Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-02-26
THE WHITE CAT.
w1TcHcRArT IN NEW ENGLAND.

WITcHCRATT N NEW ENGLAND.
Not many years ago there lived in fnt
old village of Western New York, a hand
some young farmer whom we shall cal
Tom Ashland, who inherited from hi
father many an acre of available land, ar
able, Pasturage and woodland. The sue
cess OF all his projects, the thrift and in
dustry of the young man, were themes o
wonder Of his less enterprising or less for
tunate neighbors. The old gossips of the
vicinity were for long time at a loss t.
discover some fault in him; at length they
began to wonder why he did not marry
His aversion to the fair sex was very
strange, very singular, very suspicious. A
family consisting of seven old maids, al
appeared one Sunday in new caps, to make
a dead set at him, and although the
parsons daughter made a faint on pur
pose to be carried out of the meeting By
young Ashland, he never offered her the
least assistance.
AT length great discovery was made
it was found hewas courting Fanny Heath
cote, the prettiest but poorest girl in the
parish. Of course the whole town was. Il
an uproar; scandalous stories were circula-
ted about the young lady, and it was open.
ly asserted that her mother, who was bed
ridden for fifteen years, died of infrmity,
and was buried very privately, was a
witch; and it was moreover added (but
this was whispered cautiously that she
had bequeathed some of the secrets of her
art to her daughter as legacy. And in
deed any one who looked upon the black
sparkling eyes of Fanny, OF her rosy lips,
must have confessed there was witchery
there, the strangest in the world. 1t was
quite wonderful to observe what n sudden
turn in the affairs of Ashland was taken
by all those worthy fathers of the village
who had manageable daughters.
They would take him by the button
when they met him in the street, ask very
after his health, invite him
to dinner or to supper according to the
time of day, and conclude by throwing
out very dark hints about the danger of
forming hasty connections. The parson
whose daughter was on the verge Of an
cient maidenhood. ''feell.. It his dutv 70 mis-
dear young friend" to advise him to
break off Immediately with Miss Fanny
But the obdurate young man
more her reputation was assailed; he wait
ed upon her to meeting and TO singing
school, and even danced with her at the
annual assembly ball. All this was mat
ter of triumph to Fanny and an old erone
Of an aunt, who dwelt in the little cottage
which was the sole remaining property of
the family of Heathcote. The pretty
young maiden proud of her conquest
Eaxed capricious and coquettish; like an
angler who has hooked fine trout, she
found sport in playing him with the line
before she brought him to the bank.
Ashland's ardent temper ill-brooked
this treatment, he became moody, Jealous
and disconsolate;f e;finally sullky and almost
savage. In this mood he was again as
sailed by his advisers, and finding the con-
luct of his mistress grew daily more and
more provoking, he told her that their
Engagement was at an end-that he would
never marry her. Fanny was thunder
struck she wept, promised and pleaded,
While the old aunt scolded and threaten
ID. All was vain; Ashland had decided,
md he abided by his decision.
After this he entirely avoided female
ociety; and lived secluded on his farm
lie sought no companionship, and treated
-isitors with a rudeness bordering or feroc-
W. One day as he sat at dinner, the door /
wung open of itself, and beautiful white I
at entered the room, approached Ash
and, purring and seeking by her actions
o win his carresses; but the rude farmer
purned her from him with his foot. She 1
Fas not however, to be repulsed, but con-
inued to solicit his attention. From that
ime forward the cat never left the pres
nee of Ashland, but followed him every
there to the fiald, to ride to the stable,
0 the dining room. The singular con-
uct of the animal attracted the attention
rst of the female domestics, and then
f the whole village, so that in short
me nothing else was talked about. 1t
-as the universal opinion that she was
witch, and many limited that it was Fam
V Heathcote, who had taken that shape
} prosecute her faithless lover. Ashland,
as warned against using violence, be-
luse it was predicted that ill-luclk would
blow him in case he should permit his
assion to get the better of his prudence.
ON, we have seen; was a fellow who lit
e liked advice, and the conduct of the
hite cat at length became so insupport-
Die, that one Friday he resolved to shoot
er.
As he took down his gun for that pur-
ose, the cat moaned so pitiously, and
'okld up in his face with so human an
xpression, that he half relented Hang
e." said Tom, menacing her with his
ot; 'begonei or stay here and have q
large of buckshot in your confounded
Unborn head, We imp of Satan!' The cat
epped toward the door, then returned ,
I'd lay down on the hearth rug at full
myth. Tom leyeled his piece and fired, :
piercing shrek rang through the room
I'd the animal rolled on the floor in NOR
| agony. At that instant the clock
ruck twelve. Not long after the door !
lrst open, and in rushed the old aunt s
Fanny Heathcote, breathless with ex- '
ton, and exclaiming-"You have kill t
her, you foul thief! My pretty Fanny +
breathing her last % i
Tom Ashland ysaited for no more bare :
,aded he flew from the house, and took t
e well known path to Fanny's cottage. b
e flew to her bedside and found her s.
'ithing in agony, with the blood stream a
9 from several wounds in her head o
le pallor and convulsions of death were Q
-eady upon her, but she took the hand L
Ashland, Forgive and forget as l do q
me have Christian burial" and ex- u
red. Her last wishes were attended to; 81
t to secure her person in the grave, she s.
s laid with her face downward, and a b
rseshoe nail upon the cofiin-lid. Ash t,
i'd survived her but few months, dur Il
: which he moped about his house, rare
taking food, and necessarily muttering
ange phrases to himself. lie was bur- n,
by the side of Fanny, and a plain slab m
stone, without any inscription, marks II
, place of their repose. te
20 sv
/ CURIOUS WEDDING.-A very curious h,
dding ceremony lately took place at
llor, England. The bride and bride