Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-20
THE DAILY PRESS.
niONDAY.n.,~.,....,..,.,..,......,...JANUARY 30
THE BLACK WITCH.
TcoNcLUDED.1

no sway ana sne made, with the sunshine
of her love- o clear heaven for him even in
the purgatory Of the past. So he lay slowly
gathering strength, dreaming about her.
And presently they told him-gently as
might be-how she had saved him. And
they nearly killed him in the telling.
When he was well enough to be about, it
was strange that they would not allow him
to see her. She was still very ILL., they said,
and the DOCTOR a reasonable man enough
usually utterly refused him admission to her
chamber. He fretted at this, Hand as he
gained strength he went wrong
Mingled with the memory of his old pri-
vations was a full assurance Of his present
liberty. lie was of age, and he owned, by
right, all the extensive property the Deacon,
his father, had so laboriously amassed.
During all his boyhood he had never had a
shilling, at any one time, that he could call
his own; now hundreds of pounds stood
ready at his bidding and be proceeded very
speedily to spend them. During all his boy
hood he had been cut off from the amuse-
ments common to the youth of that day
now he launched out into the most extravi-
giant pleasures his money could procure.
Money was nothing, for he had it in plenty
character was nothing, for he had none to
loose; only love remained to him of all the
good things he might have held, and love
lSy bleeding while he was denied access to
Iannah-Love lay bleeding, and he turned
for comfort to the wine cup, and raised Bac-
.chus to the place Cupid should have occu-
pied Alas for Jason Fletcher
Weeks rolled on and passed into mOAths,
and still he was refused speech with, or
right of, Hannah. And he chafed at the
denial Had she not riskod every thing to
have his life? And he could not even thank
ser
At length, being unable to find further
excuse wherewith to put him off, they one
day told him he could see his love. They
endeavored TO prepare him by hints and
suggestions as to the probable consequences
Of the trial she had passed through, but all
that they could say or he imagine had not
prepared him for the fearful sight.
Poor Hannah Lee The Scared, de-
formed and helpless body, without proper
hands-oh white hands, how well he re-
membered hem!-without comeliuess of
form or feature was all that was left of the
once glorious creature, whose heaven-given
beauty had ensnarod his flesh and untutored
heartl Poor Hannah Lee
The rough youth, loving her yet, but re
PEELED by the horrible aspect she presented,
fell sobbing upon mis- knees and buried his
face in the bed-clothing He spoke no
agony shook the room as he kuelt be-
side her. And from the bed arose wall
more terrible in its utter eternal sorrow
fulness than had ever fallen upon the ears
of those present 1t was the wall of a soul
recognizing for the first time that the love-
liness of life had passed away forever.
They mingled their cries thus for little
time, and then Jason arose and staggered
from the room. lie would have spoken, but
the dreadful sorrow rose up and choked
him. All the memories of the past were
linked with youth and beauty. He could
not speak to the blight before him, as to his
love and his life, and so with blind and
numbering footsteps, he toiled heavily from
the house.
The fires of the Revolution had broken
forth and swept over New England, burn
ing out like stubbe the little loyalty to the
crown left in mems hearts.
At the battle of Bunker Hill Jason
Fletcher fought like a tiger. Last among
the latest, he clubbed his musket and was
driven slowly backward from the slight re-
doubt.
He was heard of at White Plains, at
Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, German
town. and always with marvellous mention
of courage and prowess. Then he was pro-
noted from the ranks, and was mentioned
as "Iieutenant Fletcher" Then there were
rumors Of some dishonor that had sullied
the brightness of his fame; and then it
came to be limited about that in all the rank
and file of the patriot army there was no
one so utterly dissolute and drunken as he.
And then came news of his ignominiously
quitting the service, and q cloud dropped
down upon him, and no word, good or bad,
came home from the castaway any more.
Meanwhile poor Hannah Lee languished
upon her bed of suffering, but did not die.
And finally, when spring after spring had
spread new verdure over the rough hills
among which she dwelt, she got, by little
and little to venturing out into the village
streets. And when they saw her bowed
form and her ugly, misshapen hands, the
village children, knowing her history, for.
bore to sneer at or taunt her. All the vii.
lsge loved the unfortunate creature and
all the village strove together TO do heI
kindness.
One man in the town. cousin of Jason
the wanderer-was supposed to hold com
munication with him. This man notified
Hannah one day that q safe life annuity
had been purchased for her, and thereafte
she lived at the house of Farmer Hopkins
not as a loved dependent, but as a cherishe
and faithful friend. Thus freed from tn
bitter sting Of helpless poverty Iannal
sank resignedly into quiet and honorabl
life.
At length, one warm summer day, whel
Jason Fletcher should have been about fort,
years of age, there strayed into the villag
blind mendicant, with dog for guide, an
wooden leg rudely fastened to one sti
stump. The stranger, white-headed an
with the care-lines Of many years on hi
sadly furrowed face, sought out poor HaI
nah Lee, and told her that he had by tn
grace of God, come back, at last, to di
Leading him with gentle counsels to this
Mercy Seat where none ever seek in vail
poor Hannah saw him bend with contrit
and humble spirit and seek the forgiveness
needed to atone for many years of sii
Patient and penitent he passed few quit
years, and then she followed to the tom
the earthly remains of him for whom ST.
had sacrificed life.
And this being done, she removed to
distant town, where Martha Hopkins, no
kind Mrs. Marjoram, dWelt
And many years afterward Mrs Mari
ram told her story, as lesson that me
hould never judge living soul by its ou
ward habiliments.-C Continental Monthly.