Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-01-20

herself-got it down and read donunciu
tions from it to the unhappy youn
couple until dinner time.
Then, having said grace, she seate'
herself and was helped to boiled porl
and cabbage, and Watched little Mistres
Anne rs she set upon the table, grea
dishfuls of round, white balls of dough
and cried:
"There ! none other ever made then
before ! did. / thought them out fo
myself. Gut it in two, Graty that was
what sho called her husband" it il
two, and within thou wilt find an apple
Here is sauce for it "
Grateful-all-your-days did as he was
orddred, and burst into laugh.
Thou art the best of cooks, he snid
Mother thou never didst so neat q
thing MS this-confess it,"
That speech settled matters. Tt was
more than Mrs. Popkins the elder could
stand She glared at her daughter-in-
law. She glared at her son. She rose
and donned her hood and cloak, and took
two of the round balls-the first apple
dumplings she had ever seen-upor n
plate and walked out of the house with
it. "Hath she taken leave of her senses
at last ?" asked the dnughter-in-law
"She is proud of thy culinary skill,
my child" replied Grateful-all-your-
days, who, like other men, had no intui-
tive perception, and thought his mother
and his wife the best of friends, "and
would fain boast OF it to our neighbors. {"
"Alack !" cried Anne, "my heart
misgives me"
And well it might, for Mrs. Popkins
the elder had gone straight to the house
of one in authority, who delighted in the
destruction of witches, and had get be-
fore him the plate.
Verify" she said, "I have often de-
clared l would dcnounce even one of my
own kin who should prove to be witch;
and here is the proof that Anne, the wife
of my well beloved Grateful-all-your-
days, has proved herself witch by MAX
ing this. Within dumpling of dough,
with no hole in it, lies whole apple.
None but witch could do such a deed
l denounce her. Gut one of these open
to prove the truth Of what 1 say to thy
self keep the other for the Judges"
The great witch finder did as he was
bid, and pronounced the apple dump
ling tho chiefest work of satan he had
ever seen; not only witchcraft, but an
evil miracle, SO to speak.
That night poor little Mistress Anne
was arrested and cast into prison. Her
mother-in-law, as good a cook as there
was in Salem, had declared that she had
done what was impossible to any cook.
Grave elders had opened the remaining
dumpling, and out of it had rolled q
boiled apple. Anne had not thought of
halving and coring it. AS the evil one
had helped her by fire, fire was to be her
death.
The stake was set, faggots were ready,
but before she was burnt some form of
trial must be gone through. The moth
er-in-law was witness.
The husband was on the spot, tears in
his eyes, and great basket on his arm;
and Anne was brought from her prison
to confront the fierce men who were only
too anxious to doom her to death. Ac-
cording to their laws she might speak in
her own defense if she had anything to
say. The charge was made, evidence
given, the dumpling exhibited Then
up rose Mistress Anne, white and trem-
bling.
81 have nothing to deny" she said.
81 made the dumpling; 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 I am
worthy"
cit is but just" said the Judge.
" Perform your incantation."
Then stepped forward her husband,
Master Grateful-all-your-days Popkins.
He set before her the basket and took
thence box of -four some butter,
rolling pin and pasteboard, four apples
a pan of sugar, spoon and nutmeg.
In the courtroom, as in all rooms that
needed warming at that day, was an open
fire over this he placed the pot, and
kneeling on the floor Mistress Anne
mixed and rolled out paste. Then
pairing the apples she infolded each in
, white sheet and dented the edges of
jhe lap in the paste until it was invisible;
hen the pot of water, boiling and bub-
bling, she dropped them in.
is there witchcraft in this % she
.sked.
cit is all deceit. They would boil
'ut p cried the mother-in-law.
"We will wait and see," cried the
Judges. They waited.
An hour after, all four sat about
able eating the delicious dumplings,
'ver which Anne poured savory sauce,
md each declared that none but good
.rts had been used in the concoction of
Mistress Anne's excellent apple dump
ings. So she was not burnt for witch
fter all, and shortly after Mrs. Popkins {
he elder went back to England. What {
ver other folks said, she declared she
new that her daughter-in-law was {
witch. How else had her son been :
'rought to marry her? And the day that
he sailed away was the first day of her {
vedded life that little Mistress Anne had {
yer felt that her husbands name of
irateful-all-your-days Popkins really
belonged to them.