The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-11-24

thinking of her daugbter-in- law, who wept
when witches were burnt, who, perhaps,
had bewitched Glateful-all-your-days into
marrying her.
One day they drowned old CATER Gill, of
whom Master Prod, who owed him money
bad said that he stood at his bedside of
nights adorned with horns, hoofs, and
tail, and pinched him black and blue
1t was rather a doubtful case, so they
gave him chance. He was cast into the
water, and if he f1oated, they would know
that The evil one was his friend. if he
sank, lie was all right. He sank. No one
had expected this, so theie were no means
at hand for saving him.
From this inspiring scene Mrs. Popkins
went home to dinuer. She found her
daughter-in- law very busy over, the fire. a
pot hung upon the trammel, which de-
pended from the cIane, and it was bubblng
beautifully.
GtatefuI-al]-y yout days was watching bis
wife with much calm, Puritan admiration
in his light blue eyes.
''We are to have a new dish to our din
ner, MOTHER" he said, land Anne sayeth
iG will be a good one"
Zone none ever tasted BEFORE said
Anne.
lit would have been more godly to go to
| the execution OF ihe WITCH" said Mrs.
Popkins the elder, land to have refreshed
youi l'Cl iSiiUS on CDlu l.
fear the lusts of flesh are strong within you
! both"
With which Mrs. Popkns-who read her
| Bible rather as means of reproaching
| other people than as cDmfcrt to herself
| got it down and read denub Citations from il
10 the unhappy young couple uutil dinner
| time.
Then, having said grace, she seated her
self aud was helped to boiled pork and
| Cabbage, and watched little Mistress Anne
as she set upon The table "a great dish full
OF round, white balls Of dough, and cried
"There! none other ever made them be-
fore did. L thought them out for myself.
Cut 1t in two, Graty''-that was what she
called her husband-''cut it in two. and
! within thou wilt find an apple. Here is
| sauce for it,"
| Grai aieful- all your days did as he WAS Or
| dered, aud burst into IA laugh.
| "Ibou art the best Of couks," he said
| Mother, thou never didst SO neat a thing
| as ihs-cunfess it,
| That speech settled matters 1t was
more than Mrs. Popkins the elder could
| stand. She glared at her daug Il ter in la W.
| She glared at her son. She rose and donned
her hood and cloak, and took two of the
round balls-the first apple dumplngs she
! had ever secn-upon plate and walked
out of the house with it.
| ''Hath she taken leave of her senses at
last?' the dau:, u:,hter-iu-law asked.
''Sbe is prond OF thy obituary skill, my
| child, replied Graz Jcful- al-your- DAYS, who
| like U,her men, hal no iutuitive percept ion,
and thought his mother and his wife the
| best of friends, land would fain boast of
| it to the neighbors.'
''Alack ~ cried Anne, .'my hearts mis-
| gives me-"
Aad well it might, for Mrs. Popkins the
| elder bad gone straight To the house of one
| in authority, who delighted in the destruc-
| zion of witches, and had set before him the
| plate.
VERIFY she said Il have often de-
| clared | would denounce even one of my
| own kin who should prove to he witch !;
and hele Is The proof that Anne the wife
uf my welI-bclove6 Grateful-all your-days,
| IA, proved herself a witch 10y tnaking this
| Nithiu dumping of dough, with no hole
III ii, lies whole apple. None but a witch
! conld do such deed. | denouuce her
| Cut ole Of these open to prove the truth Of
wi'at say 10 thyself keep the other for
| the Judges"
| the great vii CHI finder did as he was bid
| aud pronounced The apple dumpling the
chiefest work of Satan lie had ever seen !:
hot only witchcIaft, but an evil miracle SO
| 80 speak.
That night poor little Mistress Anne was
| arrested aud cast into prison. Her MOI her.
| i'll law, as good a cook there was in
Salem, had declared that she had done
what was impossible to any cook. Grave
| elders had opened the remaining dumping,
and out of il had rolled boiled apple
Anne had moi thought of halving and cor
ing it. As the Evil One had helped her by
fi.e, fire 10 he her death. The stake
was set, faego,s were ready, but before she
was burned some form Of trial must be
gone through.
| The mother in law was witness. The
! husband WAS on the spot, tears in his eyes,
and 2 great basket on his arm /; aud Anne
was brought from her prison 10 confront the
fierce men who were only too anxious to
| doom her to death. According to their
laws she might speak in her own defeuce,
if she had anything TO say. The charge
was made. evidence given, the dumping
exhibited. Then up rose Mistress Anne,
! white and trembling.
| Il have nothing to deny" she said. 81
made the dumping but ] beg leave to
show all those now assembled how the work
was done then if there is anything evil
in it, do me to death, for am worthy
sit is but just said the judge. per
| form your incantalion."
Then stepped forward her husband
Master Grateful all-your- days Popkius.-
! He set before her the basket, aud took
thence box of flour, some butter, a roll
ing-pin and pasteboard, four apples, a pan
OF sugar, a spoon aud a nutmeg.
In the court loom, as in all rooms that
needed warming at that day, was an open
fire this he put the pot and kneel-
ing on the floor, Mistress Anne mixed and
rolled out paste. Then pairing the apples,
she enfolded each in a white sheet aud
dented the edges OF the lap in the paste
until it was invisible; then the pot of water
boiling and bubling, she dropped them in.
"Is there witchcraft in this ?' asked she.
kxI. 4 Ill
cried the mother in-law.
''We will wait and see, y cried the judges.
They waited. An hour after, all four sat
about table eating the delicious dump
lings, over which Anne pouied a savory
sauce, and each declared that none but
good arts had been used in the concoction
of Mistress Anne's excellent apple dump
lings.
So she was not burnt for witch, after
all and shortly after Mrs PODkinS the