The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-02-07

lis 1t possible you don't know me, master2'
''Not l. in faithr'
"For the love of heaven, look at me and try t.
reeollect me, sir! 1t is necessary some one author
lty should be able to know me-" said the woman
raising her haggard eyes to the face of her vister
The old man adjusted his spectacles and gave he
scrutinlzng look, exclaiming at intervals
Lord bless my soul! it is! it amt! it must! i
cant bel Granny Grewell-the- he-the-the-m -midwif
years ago?"
eyes, master, am Nancy Grewell, the ladies
nurse, who vanished from sight so mysteriously
some thirteen years ago!" replied the woman.
'Heaven help our hearts! And for what Grim,
was 1t yon ran away? Come-make clean breas
OF 1t, woman! You have nothing to fear in doine
So Tor you are past the arm of earthly law now!''
, Il know 1T, master"
land the best way to prepare to meet the Divine
Judge is to make all the reparation that you can by
a full confessonp'
/, 81 know it, sir-if had committed crimes
: but have committed no crime, neither did run
awaS;h ssVyh,, ,,, ,,,., VIVA, NO. :, ,.on
memper, witness you are on your oath p
u Know that, sir and will tell the truth; but ii
must be in my own way"
At this moment violent blast of wind and hail
roared down the mountain side and ratified 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 un.
til the storm raved past and was heard dying in
deep reverberating echoes from the depths of the
Devils Punch Bowl.
''It is thirteen wears ago." began GRANNY
Grewell, "upon just such a night of storm as this,
that was mounted upon my old mule Molly, with
my saddle,bags full of dried YARDS, and stilIed
waters and sich 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 'shamed to saw, as |
never was afraid of man, beast nor spirit! and
never stopped at going ou: all hours of the night,
| through the most lonesomest roads, il so be was
called upon to do. Still must jest say that as me
and Molly my mule, got into the deep, thick. lone
in the hollow, did feel querish; ease 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 wav she stuck
up her ears, stiff as quills So, partly to keep up
my own spirits, and partly to courage her, says J.
Molly says l, what are you afeard on? Be a
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 so narrow
and the bushes so thick we could hardly get along;
but Just as we came to the little creek as the calls
the Spout cause the water Jumps and lets along till
it emptes into the Punch Bowl, and Just as Molly
was cautiously putting her fore foot into the water
Molly's bridle!"
"Good heavenr' exclaimed Major Warfield.
"Well, master, before ! could cry out, one of
them villains siezed me by the scruff of my neck
and with the other hand on my mouth, he saws:
| outI N'
"And then master, saw for the first time that
their faces were covered over with black Grape.
couldn't screamed if they'd let me- for nv breath
was gone, and my senses going along with it
| from the fear that was on me.'
"'Don't struggle, come along quietly and YOU
snail not be hurt, says the man, as he had spoke
| before.
"Strugge couldn't a-struggled to a-saved nv
soul! ] couldn't speak couldn't breathe! liked
to have adropped right often Molly's back. One on
em says, says he:
"'Give her some brandy' and tother takes out
flask and puts it to my lips and says, saws he:
"'Here, drink this.
"Well, master, as he had me still by the scruff O.
the neck, | couldn't do other ways but open nv
mouth and drink it. And soon as took swai-
low my breath came back and my speech.
"And on, gentlemen, says |, 'efits 'your money
OF, your lte' you mean, haint it about me- Deed,
up in an old cotton glove in hole in the pastering
in the chmney-corner at home, and eff you'll spare
my life you can go there and get it, says l.
o come says adhs 5he we want amt
you shall receive no harm. But at the first cry or
attempt to escape this shall stop your And with
that the william held the mizzle of pistol so nigh
to my nose that smelt birthstone, while the other
one bound silk handkerchief round my eyes, and
then took poor Mollys bride and led her along. |
couldn't see, in course, and dissnt breathe for fear
o, O. the pistol But said my prayers to myself all
the time
''Well, master, they led the mule on down the
path, until we coined to place wide enough to
turn, when, they turned US round and led back
outen the wood, and then round and round, and up
and down, and cross ways and lengthways as eff
they didn't want me to find where they were taking
me.
