The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-07-04

many more escape detection, from the i'm
p1ssioIllty Of bringing them to trial Well,
well, We must be watch(ul in prayer and
tarry in p :tiehce till it pleaseth the Lord
to look upon our affection | wish the
good night, mistress, and hope to meet
thee to morrow"
There were many in the town that
night who walked to weep and pray In
one house were some grievously torment
ed IN another, member of the family
had been torn from the midst of il
charged with practicing the devices of
Satan, and dragged, accursed of God
and man, to Imprisonment, condemna-
ton and death. But one who sat. in the
Salem Jail heard every hour of the night
60 by, till the Waterman called for thee
last time his deIusive cry of "AlPs Well.
and the day had dawned-the day when
witch was to die.
In Enoch Daltons household also there
was little sleep that night Miriam be-
set with entreaties and reproaches. an
swered in the sayings of the godly Cotton
Mather, or with the line of Holy Writ,
Thou shalt not suffer a witch 10 live"
The woman was like flint in her resolve,
and words never so appealing had as
much effect on her as the rushing break
ers on the cliffs of Marblehead that they
cover for a moment with foam end spray
and, falling back, leave as hard and
bleak and frowning as before. Enoch
only wore himself out and paced the
room, at last, alone; while Miriam lay
down to take a more feigned than real
repose.
She did him wrong. 1t was a pure
| sentiment of humanity, a manly instinct
! to help and protect a hunted, defence
| less woman, who, in her happier days
! had gone in and out Of his house on err
rands of eig'lborly kindness, that made
1 him speak for Mistress Wilson now. He
was not 50 far beyond his fellow. citizens
| in cool Medicines and UNDERSTANDING as
to repudiate the idea of witchcraft alto
gether. How should he have been, when
that storm of superstition that swept over
the land carried with it men who stood as
thinkers high above their fellows?
Learned and godly men held discourses
on the manifold arts of the evil one, by
which he ensnared weak souls to do his
bidding, and for aught that Enoch
knew that might be true. There might
be witches. Only one who had shown
naught but kindness to him and his, one
to whose accusation jealousy was not a
stranger, his straightforw ri, shrewd
common sense told him VS. no witch.
He was plain man, who troubled him
self little with what lay before him: il
was Mr.. Mather's business to make ser
mons and interpret, as it were, for God
and the devil; it was his business to
pillow, and sow, and reap, and mind his
household and whatever questions came
up there, in his own little sphere, he was
capable to decide upon. His child was
not bewitched, but sick, and the evil one
had whispered more suggestions to hi
wife than to Mistress Wilson. 1t wa.
the phrase on every ones lips in those
dark times, "Satan is abroad" anC
Enoch believed it, Satan had entered
his wife's heart Alas, yes, and posi-
bly, his own too, as he swore a never dy-
ing mindfulness of this wrong that wa:
to be, and an eternal memory for a finite
error.
Miriam's pretended slumber became
real at length; but as she fell asleep will
her mind full of confused and distressing
thoughts the followed her into her dreams
Like the shifting figures of a kaleid
oscope melting one into another, horriC
pictures passed though her poor Devil
dered brain. The house stood in flames
because she had thrown the baby on the
fire, and all the neighbors were there call
ing her murderesJ and trying to drag hel
away to Justice. Then some one whisper
ed witch, " and one after another took
up the word, and they fell back from her
pointing with their fingers and jeering
and again she was sitting by the hearth
with Dame Waltord at the other side, anC
suddenly it was not the dame; bu
Mistress Wilson, who sat there with &
rope around her neck. Her face was
deathly pale, and her dark blue eyes,
fixed on Miriam, seemed to cast a spell
over her so she could neither move nor
cry out as she would fain have done.
Then the babe in her arms began tc
struggle, and getting down went to Mis-
tress Wilson and clambered on her knees
1t reached up and took the rope with its
little hands and threw it in the fire, and
Immediately there was a dazzling light,
and Mistress Wilson stood clothed in 8
white robe, with wings at her shoulders
and Miriam knew it was her spirit
Upon that she was seized with great
dread, for the child stood holding by her
and would not return to Miriam, though
she recognized it for her own in thai
brightness, and tried in vain to call i
back, 1t was very fair. There wai
no trace of the witch's mark upon it.
brow, and its hair shone golden in the
light that streamed around. Then it ap
peared that the spirit turned to go, the
child ever following, and with great effort
Miriam broke the spell, and stretched
out her arms and cried:
'Nay, take it not! 1t is mine know
it now. 1t is mine indeed !"
AS she spoke she felt sharp pain, anc
her eyes opened.
The sun was shining in her face, anC
she had struck her hand on the child.
little bed that stood beside her. Halt
bewildered yet from her dream, SHE
raised herself and saw the baby lying il
peaceful slumber. Its little face looked
very sweet and fair, its brow was smooth
and the sunbeams slanting past seemed
} to make halo around its golden hair
Even as she looked at it the black
} thoughts and fancies of days and weeks
gone by melted like the dark visions o.
that night, and, as in her dream, she re
cognzed her child. But a nameles:
anxiety fell upon her, horrible dread,
and her voice was shrill and strange al
she called:
"Oh, Enoch, Enoch, rise and ride t.
town-for the child is well again The
} child is mine, and Mistress Wilson mus
not die -
He started up from his chair where he
} had fallen asleep in sheer exhaustion.
The spell was broken--the scales had
fallen from his wife's eyes-the child
was well But Mistress Wilson-wa
: there yet time to save her?
. He smoke not a word hnt saddlad the