Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-23
StliistelIalreous..

| Nlistfllaneous.
From Blackwoo i's Magazine.
TREVAN1ON.
IcoNrINuED.
! They had by this time neared the Abbey
Ruins, and John, pointing towards them,
said, MARY, sach as is that building. such
shall I become the moment you have
discarded me. Away from you I cannot
| live Once more, then, ask, will you
be mine? Think not that you will fe
less the pang Of separation than myself
no, it will reach your heart too--for your
fathers sake. then,to whom your happiness
| is dearer than his owt. 90
"For my fathers sake! Thanks, John,
for these words, for they have recalled. me
| to sense Of my duty. Yes, dear John, I
can be firm now, and hastily quitting him.
she rushed forward into the Abbey, and
ainging herself on the damp, weedy floor,
| in front of what had once been an altar,
she raised her eyes to heaven, crossed her
arms over her breast, and said: "Hear me.
God Of Heaven! while in thy sacred pres
(ence swear that, till favoring ciroumstan-
ces permit, I will never become Trevan-
MONS bride; then rising from her knees,
and turning to John with smile, while
tears aowed fast from her eyes, kiss me,
brother" she continued, 1--WE meet no more,
and may not part with you in anger. -
No, John, could never have borne to be
your Mife-to see you writhing beneath the
curse of two parents, and feel that my sell
fshness had sbrought you to this extremity;
no, John, never-never. And now fare
well-God bless you-God for ever bless
you pray for me, as shall for you, and
| be happy in the thought, that if not again
in this world, we shall at least meet in an :
other" and in an instant she had vanished
from his sight.
For some minutes Trevanion remained
quito Supplied, gazing in the direction in
which Mary had disappeared Was she i'd
deed gone? Had she given him up. and
Of her own accord too? What, his own
Mary-the gentle; the compassionate and
as he thought Of the many excellencies cf
her mind and temper; his heart overlooked
with softness Soon, however; sterner
feeling came over him. She had treated
him with Indifference With ingratitude. =
She had no love for him-not ar atom OF
she would not have Used him thus. How,
then; should he act He would dismiss
her at once from his mind, and quit Eng
land forever. He would be no woman's
slave and as he said this; he brushed the
tears Indignantly from his eyes, and rushed
across the moor With the reckless speed of
one demented.
Just as he reached one Of those huge
granite tors which are scattered like land
marks about the moor, an old woman .wrin-
killed. as falcons talon, lean, yellow, and
nearly bent double, rose up from behind it,
and stood right in his path John shud-
dered, for though he had never seen her
before, he knew that he looked upon the
Dartmoor Witch.
..Away-away," he exclaimed, notion
ing her from his sight II came not here
to see you." .eI know it," replied the bag,
and was tottering off, when the young man
gathering courage, said. 'sstay, woman,
they say you are wise-are powerful !; can
your art then''-- and John hesitated,
struck with sudden sense Of horror at the
idea of having recourse to the aid Of such a
being
"You are troubled IN mind" exclaimed
the Witch, "and you would learn from me
your destiny. Is it not so7"
{ 1T is" replied Trevanion, with falter-
ing accents. "Lsten to me then, for know
you better than you know me. John Ere
yanion, she period is close at hand when
you shall curse the hour you were born. -
Your early fortunes shall be cast in storm
and eclipse but fear not-faint not you
have stout heart, and shall conquer. not
be conquered by, your fate. So speaks
one whose words have never yet been spo-
ken in vain," and thus muttering the Witch
hobbled off to her hut hard by, leaving
John aghast with awe and astonishment.
That the mere random conjectures OF an
old woman, whom the terror with which
she inspired others had half persuaded her
of her own supernatural attributes, should
have exercised influence over Trevanion's
imagination, will not appear surprising to
those who are acquainted with the domestic
history of the times That was period
when the popular faith in witchcraft was
unbounded. Even men like Bacon-Sir
Thomas Brown airfax-and Sir Mat
thew Hale-succumbed to the general be-
lief, which was chung to with more tenacity
in Devon than in any other quarter Of the
kingdom. There, witches were plentiful as
mushrooms, and few through the air like
crows. in covies. They prosecuted the
peasant at all hours and in all places, and
even the superior rank Of the squire did not
save him from their malice. Well, they
are gone, the follies Of those days, but have
been succeeded by others hardly less pre-
posterous. If Bishop Corbett lamented the