River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-08-06
MISCELLANY.
DLABOLICAL.
some Animals Touched With the Spir-
it OF Old Nick.


Dor gray, sandy, or tabby cat the fe-
line familiars Of the brooustick riders be-
ing ever black as Erebus, and big enough
to put the prize winner at q cat-show out
of concert with himself. But when witch.
es or wizards avail themselves Of their
power of self transformation nc.
cording to popular notions they are com.
PEELED to do so four times a year-they
don beastial guise of innocent white. A
lane in Bridgewater, England, obtained
an unpleasant notoriety by reason of a
strange white rabbit, taking a constitu-
tional therein every evening, vanising be-
yond human ken whenever dogs or men
interlered with its even-tide run. One
evening the mysterious creature was de-
tectected taking a siesta in cabbage.
garden having only one way of exit-a
narrow passage between two cottages, A
guard was placed in the entry, while
party of would-be witch-catchers, ventur-
ed among the cabbages. A bold fellow
seized the rabbit and bore it in triumph
toward his waiting friends. He, or rath,
er fayorite pig of his, had suffered from
the Vaccinations of white witch, and
thinking of this, he gave the struggling
captive kick, and, hey, presto! it
slipped through his hands and never was
seen again by mortal eyes, but the white
witch kept her bed for three days after
wards disabled, Of course, by the pig
owners kick.
Bolingbroke castle was in olden time
the abiding-place Of a witch-hare. In
one of the Harieian manuscripts we read:
''One thing is not to be passed by, affirm
ed as certain truth by many Of the in
habitants of the town upon their own
knowledge, which is, that the castle is
haunted by certain spirit, in the like.
ness of hare, which at the meeting of
the auditors doth usually run between
their legs, and sometimes overthrows
them, and so passes away. They have
pursued it down into the castle yard, and
seen it look in at a CRATE into a low cellar,
and have followed it thither with light,
when, notwithstanding that they did
most narrowly observe it, and that there
was no other passage out but the door or
window, the room being all above framed
of stones within, not having the least
chink or crevice, yet they could never
find it. And at other times it hath been
seen to run in al the iron CRATES below,
unto other Of the grottoes, as there be
many Of them, and they have watched
the place, and sent for hounds, and pu;
in after it, but after awhile they have
come crying out"
The Bolingbroke hare was more fortu.
nate or more cunning than large one
that, not many years ago, much exercised
the dwellers in certain Cornish village,
by overturning the swiftest dogs, and re-
ceiving many bit of cold lead with SUBJ
lime indifference. Puss. however, was
one unlucky day discovered by party
of sportsmen determined to bring her
down if there was any virtue in powder
shot and perseverance. She led them
pretty dance for some miles, although ap.
parently hit again and again, keeping on
her way untired. At last some one sug.
coins were converted into slugs and sent
after the game. She faltered, then sud.
denly disappeared round the brow of a
hill. After long search her pursuers
came to shelving rock, under which,
painting and exhausted, lay-not the hare
but one old Molly, long suspected of
unrighteous doings; and from that Aour
the dame walked with limp.
Some five miles from Burnley, in Ian
cashire, may be seen few stones mark
ing the site of Bernshaw Tower, once up
on time the home of fair dame, the
Lady Sybil, who, not content with being
young, beautiful and rich, bartered her
soul to become veritable Lancashire
witch. Among the many lovers who
argued and sued in vain for the wilful
beauty was Lord William of Hopton Tow
er. In his desperation he sought the aid
Of Mother Helston, a renowned dealer in
the black art. She directed him to hunt
near Eagles Craig on the coming eve of
All.hallows. lie did so, and started
milk-white doc, which led him and his
hounds for hours, until coming round
again to the crag, strange hound, which
Lord William recognized as the witch's
favorite, joined in the chase, and quickly
gaining on the doe, caught her by the
throat and held her till Lord William
rode up to throw an enchanted slken
leash around the captive's neck, and take
her IN triumph to his owner. In the dead
Of night an earthquake shook that strong
hold to its foundations, at the same time
shaking the Lady Sybil out Of her doe.
ship into her own proper shape; and, a
few days after the transformation, she be-
came the wife Of the man who had hunted
her down. For awhile all went we'll with
the newly welded pair, but the lady was
destined 10 justify the poets writing:
1.-THE wife that was a cat may keep the house (;
But, faith, would not trust her with mouse"
Before she mad been n wife twelve.
month Lady Sybil longed to return to the
nocturnal diversions Of her maidenhood,
and soon gratifed the longing. One
morning the risky matron was found
half dead in her bed. Her anxious lord
had not to wait long for an explanation
Of the mysterious attack, for his serving
man, Robin. walked in with lady's hand
bearing on one Of the fingers his MISTRESS
sisnet ring. Watching in the open tho
previous night, the too officious Robin
had caught sight Of a beautiful white cat
frolicing about in manner unbecoming
mouser Of decent habits, and, trying t.
capture her, only succeeded in cutting of
paw with his whittle, the said paw
changing nj cock.crow into the hand he
1900. "a - he fuagtar Rv Eofuo fnagi.