Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-11
An Original Storp.
Written for the Delaware In1urer
P E GGY DIR E W;
The Witch of the Brandywine.
ny JAMES MONTGOMERY


In A chamber, in the house of Madame Ja-
oues. lay that lady and son upon sick beds,
The borough of Wilmington did not look then
as it does now; the houses then were sparsely
scattered along the streets, and many OF the
streets leading towards the country, that are
now built on, wcrenot opened. Market, Orange
and King, were the principal streets leading
from the Christana to the Brandywine ana
the cross streets of any note, were those Below
Fifth. Notwithstanding the smalness OF the
population, Wilmington had considerable mer-
camille business at the time Of which we write.
There were ships that traded directly to the
West Indies, and many emigrant vessels OF
note left their passengers at this port AT the
time we write the scene was not of IL busy
character There were no vessels laying at
the wharves, and scarcely pedestrian was TO
he seen vending his way along the streets.
No church bell rang on the quiet Sabbath no
hum of business awoke the laborerto his daily
avocation no stores or places ofpublic resort
were opened; silence, the silence Of the dead,
rested upon the town. ltappeared as though
the population had flown aud left their resi-
dences in to the care Of fortune. Not even a
dog barked at the neglected gates; they had
either followed their masters or had succumbed
TO the reign of the silence that prevailed every
where.
BY the side of Madame Jaques and her son
sat an old colored lady, ,.who with watchtul eye
scanned her every movement. The old servant
had lived many years in the family, and had
become one of its fixtures. She had resided
with her old master Jaques in the Islands, and
when he found il convenient to come to this
country, he brought her with him. The faith
ful negro had always loved the family of her
MASTER with as much affection as II she had
been near relative, and ii grcyed her no lit
tie when she saw her darling boy prostrated
upon bed of sickness, and lhor indulgent
mistress raving in delirium. The young man
was laying perfectly still; his eyes were closed
and long deep groans, ever and anon, issued
from his half closed mouth Ills breast hcaved
and fell, so that the vibration might plainly
have been seen moving the clothing of the bed
The old servant would first cast glance upon
her old mistress, smooth the clothing upon the
bed and then she would approach the side OF
the young man and look anxiously upon him
After viewing him for some time, she muttered
to herself:
''Dat boy breavcs hard how his breast
heayes; dat boy is n goneer. | spected bout
as much; never seed anybody die but old mas
sa before. Dis boy is a case Oh what VIII
become of me. Poor Dinah will have no home
no noting. Missus die too and the poor
African burst into tears.
She threw herself upon the bed beside hei
young master, and would have clasped hin
within her arms but q movement in her mis-
tress' bed attracted her attention, and she has
tened to her side. TO her surprise Madame
Jaques looked brighter out of her eyes thar
usual, and the phrcnzy seemed to have left her
There was gentle expression on her counte
nance that did not fail to attract the atten'
ton of the trusly negro, but she scarcely
breathed for fear that she would disturb th'
tranquility that seemed to steal over her, here
toiore, excited mind. She knew that August'
was fast approaching his dissolution, but j
would not do to mention it to his mother, wh'
might probably be conyalcscent, and the new
of the condition of her son might cause n re
lapse.
The servant was sorey perplexed to know
what to do. There were no neighbors to cal
in, Tor all that could possibly leave had desert
ed the town A pestience was raging, and
was almost certain death to remain in the bo
rough. Not physician could be had; not