Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-06

myself hast heard how it shrieked and
screamed when the minister and elders
were here to pray. And Dame Walford
says that as Parson Williams laid his hand
upon it. it made a fearful grimace at him,
and turned black in the face"
~ saw it not, )" said the good man lacon-
:cally.
"And moreover, Dame Walford says.
mayhap it's not our child at all; but some
devils brat that the witch spirited here,
and took our babe for her own. And it's
true, Enoch. her child has curling hair,
and fresh color like thine, whilst this
one is sure neither like me nor thee" The
young mother as she spoke looked at the
little creature on her lap with a painful
expression of aversion and distrust.
Nay, Miriam, that l can't say. 1t has
thy blue eyes and yellow hair. If only it
were healthy and strong, thou DIST see it
was very like thee" The father stopped
and touched tenderly the little wasted
hand, and looked into the baby's face,
pinched and worn with sickness. The
Lord hath sent US a weakly child, and we
should rather care for it as best we can,
and pray to Him to do the rest, than ac-
cuse innocent folk of bewitching it.
tell thee, Miriam" he continued, straight
ening up his tall form again and looking
at her with sorrowful sternness. ''if Mis-
tress Wilson is hanged, shall ne'er know
another happy hour; nor thou either
when thou hast thy senses again, for
verify if one is bewitched, it is thou, poor
wife, and not the child"
"Ay, say thy wife is a witch at once,
and have done ~ was the bitter and pas
sionate answer. 'It were better to thy
taste, mayhap, that l sat to-day in Salem
jail, and Mistress Wilson here She is
beautiful woman, and since her husband
ne'er came back from sea, thou canst not
pity her enough"
"Shame on thee!" was the good mans
sole reply, and he turned away and stood
at the little window looking out into the
twilight. The ticking of the clock was
the only sound in the room till the mother
laid the child in cradle and pushed it
from her as far as her arm would reach.
At the movement Enoch turned again and
came back to her.
Miriam" he said gently, "Miriam +"
Thou knowest better than all the
learned gentlemen about the witches"
she answered slowly. with hard express
sion around her mouth-"better than Pas
tor Williams and they in Salem, and than
Mr.. Cotton Mather himself, who saws the
children Of the devil must be cast out root
and branch. And thnkest thou the Gov
ernor had held his peace if it were as thou
wouldst have it, and the witches all inno-
cent folks Nay, but they confess their
misdeeds themselves. Goody Blake, that
was hanged O. Tuesday. ragged and foamed
at the mouth when they asked her in court
had she or no tormented the Pryor chill
dren, and given Mistress Dwight horrid
rheumatic pains. She cursed them then
before the judge and all the people, and
said if she could she would come back
from hell to plague them"
God be merciful to usr' Goody Blake
had fiery tongue, and was ever q poor,
hall, dazed old wretch. The gentlemen of
the court know what they do, trust,
had let her alone and it had been my say.
Still, Miriam dispute not with the learned
men who affirm that Satan is going up and
down among us. 1t may be So Only
this say, that Mistress Wilson cursed no
one. She only answered, Nay, on my
soul as gently as have heard her speak,
how oft, in this very room. where the
judge charged her with throwing the par
sons son into fits, and bewtching our
babe here. Nay, on my SOUL she said,
and stood straigh: and looked him in the
face God knows have wished the poor
babe naught but good. from the time it
came into the world And | bethoueht
me Miriam, how kindly and helpful She
was when the child was born; how she
watched with thee at night, and rocked
the babe in her arms"
"Ay, and she well knew why" said the
mother, the lowering cloud of hatred
darkening in her face. "My babe has
ne'er known heallhful hour, and hers is
like rose. She has drawn the life out of
our child into her boy, if, indeed, it be
our child at ALL"
'How canst thou be so cruel ?" burst
forth the indignant answer. 1.-The parsons
son is well again, and this poor child has
naught the matter with it but that it was
born of weakly nature, like many an
other one before. Even now, Miriam,
thou hast only to declare that thou be-
lievest it not, and Mistress Wilson might
go free. Think, wife, she is young, like
thee, and has child as thou hast; and
she must die and leave the little creature
alone in this hard world, all because thou
hast listened to old wives tales Nay,
God forbid Thou hadst ne'er thought it
OF it thyself, know; thou art too tender
hearted to work SO much evil to fellow
SiSotuie, bul tHou mast uOue q great
wrong in letting others wicked sugges-
tions get possession of thy heart. and
there is but barely time to make it good
again
The Young face looking into the glow
ing fire lost no whit OF the fixed expires
sion that di,dgured it, There came no re-
ply.
Miriam, said the youthful good man,
with passionate pleading in his tone, .'say
the word, and will get her release this
night before it be too late"
Again no answer was vouchsafed.
Righteous anger flashed in Enoch's eyes,
and his voice irembled with deep emotion,
as he added:
Hear this then. If Mistress Wilson Is
hanged tomorrow morn, her blood shall
be between me and thee so long as we
both shall live As he stood in the fire.
light, with uplifted hand and trembling
lips. like an avengipg angel, Miriam
gazed at him with sort of awe. But af-