Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-15
TW BLACK WITCH.

N WAbobl NoSoAhAhB W ny
count "must be hAggard old woman, liv-
ing In a little rotten cottage under hill by
q wood-side, and must be frequently spin
ming by the door she must have q black
cat, two or three broom sticks, and must be
herself Of 80 dry q nature, that If you fling
her into river she will not sink so hard
then is her fate, that il she is to undergo
the trial, if she does not drown she must be
burnt, as many have been within the mem-
ory Of man.
ROUND ABOUT OUR COAL FIRE.
In bustling New England village there
lived, not many years ago, poor, inhrm,
deformed little old woman, who was known
TO the middle aged people there and therea-
bout as "Aunt Hannah" The younger
members of the little community had added
another and very odious title to the
HAunt'-they called her "Aunt Hannah,
the Black Witch" Not that she was Of ne
gro blood. Her pale, pinched and patient
face was as white as the face of corpse
30, also, was her thin hair combed smoothly
down under the plain cap she always wore.
Very white indeed she was, as to face, and
hair, and cap, but otherwise che was ell and
always black, especially so as regarding an
ugly pair of gloves, which were never re-
moved from her hands, so far as the young
sters were aware, and which added to the
fearfully mysterious aspect of those mem.
bers. Exactly what they covered, the chill
dren never knew, but they saw that one
hideous glove inclosed something like
gigantic, withered birds claw, while within
the ether there must have been q repulsive
and horrid knob, without form, and lacking
any remotest attempt at thumb and fn-
gers.
These shapeless members, forever covered
from the world, wrought fearful images in
the minds of the children, and their youth
full imaginatiOns conjured up all sorts Of
uses to which such strange members might
be applied. Upon one point they were
agreed. There was no doubt in any little
head among them that Aunt Hannah had
at some time sold herself to Satan, and that
he had placed this deformity upon her as q
mark of ownership. Then she had bumped
back, poor woman, the result of the cruel
weight Of many weary years and she leaned
upon an old-fashioned staff with a curved
and crutch-like handle; and her bleared
eyes were bent forever on the ground; and
her thin lips twitched convulsively, and she
muttered to herself as she crawled about the
village streets; and it was said by those
who knew, that she was nearly hundred
years of age. So the youngsters called her
the "Black Witch" and sometimes hooted
after her in the Streets or hobbed on before
her with bowed heads and ridiculous affec.
tation of infrmity. Thanks to her evil
name, none of them ever ventured to &C
tually assault the poor old creature, and
their taunts she bore with patient meekness
going ever quietly upon her accustomed
peaceful way.
Tho O1dar villa ra0oyIaH nil n
pity that was half pity and half disgust
Those fearful hands they never could for.
get, nor the bowed figure, nor the strange
working of the lips. Therefore, they held
her in state of dreading, but still heI
lonely life, and her patient, uncomplainine
spirit, moved their hearts. Then vague
tradition-nothing more, for neither kit MOI
kin had ancient Hannah-a vain tradition
said that she had once been very beautiful ;
that when she was in her fresh and lovely
youth, some strange misfortune had fallen
upon her. and that she had worn since
then-most inDocently-the mark of dire
full tragedy. One lady, old, nearly, as Aunt
Hannah, but upon whom there had never
fallen any blight Of poverty or wrong, loved
the poor creature we'll, and she only, of all
the inhabitants of the village, frequently en-
tered the cottage where the "Black Witch
dwelt. This lady, it was said, had known
her when both were young, and carried for.
ever locked in her heart the story of thai
saddened youth. None called good Mrs
Marjoram witch. Her face was clear, hel
emile bright, her eyes sparkling, and shC
bore her years with on upright and cheer
ful carriage.
The little, one storied house where Aun
Hannah dwelt was situated in a hollow jus
out of the village, in the shadow of q grow
of tangled hemlocks and pines. 1t consste
of two rooms only, with an unfinished at
tic overhead; and before her door the poo
old soul might be seen any pleasant day
sitting meekly in the sun. She could neithe
knit nor sew as other old women do, but sh
sat there waiting patiently for the time whel
her kind Father should call her home, tt
lose forever the blackness that clung to her
IN this weary world.
She did not live here entirely alone, fol
true to the universal reputation of witches
ske kept, not one cat only, but several; al
black cats too. 1t was the only fancy sh
indulged in, the only luxury she allowe
herself and it was sad that this harmless
freak should cost her so many taunts
Sometimes the boys tried to kill her cats
aided in the murderous attempts by the vii
1uBO uVBol Dul hO uOB ONSl StulO DuCA bCdIu
less from those sharp and spiteful claws
Hence the boys we're certain as to the witch
craft, and "knew" that these savage ami
mails were true imps of Satan.
This weak and defenseless creature, Ii,
ing thus apart from human companionshi
was supported on o small annuity, paid he
quarterly by a very honest company, tina
would have been ruined with many sue
venerable clients. On pleasant days sh
crept about the town to do her meager mar
keting, or crawled to the paupers' pew in th
old brick Westinghouse. During the war
summer weather her scant life was sour
what cheered, and faint attempt at joyous
ness sometimes winked in her old eyes, bl
with the winters cold came the cruel cram
and rheumatism, the sleepless nights an
painful days. Then Mrs. Marjoram dro'
frequently to her door, carrying medicin
and nourishing food-over and above al
bringing cheerful words and a warm al
hearty smile.
One winter Mrs. Marjoram was taken i
and, being so very old, her life was, d
SPARED Of During this sickness the
came great fall of snow, piling up four
five feet on the level, and driving and drif
ing into the hollows, 80 that for sever
days the less frequented roads in that pa
of the country were impossible. And nov
when Mrs. Marjoram, but for her own 81
ol;nbt xouId boya fhou0hf of poor N