Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-11-22
NO. 277
Gales aud gketehss.
BURNING OF A WITCH ON A SOUTHERN
PLANTATION.


men had gone to the east piazza. Mr..
Smith was walking back and forth, talk
ing somewhat excitedly for him, while
DR.. Rutherford sat with his feet on the rail.
ing, thoughtfully cutting his nails. DIR.
Rutherford was an old friend of Mr.. Smith,
VINO had been studying surgery in Phila-
delphla. aud now, on his way back to South
Carolina, had tarried to make us a visit.
You see, Mr.. Smith was saying, about
week ago one of our old negroes died un-
der the Impression that he was "tricked"
or oewitched, and the consequence has
Deen that the entire plantation is demoral-
Ned. You never saw anything like it.
Many time, said DIR. Rutherford, and
calmly cutting. .his nails.
Ihere Is not negro on the place, con-
tinued Edward, who does not lie down at
night in terror of the Evil Eye, and 90 TO
MS WORK IN the morning paralyZed by
dread OF what the day may bring. Why,
Ihere Is perfect panic among them.
They are falling about like a set OF tenpin.
his morning | sent for Wash to see about
setting out tobacco-plants, aud behold
Wash curled up under a haystack getting
ready to die. So, as soon as You came
this morning, plan entered my head for
putting stop to this thing. It will be
necessary to acknowledge that two or
three OF them are under the spell, and it
Is better to select those who really fancy
themselves so. Rosalie! | appeared at
the window. Are any of the house. SER
wants 'witchedp
| Mercy is, said l. and presume NANNY
is going to be. | saw her make curtsey
to the black cat this morning.
| Well. what is your plan inquired DR..
Rutherford
| MIR. Smith seated himself on the piazza
railing, and proceeded to develop his idea.
| was called off at the moment, and did
not return for an hour or two. As did
81 heard DR.. Rutherford say, All right
| blow the horn; and the Overseer down in
| the yard obeyed. In less than ten min.
| utes all without exception had come pell-
NELL, helter-skelter, running to the house.
Mothers had gathered up their chiden of
both sexes. and grouped them in terrified
| companies about the piazza-steps.
Edward was now among them, endeav-
| oring to subdue the excitement, and, hay-
ing to some extent succeeded, he made q
| signal to DR.. Rutherford who came for
ward to address the negroes. He threw
his shoulders back, looked imposingly
around, and repeated: am the great DR..
rutherford, the wItch-doctor of Boston |!
| My black cat tells me that the witch is
| here-that she has hung the deadly night
| shade at your cabin doors, and your blood
is turning to water, you are beginning to
wither away.
You shiver in the sunshine; your hearts
are heavy and you don't feel like work;
and when you come from the field you
| don't take down the banjo and pat and
shuttle and dance, but you sit down in
the corner with your heads on your
hands, and would go to sleep, but you
know that as soon as you shut your eyes
she VIII Cast hers on you through the
| chinks in the cabin wall.
OATS me said Mercy-dat certny is me
Gret day in de mornin, mas witch
doctor
How do you knowP Is you been
trickedP inquired Martha, who, having
been reared on the plantation was unac-
qualnted with the etiquette observed at
lectures. Doctor, inquired Edward in a
loud voice. can you tell who is conjured
| aud who is not?
cannot tell unless robed in the blan-
| dlshments OF plagiarism and the satellites
OF hyglenic art as expunged by the gyra-
tlons OF nebula hypothesis. Await ye
The negroes were very much impressed.
lhey have excessive reverence for grand
Eloquent language, and the less they un-
| derstand OF 1t the better they like it.
What dat he say, honeyp asked old
Nanny. | can't heer like used ter.
He says he will be back soon, Man,
my; and tell if any of you are trieked.
said |; and just then Edward and the
l roe 81, k..t, -.
a pine table. On this table were ar
ranged about forty little pyramids of
whitish looking powder, and in their
| midst stood bottle containing some clear
liquid. like water.-Dr Rutherford seated
himself behind it.
In front of the table stood the negroes,
men, women, and children. There was
the preacher. decked in the clerical liverv
OF "a standing collar and white cravat,
but. perhaps in Difference to the day of
the week, these were modified by the Sec
ular apparel of a yellow cotton shirt and
homespun pantaloons attached to a pair
OF old galluses, which had been mended
with twine, and pieced with leather, and
heightened with string, till, ii any OF the
original remained, none could tell the col
or thereof. nor what they had been in the
harmonious. There was Mamma, with
her low wrinkled forehead and white tur-
| ban, and toothless gums, and skin of
shining blackness. which testified that her
| material wants were not neglected. There
was Wash, "a great, stalwart negro, who
| ordinarily seemed able TO cope with any
ten men you might meet, now looking so
subdued and dispirited, and of complex
ion SO ashy, that he really appeared old.
and shrunken, and weak. There was
William Writ, the ploughboy, affected by
Il chronic grin which not even the solem-
nifty OF this occasion could dissipate. but
the character of which seemed changed
by the awe struck eyes that rolled above
the heavy red lips and huge white teeth.
There was Apollo-in social and do
mestic circles known as Poller-there
was Apollo, his hair standing abou; his
head in black TUFTS or horns wrapped
with cotton cord to make it grow, one
brawny black shoulder protruding from
rent in his yellow cotton shirt, his
pantaloons hanging loosely around his