Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-04-02

uelnOn OF hnybnlnB cisc you never saw,
for his face looked little like that of a
human being, giving you the impression
only ofwildly-rolling eye.balls, and great
white teeth glistening In CHASTITY, feeble,
almost idlotio grin.
Edward went ap to him and laid his
hand on his shoulder, "Thats AN right,
my boy. Well have you straight in no
time, and you will be the best man at
the shucking tomorrow night
More white powders. Then came
Wash, great big Wash and when his
powder changed what do you suppose
he didS Well, he just tainted outright.
The remaining powders retaining their
color, and Wash having been restored TO
consciousness, DIR, Rutherford directed
him to a clump OF chinquapin bushes
near the "Gig gate" at the entrance of
the plantation. There he would find q
flat stone. Beneath this stone he would
find thirteen grains of molding corn and
some goats hair. These he was to bring
back with him. Underth first rail near the
same gate Mercy would find dead frog
with its eyes torn out, and across the
road in the hollow of stump Apollo
was to look for muskrat's tail and
weasels paw. They went off reluctantly,
the entire corps de plantation following,
and soon they all came scampering back,
trampling down the oX.eyed daisies and
iamming each other against the corners
of the rail fence, for, sure enough, the
witchs treasures had been found, but
not soul dared to touch them. Dr.
Rutherford sternly ordered them back,
but all hands hung fire, and their counte-
nances evinced resistance of such q
stubborn character that Edward at
length volunteered to go with them
Then it was all right, and presently re-
turned the most laughable procession
that was ever seen-Wash with his arms
at right angles, bearing his grains of
molding grain or burdock leaf, which
he held at as great distance as the size
of the leaf and the length of his arms
would admit, his neck craned out
and his eyes so glued to the uncanny
corn that he stumbled over every stick
and stone that lay in his path /;
Mercy next with ludicrous solemnlty
bearing her unsightly burden on the end
of a corn-stalk; Apollo last, his weasel's
paw and muskrat's tail deposited in the
toe of an old brogan which he had found
by the roadside, brown and wrinkled
and stiff with hole in the side and the
ears curled back, and which he had hung
by the heel to long, crooked stick. On
they came, the crowd around them fol-
lowing at irregular distances, surging
back and forth, advancing or retreating
as they were urged by curiosity or re-
PEELED by fear.
1t was now getting dark, so DR.. Ruther-
ford, having had the table removed,
brought forth three large plates filed
with different colored powders. On one
he placed Mercy's frog, on another
Wash's corn, and on the third the musk
rats tail and weasel's paw taken from
Apollo's shoe. Then we all waited in
silence while with his hands behind him
he strobe solemnly back and forth in
front of the three plates. At length the
bees had ceased to hum; the cattle had
come home of themselves and could be
heard lowing in the distance; the many
shadows had deepened into one twilight
had faded and darkness come Then he
stood still: 81 am the great witch-doc-
tor of Boston! l will now set fire to
these witch's eggs and if they burn the
flames will scorch her. She will scream
and fly away and it will be a hundred
years before another. witch appears in
this part of the country"
He applied match to Apollos plate
and Immediately the whole place was H.
Illuminated by pale blue glare which
fell with ghastly effect on the awe
stricken countenances around, while in
the distance, apparently near the "big
gate, arose succession of the most
frightful shrieks ever heard or imagined
Then the torch was applied to Mercy's
frog and forthwith every nook and cor
ner, every leaf and every blade of grass
was bathed in a flood of blood.red light,
while the cries grew, if possible, louder
and iercer Then came Wash's corn,
which burned with a poisonous green
glare and flashed its sickly light over
the house and yard and crowd of black
faces; and hardly had this died away
when from the direction of The big gate
there slowly ascended what appeared to
be a bloodred ball.
"There she goesl" said the great DR..
Rutherford, And we all stood gazing up
into the heavens till at length the thing
burst into flames, the sparks died away
and no more was to be seen.
"Now that is the last of her" impress
lively announced the witch-doctor of
Boston; "and neither she nor her sisters
will dare come to this country again for
the next hundred years. You can all
make your minds easy about witches"
Then came triumph instead of dread,
and scOrn took the place of fear. There
arose succession of shouts and cheers
laughter and ieers. They patted their
knees and shuffied their feet and wagged
their heads in derision.
Hyar! hyarl old gall Done burnt
up, is you? Take keer whar you lay yo'
aigs arfer dis!" advised William Writ, in
a loud voice. "Go lang, pizen sass"
said Martha, "You done lay yo' las aig,
you isl" "Hooray tag-ragl" shouted
Chesterfield. Histe yo' heels, ole Mrs.
Satan," cried one. "You amt no bet
tern a free nigger" said another. "Yo
wheel done skotch for good, ole skeer-
facet hyar hyarl You better not come
foolin' long O. Mas Ned's niggers no
mop
The next night was gala one, and a
merrier set of negroes never sang at a
corn. .shucking, nor did n iollier leader
than Wash ever tread the pile, while
Mercy sat on a throne of shucks receiv-
ing Sambo's homage, and, unmolested
by fear, coyly held corncob between
her teeth as she hung her, head and bash
fully consented that he should come next
day to " ak Mas Ned dc liberty of de
plantashun."
But, Edward" said I, "why did
those three powders turn black9"
" Because they were calomel, my dear,
and it was lime.water that was poured
on them," said SIr. Smith.
wen, but why did not the others
turn black, too?"
Because the others were tartarized
antimony."
"Where did you get what was in the
plates that made the light, you know9p
Rutherford had the material. lie
was going to settle in small country
town, so he provided himself with all
sorts OF drugs and chemicals before he
left Philadelphia"
But, Edward" persisted l, putting
my hand over his book to make him stop
reading, show came those things where
they were toundY and the balloon to
ascend just at the proper moment? and
who or what was it screaming so?
Neither you nor DR.. Rutherford had left
the yard except TO 60 into the house"
|