Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-06
1ailp Atnncbrt sournal.
IContinued from first page.

IIontlnueu from Hfsl pase'l
when he left her and she heard the house
door close behind him, bitter smile crept
over her lips, and she let her head sink on
her hand.
Her mrdiialious were disturbed directly
The door of the "keepingroom," as the
family sitting-room of those days was
called, opened to admit an elderly woman
in the prim costume of that olden time.
How goes it with the child, Miriam !?
Has it had the fits again ?" she asked, with
eager curiosity.
"Nav, dame, but it has cried since the
morning ill now, and it has the witchs
mark on its forehead as have almost
ne er seen it before"
The two women bent together over the
cradle, and contemplated its little occu-
pant. who had fallen into troubled slum-
Der. Between the baby's brows, that
scowled as if the child were still in pain,
lay indeed deep red flush; the ieverlsh
token. perhaps, of its incessant crying.
While they looked, the little parched lips
twitched and moved. A happier mother
might have said the babe was smiling, but
when Dame Walcord whispered mysteri-
ouslv. The witch is talking TO it, Miriam
nodded her head and sank back in her
chair
Think We, DAME she asked, looking
fixedly at the flames, while the visitor
took her place at the other corner OF the
hearth-"think' ye if laid the babe in
the fire, the witch wonld come and fetch
it ?n
Lord :" exclaimed the other, evident
" startled by the boldncss OF the propo-
stion. "But perchance it's thine own at
ter all Miriam. think thou shouldst do
nothing until the witch isShanged. Then
if it's hers. it will after her, but if its
thine, il will get well when she can tor
ment it no more"
But if it's hers, and goes after her,
then have no child?'
LAY, marry. then is the other thine"
IL could think it, for it has color
like Enoch's, and curling hair, only that
it is so fond of her. 1t clung to her ever
when she caressed it, and cried when she
left it, like any other child"
But and if she charmed it? \ witch
can do that as we'll"
Enoch says this babes like me-
Nay, that it's not Mind thee, | say
not it is not thine. The parson thinks it
is, and so do others who have spoke to me
of the matter. But thine or no, it's not
like thee, and if Enoch says it, it is be-
cause he, like many another husband, has
no eyes for his wfe's face. Why, saw
thee babe in thy mothers arms, and
thou vast ever the fairest child, ay, and
till thy marriage, the fairest maid in all
the country round"
Miriam smiled family. but her brows
contracted and the cloud of gloom settled
darker than before over her face. She too
had mark upon her forhead, though she
saw it not.
"Only since then I'm no more so fair. =
Thou art no more so gay" was the
eyasive answer.
"IIow can | be gay with that before
my eyes, asked the mother, pointing to
the cradle, land Enoch ever reproach- |
ing me?'
''Enoch believes not in the witches p
"He believes not that Mistress Wilson
is witch.
LAY. ay There are others like him,
I've heard men praise her as fair and good.
Fair she is of a truth. and peradventure
her beauty has been "a snare to her-her
beauty and pride For she carries
her head high, Mistress Wilson. She
comes of great family, they say. and
verify she has a likeness of her father
with lace ruflles to his shirt and a sword !
at his side. What might he say if he
could see her now? And Abner Wilson
too! That would have been but an evil
wind that brought him into port to hear
his wife called witch. To my thinking,
that's worse name than gossip and busy |
body, as I've heard she's called me
though | bear her no malice for that"
CAV" said Miriam musingly. land
who can tell why Abner neer came back
again9 A witch can brew bad weather
Think you not so, dame ?"
Marry" quoth the dame, a witch
would do it too. had she seen man that
pleased her better than her husband
though I'll not say that of Mistress Will
son, Tor bear her no malice
ICoNrINUED TOMORROW