"Well, sir, when they'd walk about in this fused
way, leadin of the mule about a mile, knew we
was in the woods again-the very same woods and
the very same path-I knowed by the feel of the
place and the sound of the bushes, hit up
against them each sde and also by the rumblipp of
tumblad a tba oh
Bowl. We went down, and down, and down, and
lower, and lower, and lower until we got right
down into the bottom of that hollow.
"Then we stopped. gate was opened. put
up my hand to raise the handkerchief and see
where | was but Just at that minute felt the
mizzle O the pistle like ring of ice right agin my
night temple, and the villain growing into my
''But didn't dropped my hand down as if
had been shot, and afore had anything either
So we went through the gate, and up a gravelly
walk knew it by the cracking OF the gravel un-
der Molly's feet-and stopped at a horse-block,
where one O them williams lifted me off. put up
nv hand again.
"Do, if you dare says tother one, with the mz-
ze o the pistle a my head.
81 dropped my hand like lead. So thev lead me
on little way, and then up some steps. / counted
them to myself as went along. They were six.
You see, master, took all this pains to know the
house again. Then they opened door that open
ed in the middle. They then went along a passage
and up more stairs-there was ten and a turn, and
! then ten more. Then along another passage, and
up another flight of stairs, just like the first.
Then along another passage, and up a third fight
of stairs. They was alike.
"Well. sir, here we was at the top of the house.
One O them villains opened door on the left side
| and t'other said
"'There-go in and do your duty!' and pushed
me through the door and shut and locked it on me.
Good gracious, sir, how scared was! l slipped off
the silk handkerchief, and feared as was didn't
| forget to put it in my BOSOM
f'Ihen looked about me- Ripht afora mo on
the hearth was little weny taper burning, that
! showed was in a great big garret with sloping
| walls. AT one end two deep dorner windows, and
black walnut bureau standing between them At
t'other end great tester bedstead with dark cur
tains. There was a dark carpet on the floor. And
with all there were so many dark objects and
many shadows, and the little taper burned so dmly
that could hardly tell tother from which, or keep
| from breaking my nose against things as CROPPED
| about.
"And what l in this room for to do? couldn't
| even form an idea. But presently my blood ran
| cold to hear groan from behind the curtains
| then another-then cry as if a child in mortal
| agony, saving:
| "'For the love of Heaven, save mel
81 ran to the bed and dropped the curtains and
| liked to have tainted at what saw"
"And what did you see?" asked the magistrate.
| "Master, behind these dark curtains | saw
young creature tossing about on the bed, hinging
her fair and beautiful arms about and tearing wild
ly at the fine lace that trimmed her night dress
| But, master, that wasn't what almost made me
| fant-it was that her right hand was sewed up in
black Grape, and her whole face and head com
pletely covered with black Grape drawn down and
| fastened securely around her throat, leaving on
| Iy small slit at the lips and nose to breathe
| through
! "What take care, woman! remember that you
| are upon your oath % SAID the magistrate
! II know it, master! And hope to be forgiven
| | am telling you the TRUTH"
| eco on, then"
| well sir, she was young creature, scarcely
past childhood, if one might judge by her small
| size, and soft, rosy skin. / asked her to let me
| take that black Grape from her face and head, but
| she threw up her hands and exclaimed
| "'Oh no, no, no for my life, mop
| "Well. master, hardly know how to tell you
what folowed--"said the old woman, hesitating in
| embarrassment.
"Go right straight on like car of Juggernaut,
| woman! Remember the whole truth -
| "Well, master, in the next two hours there were
| twins born in that room-a boy and girl; the boy
was dead, the girl living. And all the time / heard
the measured trampng of one Of them williams up
| and down the passage outside of that room. Pre-
sently the steps stopped and there rap at the
door. went and listened, but did not open it.
"Is it all over :? the voice asked.
| "Before could answer a cry from the bed caused
me to look round. There the poor masked
mother stretching out her white arms toward
me in the most imploring way. hastened back to
| her.
| "Tell him-no-no,' she said.
| TO BE CONTINUED IN OUR NEXT.
| We frop tbo