Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-08-10
! XIV.
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& 6. G. 5e3<* 5les@tsss.
ALICE, or TIE RsE
THE LEGESD OF ELLABY GRANGE.
......,,lov.ns,a,us..4.,..

. =" "Itjspore than a hundred and fifty years
ago Cor II was in, the reign Of James the Sec
ord, y 1mmenced Hester Deane, when Co
flonel IainGetc lived hers With his sen. and
two daughters. His eldest son was like him
self, in the army, and seldom at home and
his youngest was great sorrow t 0s him. be-
cause he was bookish and gentle-temperet --..
feeble minded, too, his father said, and he
must have lad some failing Of that sort IL
act as 4 ~iterwards did; and the Colonel
himself wac So.t, proud man, fond OF rois-
taring Company and foX-hunting after he re-
tired to this place and he had the bad taste
to make butt of his youngest son before
those that couldn't at all understand him.
there would have been no peace for Edwin
atnhete Chat was the youngest sons
name it hadn't been for his sister Edith
who was gentle, like himself, and who loved
hun so much that she could see no fault
him. Helen, the eldest daughter, was bold
and domineerng, like her father; and Edwin
drea1cd her most, rerhaps, because the stin-
glng rtproaches for his weakness were harder
to bear from woman than man. and more
! of letting down. With al thai be hadn't
the energy to help himself to ANYTHING. He
might have epteHed the Church-an6 his
father pt0fanely said he wasn't fit for any,
thing better but he didn't take to it. He
seemed unable to do more than dream on in
his own quiet way, and the Grange was al
most too hot TO hold him.
Things went on in this way for great
many years; the sons and daughters were
oil lsunmarriea, and the two eldest. Richard
and Helcn, werO getting OF a good age. when
the colonel suddenly considered that Edwin
might be married; if nothing else could be
do re with him; and he entered into treaty
with Sir John Morton who lived in the HIGH
pc ak, for one of his daughters Edwin had
never been rcbellious had only kept on
his own way becauee he couldn't help it, but
he eek his face sgainstst this catch a rras.
that almost drove t .5 OH colonel mad. 1t
was all very well TO command him, but it
was impossible to drag him to the altar with
o rope round his neck, and it was clear he
w)uldn't 90 without. The colonel threaten
ed to disinherit and turn him out Of doors,
when a circumstance occurred in Q neigh
boring village that drew off his attention.
An old woman had occupied cottage there
for many years and lived no one knew how.
When she first came she brought an infant
with her, IA little girl about two years old,
that she brought up, and who always called
her gfandmothcr This child grew to be a
gent and lady like too, and we'll able to rea
and write, though she'd had no instructor
but her grandmother. For these reasons,
and because neither mixed commonly with
the villagers, though they were always
friendly, the simple people took it into their
heads that the old woman must be q witch
Il unfortunately happened that many cattle
died suddenly, and the smallpox took off
many children, at the same time; and first
the rumor and then another got aioat, till
tle whole village rose up in frenzy. They
tore the old woman out of her bed, duck ed
her in pond on their own account, and then
took her, more dead than alive, before ma
gistrate.
THE magistrate was Colonel Wainhete
Some of the gentry in those days were quite
as supersGtiouS as the common people, anC
the colonel, thinking the charge against hel
clearly made out, committed her to Uptor
call to take her trial. The granddaughte,
vas with her through it all s; but they .wouls
aot allow them to be in jail together, and fhl
ooor girl wandered about like one distracted
3raying for mercy, but 'fndingno one to hca
Ter.
.'Just at chat time Captain Richard cam
home on visit. The Duke of Monmouth
had lust been boheadcd and he had been on
in the war against him, and had a deal t
talk about Mr.. Edwin sat listening amongs
,thcrs, end the colonel took occasion of hi
,rothcrs example to Try to shame him int
being more manly; but Captain Richard, VIII
ras generous with all his pride, to excus
his brother, and said laughingly that two h,
roes, meaning bis father and himself, wei
enough for one family.
-. well, on that same night, when Edit
Waindetc went up to her bedroom (she sel
in the room taat is AIr. Hc1ry's study now
she heard 4 ,ustiing at the window that il
dnced her 10 lraw the curtain aside al
e there. with Aer whole weight on one Of
branches outside, her small hands graspir
the stone cornice, and her pale face press
against the lattiteG pGnes, stood alice Leig