The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-03-21

For the %EgiS and htclligencer.
The Single Drop of Blood.
A TALE,

Once upon time there lived in one OF
the Southern States certain widow, whose
name was Mag. Hood. She was the wild
ow ofDr. John Hood, who was quack
'""t"" OF SOW" rotorintu TTn moe " hind
hearted man, and was very popular with
the poor class of people; but his wife caus-
ed him to lead wretched life. She was
project fury, and was always abusing her
kind hearted husband. He finally took to
hard drink and soon died, leaving his I'M
worthy wife all his property, consisting in
part of good house and a small farm.
The widow was hard-looking case. Her
color was as dark as quadroon (although
she had not drop of negro blood in her
veins), her face was covered with black
freckles, her eyes were black and resembled
serpent's; her face resembled an ourang-
outang's; her hair was as stiff as bristes,
and when she was in passion it would
stand erect like porcupine's quilts. She
was possessed of great proves, and al,
though always complaining, yet she could
cut more wood and take up more grubs
than any man you could find. After the
Doctors death she undertook to practice
medicine. She used to compound her medi-
cine at midnight, and would put her verbs,
Gas she called themO into huge iron pot,
and boil them over the kitchen fire
Whilst thus employed she was curiosity to
behold Her hair, which was about three
inches long, would stand erect on her head;
her wierd, witchlike form, as she stood be-
fore her medical cauldron, waving her long
ape-like arms, and uttering unintelligible
lamentations, reminded one of Macbeth's
witches but unfortunately, Mays philters
killed more than they cured, and hor medi-
cal practice soon came to an end. She
now turned her attention to her farm,
which being poor did not remunerate her
for the expense and trouble. Her neigh
bors frequently heard her conversing whilst
shut up in her house. Sometimes she
would be cooling in the most loving and
affectionate manner; at other times she
would appear to be quarreling with some
one, and uttering the most horrid oaths,
and as twas we'll known that no human
being was with her, it was surmised that
she was holding converse with the evil one,
Mag was always well supplied with money,
but nobody could tell how she came by it.
She was great miser, and would beg her
provisions sooner than buy them. She was
very fond of whiskey, yet she did not
wish any one to know that she used the
ardent. She used to get certain negro
fellow, who was great favoritc of hers, to
go to the village after night and get her
whiskey. When drunk she was very quar-
relsome and would curse and howl at her
best friends. During the dark days of the
Revolution Mag was in her glory. She was
strong tory, and her house was great re-
sort for those gentleman. They held their
conclavcs in her best parlor, she always TAX
ing an active part in their deliberations and
encouraged them in all their dark and
bloody designs, and it was believed that
more than one dark and dreadful deed was
perpetrated within the walls of her man.
sion. But the war came to an end, and the
bag now worked her farm and drank whis-
key. She would dress herself in suit of
her husbands old clothes, and after regal
ing herself with drink of old Bourbon,
she would go forth into her field and chop
and grub and fix up things generally. On
Sunday she would dress herself in the flu
est silks and go to Church, where she would
act the hypocrite to perfection. But all
mundane things must have an end; and so
it was with Mag. One evening one of her
neighbors saw her staggering into her
house, drunken than usual. About mid
night the same man, who was just return
ing home, was surprised, when he came in
sight of Mays house, to see her windows
brilliantly illuminated each window in
the house appeared to have a drummond
light in it. Upon drawing nearer he
heard the hag's voice in the second story.