Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-04-12

/ would she have escaped the censure of the
brethren and sisters of the church! In the
many pages of the records filled with "the
discipline of the church," Mrs BIatchford' S
name does not appear. She appears by the
record TO have been a devout and exemplary
Christian woman, who lived to a good old age,
and died with an unspotted reputation.
80 much for the evidence ofthe records. Her
grandchildren always spoke of her with afftc-
ton and respect. They say she was kind
hearted, obliging to her neghbors and friends
that she was religious woman; and that the
reputation she had of being a witch was the
cause of much grief and modification to her
and her family. Her children felt that their
mother was prosecuted and slandered and
would sometimes resent the indignities cast
on ner reputation. This fact shows the feel.
ing of the family on the subject. Some years
since accidentally referred to the popular be-
lief in regard to Mrs. Blatchf0rd One of her
grandsOns was SO veXed about it that he refus-
ed to speak with me for two years, though we
had been on good terms up to that time.
The belief in witches and witchcraft is
among the things OF the past. Modern spirit
ualism in some of its aspects is of the same
character, and equally as absurd yet there are
men and women who have as strong a faith in
it, as their great grandtathers had in the verify
OF witchcratt
All the stories about witches if we had the
means to thoroughly investigate them, would
prove to be the inventions of mischevous or
wretched persons, and only believed by the
most credulouS Some OF the most absurd
were perhaps told to cast ridcule on the popu
lar belief. Of this character was the calf sto-
ry told by Solomon Otis, Esq He could not
have believed it. He was man literally edu-
Gated at Harvard College, justice of the peace
and OF the courts of sessions and a member OF
the same church with Liza. If the story was
not romance, told in ridicule OF the popular
belief, would it not have been his duty, as
magistrate to have made complaint against her
in his court for cheating and detrauding him
of his money? He made no such complaint
against her AS a sister in his church, he was
bound by solemn covenant to have a watch
over her, and if he saw aught in her conduct
unbecoming her Christian profession, to make
complaint TO the church. No complaint was
made, no action was had, and for many years
after this calf trade was said to have been
made, Mr. Otis and Liza met regularly at the
Lords table, and partook together OF the sa-
cred elements
The story of the Cobb girls, notwithstand-
ing the popular belief has been fortified by
the opinion of the late Dr. John Davis, is east
ly explained. The girls were afflicted with a
disease sometimes called ST. Vitus' dance, and
at particular times the patient has great mus
cular power. The room in which they lived
was less than seven feet high in the walls and
the beams were very roughly hewn. In many
places in their upper edges, the wane was left
and person by putting hand on either side
might sustain his weight. The girls at the
time were emaciated by disease, their muscu-
lar powers were strongly developed, and it is
not strange or marvellous that they were able
to YNo,f,,rp I.
forwards across the room by grasping the
beams.
To the Ansel Wood story, most laughable
and ludcrous finale could be put, if common
decency would allow all the circumstances of
his midnight revels to be told. He was asked