Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-16
A LITTLE WITCH,
TC0NfINufD.t

cl4rd caused him to be left there in the clo-
yer, and the next day he was stolen. The
hill separated him from our sight, and q
breach was made in the fence, and he was tax
e1 away about mid day.
My father had been to the village, three
miles distant, and was returning Just as he
left the village, he came TO a piece of woody
ground. Recent rains had filed puddles into
the road thst were miniature ponds As he
entered the woods, be saw Selim approaching
backed by strange rider, even the ill-look-
ing fellow, who had just suocecde1 in stealing
HIM IN the middle Of one of the largest
POOLS OF water, Seim very deliberately lay
down, and rolled, so to detach his rider;
ne then rose suddenly, and gslloped away at
the top Of his speed. The fellow got up He
vas ''th2 knight Of the ruetul countenance''
sad rustul coat, and all other habiliments
when my father met him.
Ny horse has thrown me-" said he, using
some sdjectives to Selim's discredit
Where did you get the hOrse?" said my
father.
Il bought him on a farm about three miles
from here"
How much did you give?" asked my fa-
ther
twenty-five pounds; and I'll have back
my money; | will never keep such a brute"
William Cumming had paid one hundred
and twenty-five, and he valued the horse at
dOuble that sum.
That story can't tinspoSe upon me, ~ said nv
IA her. "Only two persons we're ever on that
horses back before, and when won steal
another horse, you will do well to md out be-
f15ehand whether you can ride him. 1t is not
CO to De split in mud puddle, but YOU may
congratulate yourself that you deserve it.''
He drove on, leaving the erestsFallen viii
Jain dripping with dirty water
Not long after this we heard Of the arrest and
conviction Of a horse-thief and, on inquiry,
we learned that be was the rame person who
hat been treated so unceremOniously to a
mII-bath by Selim. He was sentenced % the
safe prison Tor four years. During this time
felt very secure about Selim and William
usel TO tell me that thought there wa. only
one rascal In the world. The days few by,
for ny youth vas happy. Four years fed,
aud was IN my eighteenth year William
Cumming had been my instructor in many
taIngs, AMI my friend in all during this time
] always called him Uncle William and il
never occurred 10 me that our relations could
be changed. People asked why we did not
marry. He said tnst his old bachelorism was
aehrenlc complaint, and would probably never
oe cured. L remember one night, as lay in
bed, that the thought occurred to me What if
William Cumming should marry? 1t is surely
10 harR 10 speak Of it now, for be has been
married several years, and /. Bat will
not anticipate.
The pretty widow, Mrs. Jameson, had been
staying month with a friend in our neigh
: borhOOi, and William had often been yery
polite 70 her, and what was worse than all he
had promised that she should ride Selim The
next day was appointed for her to ride, and by
not very strange coincidence, l this night
asked myself the question: ''Why cannot /
be srriei TO William Cumming ?" The an
swer was, he is old enough to be your father
The beautiful Mrs. Jameson was still Young
but nearer Williams age than was Ny
pulse beat fast, and the long vista Of IL future
life looked gloomy and terrible. After tor
menting M sselF till thought / wanted to die
fell asleep. svofs in a kind of shuddering
fOrror. mad heard SCUM Is the like of wbich
L had never heard before; they seemed COM
POUNDED Of the slueal of = morse and the
gToans and cries Of = human being. was
sure L h hId heard these sounds, that it was not
slespi lg fancy but when was fully awake,
1 heard them no more. 1t was a warm night
Ia the latter part of June, and my windows
we're raised slept on the second floor and
two large windows Of my room faced the
south. Half a mile, in a direct line from these
wind jws, was post road. I vas sure that
the sJunds L had heard came from the road or
near vicinity. l listened earnestly, but all
was still. Suddenly there aoatsd into the
room, hlling IL, as it were, with an odor that
va perfectly sure was from human blood. I
shr ink down into my bed, and shook with
hofr1ri then, with great effort of my will |
arose, threw on dressing gown, and hurried
10 my fathers room.
fFsther, father" cried, s'come with me. -
W hat IS II, Agnes, dear 2" said my mother,
Il thought beard some one" said I, eva
siveIy.
1 waited for my father to dress. and IL
seemed an hours time, though only few
minutes, that be was putting on his clothes
hea we were out OF hearing of my mother
told aim Of the sounds and OF the smell of
blood. lie Away. believed me when told
hitI OF anything that seemed incredible, for
he had much experience Of the truth of the
testimony Of my senses
''Esther," said L, 'half mile from here,
close 70 the post road, q human being is living
bleeding to death, am sure Of
Ny father took lantern, and went to Will
liam Cumming; dressed, and when thew
came, led the way to the spot, where / was
convinced we should find some one dead or dy-
ing, Ine bowling Of the dog that preceded
u struck US all with a sad solemnity. As we
drew ne n the edge of the field, which was
bounded by the road, We saw a horse standing,
nd as We came nearer, We saw it was Selin,
Lying beside him a man. NY father
stopped 10 examine, and said:
81 believe be is dead
The halter was buckled to his arm, and he
was bitten horribly in his arms and legs, and
had ed to death. They raised him, and laid
Iln on the back Of the now dociie Selim.
thinking that perhaps he had only tainted
iney t29k hlm 70 our house, bat he was quite
dead. lie proved TO be the thief who had stoI-
en- Sslim before, and who had only been three
days out OF prison. After necessary fornsH
ties, the poor wretch was buried. Selim never
passed the place where he had killed him
without being seized with a severe shudd ering.
was very Ill from the shcek Of this dreadful
scene. believe was out Of my senses, and
had sort Of brain fever, which was very
much aggravated when the widow jameson
called 10 see me.
When l was recovering-when 1 was yery
well, but very weak-I was one day alone
with William Cumming; / was looking at him.
and thinking how noble and handsome he was
aud then thought Of the widow jameson
and OF her beauty, and / said
Uncle William, has Mrs Jameson rode Se-
lin yet2"
"Agnes, dear, he said, almost i'm patiently. |
81 EIsn you never would call me Uncle vii.
liam again, and his forehead had an ualy
scowl on it, which greatly marred its exceed. |
ing beauty
bIushsd scarlet, but said nothing.