Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-03-22

three taps of the paw, and the dog rolled
/ over dead There had apparently been no
attempt at resistance Mr.. Manchester
said that at this moment he considered the
tiger cat his certain prize. Bringing up
his gun with the alacrity of an old sports
man, as he was he snapped it. To his
surprise it missed fire. Twice more he
essayed, yet nota spark left the flint. He
lowered the weapon with a feeling of dread,
examined the lock for a moment and on
4 looking up, discovered that the creature
had vanished Raising his piece, he
snapped it once more, but this time from
I mere curiosity The flint threw out a host
| of sparks and the gun was discharged as
usual I doubt not there are many old
people, who, like myself, have heard Mr..
Manchester relate the circumstance.
"What bond of sympathy, If any, exist
ed between Dame Ruggles and the tiger
cat, cannot say but that the old woman
was really witch, seems very probable.
1t was averred that the rendezvous of the
weird sisterhood was Gray Owl Dell; and
Michael Flynn, Mr.. Marvin's hired man,
(and, by the way, in that early time the
only Irishman in the town. going one
morning to attend to sheep al the farm, said
that he heard voices over his head and
distinguished among them that of Dame
Ruggles. Michael, who always stood for
the last word with friends and enemies,
shouted out:
"Come down here, NIishtress Ruggles,
We indecent ovid scowld, and I'll warrum
We wild a taste o. me pitchforruk, We bag
Whereat there was loud, jeering
laugh, so near his head that Michael threw
his pitchfork with vengeance, hoping to hit
some of his invisible tantalizers; but he
was surprised to see the implement sail
around in the air as if some witch had
bridled it for horse. raa.
"tYez hev got me forruk, yer wild
bastes cried Mike but be the houly
Vargin come down here thin it's all
axes of yez, and I'll tan yer ovid hides till
yez scrame aginp
AT mention of the Virgin, the witch
merriment subsidized into total silence, and
Michael's 'forruk' lay at his feet as quietly
as if it had been ridden in air by these
posters of the sea and land Such was
Mikes story, but it had often been limited
that his love of truth was no match for his
imagination.
1T was, however, asserted by one in
whose veracity the whose neighborhood
reposed implicit confidence, that he had
seen the form of Dame Ruggles stretched
at full length across the chimney at Gray
Owl Dell farm house., while her spirit was
far away on some iniquitcus mission.
This may have been the very shape which
VIII Ashley had oEce mistaken for an owl
of unearthly aspect: or, reversing the
case, the owl may in the last instance
have been taken for the dame-so uncer-
tain are things which we know nothing
about ..ft
But whether witch or not, there was
in the circumstances attending the death
of Dame Ruggles which occurred that
winter, something unaccountable. During
her brief illness the old woman had been
more querulous than ever, and the attempt
of any kind Samaritan to draw the least
appearance of gratitude from her jagged
mind, was like trying to grab handful
of shingle nails out of keg.
"As her dissolution approached, the
watchers, who had heard that no one can
see witch die, were alert for the closing
scene. The night was cold, the bed clothes
! were supposed insufficient, the fire upon
the hearth, kindle i: as they would, refused
to burn brightly, and they therefore lighted
a furnace of charcoal in the centre of the
room Did they a moment relax their Wig
lance, they would ind their patient
stretched upon her back across this fam
ing furnace, as If she loved fire, and felt
her present agony soothed by this foretaste
of her future inheritance. How her cloth
ing Jared remains an open question to this
day, but she herself snapped and cracked
like burning whalebone.
al She must 90 soon, said one of the
| watchers, when for the last time the old
woman had been removed from the fur
mace to her bed we shall certainly see
her die
AT this moment tumult of voices out.
side drew the watchers attention. Cats
| wawled, owls hooted, and there was strange
screams intermingled with malicious
laughter-yet no living creature was visi.
BILE They were about turning to their
patient, when, as they averred, q some
thing, having the appearance of red hot
ball, shot past them and out at the window
This window, though closed showed no
mark of the singular exit. On reaching
the old DANES side, they perceived that heI
spirit had departed. t 81
Now" continued grandmother, al
always took this story with some allow
ance; but, that unaccOuntable things have
been done by people called witches,
have not the least doubt. 1 am by nc
means sure that Dame Ruggles familiar
spirit did not stir up great commotior
in the elements on the night of her death
1T happened that early in the evening
a party Of us had set out in two double
sleighs for ten-mile ride, with view to
a merry collation. at q country tavern
hotel you call it now. Will Ashley wa
with us, but blue eyed Margaret Rivers
whom he had attended home on the night
that he saw the witch owl, was not of oul
1 x-s0 ,Ior cfa In
between the comely farmer lad and the
maiden of his love, had grown to a down
right quarrel Margaret had 'wept thu
weary day. not doubling that this silly
quarrel was the one great calamity of bel
life, which should shadow all nights an6
days to come. The jingle of our sleigh
bells was like the dirge of all her joys, and
she sat down to find what consolation she
+ could in the Children of the Abbey.
One must indeed be far gone who comes tC
that a
Twill Ashley, no less miserable, appeared
as the escort of Anna Franklin, between
whom and Margaret there existed feud
Will had been at some pains to place him
self in position, the misery OF which car
be appreciated by every spiteful lover,
who has not only flung away his peace but
drawn to his side perpetual reminder o.
his folly. Anna Franklin's ill-concealed
regard was like the bitterness of worm
wood to poor Will He tried to be gay
while Anna did her best to TO amuse anG
fascinate; but not all the attractions of heI
wit and beauty
Were worth one peari-drop, bright and sheen
From Margaret's eyes that FELL 80
Before our party broke up, furious
snow storm set in. This great storm, or
the night that Dame Ruggles died was
long talked Of in, the neighborhood. Al
we proceeded homeward, our way wa.
. often blocked by drifts that formed in the