Litchfield enquirer., 1877-02-15
'sBut if it's hers, and goes after her, then

AAuOCn anu CUfllug ualE, Ouly tud6 1G Il
 so fond of her. It clung to her ever whel
 she caressed it, and cried when she lef
 1t, like any other child"
 'sBut and if she charmed it? A witcl
 can d0 that as well.''.
 '.Enoch says this babe's like me-"
 May, that it's not 7? Mind thee, I sa,
 it is not thine. The parson thinks it is and so do others who have spoken to m,
 of the matter But thine or TO, it's no
 like thee, and if Enoch says it is. 1t is be cause he, like many another husband, hal
 ao eyes for his wife's face. Why, I say thee babe in thy mothers arms, ant thou vast ever the fairest child-ay, an6 till thy marriage, the fairest maid in al the country round. .
 Miriam smiled faintly, but her brow contracted and the cloud of gloom settled derker than before. over her face. Sh, toe had mark upon her forehead. .thougl she saw it not
 ,. "Oniy since then I am no more so fair. Thou art no more so gay," was tht evasive answer.
 ''How can l be gay with that before my eyes ?" asked the mother. pointing to the cradle; "and Enoch ever reproaching me.
 "Enoch believes not in the witches ?' .
 "He believes not that Mistress Wilson is~a witch"
 'Ay, ay there are others like him. I've heard many man praise her as fair and good. Fair she is of truth, and perad venture her beauty has been snare tc her-her beauty and pride. For she car. ries her head high, Mistress Wilson. She comes of great family, they say, and verify she has likeness of her father with lace ruffles to his shirt and a sword at his side. What might he say if he could see her now? And Abner Wilson, tcce 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"
 "Ay," said Miriam, ,musingly, land who can tell why Abner ne'er came back again A witch can brew bad weather. Think you not so. dame e?''
 "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, for bear her no malice.''
 While these scenes were passing in Enoch Dalton's homestead, that lay on the highway between Salem and the little fishing village of Marblehead. the shades of evening had descended upon the de- mure first mentioned town, and the lights twinkled out here and there from the houses, while the streets were already deserted. In 1893 they were not brilliant ly illuminated, and the Inhabitants found 1t more agreeable to stay within doors fn 1rhf %hnIN with hand-lantern. Nearly in the centre of the town rose Salem jail, dark and un- inviting in outward appearance, though m reality hospitable enough. It held within It's four walls more guests than any house in all New England could have ooasted. Wild accusations following close y on each other had peopled it's cells with witches. and when one was given over to the hangman's hands, there was 70 danger but that new occupant for the
 Besides these unwilling guests, howev- sr, there were on this particular evening certain others, two or three worthy neigh DOTS of Mistress Burns, the jailer's wife. The good danes had the pleasure of hear ing from her own lips how the Reverend MT. Pryor and the justices had made a solemn visit that afternoon to the witch. Mistress Wilson. who was to be hanged on the morrow how they had exhorted her to confess her evil practices and her penitence for the same, and how they had been obliged to go away with their pur- pose unaffected, because the witch obsti- nately continued to declare that she had done no harm to any creature. Then had the reverend gentleman affirmed that he had wrestled long and earnestly for her sinful soul, and that now, unless sine ex- pressly begged for his ghostly counsel, he should come to her no more. That meant that the dismal jail cart, the sheriff, and the hangman were the only further assist ants she was to have on the journey to another world. The shudder that such thought awakened, taken in connection with Mistress Burns good cheer, amount ed to an agreeably appalling sensation. The good wives would fain see the witch. they said.-jnst. a little peep, as it were, for verify to approach her too nearly in her last hours were i'll advisen.
 The room in which Mistress Wilson was to pass the night before her execution was larger and more commodious than the cell. where she had been confin- ed. It had been thought oAly fitting that the worshipful and reverend gentleman should be received in decent quarters-a midway halting place for her between the narrow walls of a dungeon and eternity's space. The room was made secure by iron gratings, and locks, and bolts innumerable, and it had a small barred window opening on passage and provided with shutter, to and fro at will from the outside, by means of which the occupant could be observed. Mistress Burns opened this shutter little way, and then several pairs of eyes peered in through the crack.
 The witch was walking slowly mp and down, clad in the widows garb that she had worn since all hope was lost of her husbands return from sea. She held in her arms her child, that she had been al- lowed to have once more before her death, not so much because of her earnest pray CT as to see if the Dalton babe experien- ced i'll effects. It was beautiful little creature that laid its curly head upon her shoulder, and in passing to and fro be- fore the tallow candle, forgotten wien her inquisitors departed, she never failed to look down at the bloom upon it's cheeks just visible in that dim light. It was hardly to be supposed that the witch's s brat had been very tenderly cared for du ring her long confinement, but neverthe- less she clasped it again, with joy, as fresh and lovely as rose If the proof of her evil doings lay in the fact that her child throve while others peaked and pined. then. indeed, her guilt was plain.
 ''She kisses the babe," whispered the women at the window.
 lt'Ay, she makes as though she were very fond of It; but I know not whether to think she is or mo-"
 .'I verify think she is, }" said the jailor's wife, ..for there can none come nigh hel but shell beg and pray them to care fo, the child when she is gone. Even to-day she importuned the worthy gentlemen in most unseemly manner, and wept and wrnng her ands till they were fain to tell her the parish would care for it e'er
 though it be itch babe.'
 Mistress Burns," came a somewhat deep but clear voice that made them al start. II pray thee. give me some milk fol the child" The little creature had be-
 gun to be uneasy and to fret. for sharing it's mothers confinement it was condemn
 ed to her fare of bread and water, whicf
 had proved in no way to it's taste.