. But
at the first cry or a,tcmp, to escape this
shall stop yon' And with that the villain
held the mizzie Of a pistol SO nigh to my
more that | smelt birthstone, while t'other
one bound q silk handkerchief round my
eyes, and then took poor Molly's bride and
led her along. ! couldn't see, IN course, and
| dissint breathe for fear Of the pistol.
But said my prayers to myself all the time.
"Well, master, they led the mule on down
the path, until We coined 20 place wide
tuDAEu " iIiu' WIN infN lUTu'fI W. JbuUU
and led u. back outen the wood. aud then
round and round. and up and down, aud cross
ways and length ways, a ef they didn't
want me TO find whore they were taking me.
Well sir, when they'd walk about 10
this fused way Ieadin' OF the mule about a
mile knew we was 10 the woods again
the very same woojs abd the very same path
Il kno wed By the feel Of the place and tie
sound OF the bnshes, a. we bit up against
them each side, and also by the rumbling Of
the spou, as il tambled along toward the
Punch Bowl. We wept down and down,
and down, and lower. and lower and lower,
until W. got right down 10 the bottom Of
that hollow.
Then VI stopped. A gait vas opened.
put up my hand 20 rsise the haDderchief,
aud sc where Wa ; but, jgst a; that min
ute felt the mizzle Of the pis,e like a ring
Of ice right sgin my right temple and the
VILLAIN growing into my ear
90 II you DO -.
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