The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-06-12
GIre9mtelLiqetree
MARIA AND HER STORIES

OF elgnletb or nlHcleeIli slcIl"u'i bN"N'"''!
pale, but with flashing black eyes, and
features that were On the whole, rather
pretty. She called herself Maria, was a
native Of Sienna, and followed the trade
of seamstre.s. As saw her nearly every
day for over three months, We had plenty
of opportunities for the exchange oil
ideas. and | found her an Invaluable
mine Of Italian idioms and Italian ere
dences. For, be it known that Sienna is
the place, OF all Italy where the Ian
guage is the purest; and not only this,
but Il is a retired little city, somewhat
away from the great lines Of travel and
thought; no that old opinions and super
stitions still possesses there perccptable
degree Of vitality. | collected small
museum Of ghost.frights and witCh.ad'
ventures from Maria's conversation; al.
though such was her timiditY and fear oil
ridicnle, that she would only relate these
wonders by dint Of being delicatGly
Coaxed and managed,
She was the most bashful girl that !
ever saw--bashful with kind Of ncrv-
business, bashful even to disease-and to
the last, she never looked me full in the
eyes for more than lightning.likG glance.
Her face bent down SO as to be half hid
den by its own shadow, or by one hand
lifted partially over it, sheusGd to prattle
FlorGntine gossip or relate her astOnish'
Ing histories. II ! looked incrcdulous,
above all, II | laughed, she would stop
and declare, with Comical pCttishncss,
that she never would tell me another
word.
"WitchesY o yes to be shuro there
were witches. Why, her mother hail
told how and here catching q smile
upon my face she came to an indignant
stop. "Thcre; now you are laughing at
mo. knew you would laugh. knew
you would not believe it, | will not tell
you anything more. You shall not laugh
at me-"
"NO, no, Maria. ! am not laughing
now, Tell me all about ii; perhaps !
shall believe it. Just tell me the story,
and let me see what think Of it,
Then came most ridiculous narrative,
how her mother, when girl, was very
handsome, and thus attracted the evil eye
Of an old woman Of Sienna, who had the
name Of being Il witch, This old woman
offered her mother an apple, and
pressed Il upon her so urgently, that,
against her better judgment, she accepted
aud ate it. Consequently, her mother
fell sick, and pinned away in such q man
ner as very much astOnished her relatives,
until they learned the adventure Of the
apple, when they Immediately understood
the cause OF her illness. Then her faith
or and brothers went to the old wOman's
house, and surrounding her with their
knives drawn, said :"ThOu hast bewitChed
our daughter and sister, and deserves to
die but euro her and thou shalt live, and
we will promise secrecy concerning the
crime"
So the old woman, in great fright,
went to the chamber Of the invalid, and
Amounted her with some species Of oint.
ment which she caused to be prepared
for the occasion after which she knGaded
her from head to foot, as you would knead
bread, and so brought her out to the
family, rs smooth, and sound and hand
some a. ever. The father and brothers
kept their agreement Of silence until the
WITCH died, when they felt at liberty to
repeat the tale, which had ever since been
aCurrent thing At Sienna.
There was better story OF poor wO.
man who fell partially into the power Of
Satan through an evil wish. The night
following this crime OF thought, she was
awaked By atapon the window; and look
Ing through the glass, she saw n goat
which motionCd her with one Of his fore.
hOofs to come out. She was under the
influence Of some terrible CHARM for she
neither dared wake her husband, nor keep
her place; and 80, rising, she slipped noise
lessIy through the door, and stood before
the strangely potent animal. "Wiltthon
harm Christ's earth, or his follOwersY
said the goat.
"I will harm the earth" said the wO.
man, who already repented Of her sin,
and had no desire to injure her fellow
creatures.
"Then mount on my back, " replied the
goat. The woman was so constrained by
some mysterious power to obey, that she
instantly bestrode the animal unable to
take any other precaution than to cling
to its long hair. Immediately the goat
went ofi with the swiftness Of the wind
springing along the bending surface Of the
cornhelds; leaping from iestoon to testoon
in the vineyard, and gnllOping aladly over
the tops Of trees. Wherever his feet
struck, they ruined everything; crushing
tho grain to the earth; tearing the vines
to pieces; splintering to the roots the
strongest olives and mulberrics The
miserable rider was bruised and wounded
BY the crashing branches; her thin robe
torn from her in Shreds, and her strength
exhausted by fatigue and terror; until
after an hour Of this Trial gallOp, she was
brought back to her own door and flung
violently from the Internal animals back
There she lay, brcathless, unable to move
and with fearful cnchantnent Of whcl
she was unaware.
Morning came, and her husband, no
bcholding his spouse, first called her
then hunted the house over, and final!
sought her out Of doors. lie saw huge
unsIightly toad on the threshold, and in
diRnGntly kicked II into the bushes. y,
wife being anywhere discOverable, III
hurried to the neighbors and told them o
this incompresensible disappearance o
his rib. OF course the poor mans hcartl
was soon inundated by an assembly .
curious gossips, among whom was the ri
Gus old priest Of the village. As hOl.
father trottGd about the house, peepin
into the most improbable localities 70
finding woman, he happened TO sp
nestled among the bed.cl0thes, toad q
extraordinary magnitude, 80 prodigiOnS
In fact, and so abOminably ugly, that, i
his amazement Mt the sight Of it, the goo
man incontinently said bcnedicte. TIL
moment the sacred words wer
pronounced, the toad changed shape an
became the mistress Of the house, who i'm
mediately proceeded, with many tear
and Paintings, to tell her lamcntablc story
She was still drcndfuIly scratched an
pounded from her midnight ride; an
had a large bruisc on her check, caused b
The heavy toe Of her husbands shoe; 3
that they we're constraind to leave hei
The wise father Immediately took all til
necessary precautiOn against n sccon
visit from the devil blessing the hous'
sprinkling holy water cOpiOusly about tn
grounds, and holding especial service Ii
the parish church that afternoon. Thcs
a.