The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-07-04
MISTRESS WILSON.
A Hale of Salem VVitchcra ii.

"The child is bewitched good man
Thyself hast heard how it shrieked and
screamed when the elders were here to-
dav. And dame Walford says that as
Parson Williams laid his hands upon it,
it made a fearful grimace at him and
turned black in the face
q saw it not" said the good man,
laconically.
" And moreover, Dame Walford says
mayhaps it's not cur 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, while
this one is sure neither like me nor thee"
The young mother as she spoke looked
mt the little one on her lap with painful
expression of aversion and distrust.
Nay, Miriam, that | can't say. 1t has
thy blue eyes and yellow hair. If only
it were healthy and strong, thoud'st see
it was very like thee" The father stoop-
ed touched tenderly the little wasted
hand, and looked into the baby's face,
pinched and worn with sickness. The
Lord has sent a weakly child, and we
should rather care for it as best we can,
accuse innocent folk of bewitching it.
tell thee, Miriam, he continued, straight
ening up his tall form again, " if Mis-
tress Wilson is hanged | shall never 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. cit was better to thy
taste mayhaps, that | sat to-day in Salem
Jail and Mistress Wilson here. She is a
beautiful woman, and since her husband
never came back from sea, thou cans't
not pity her enough.
/ g" Shame on thee !" was the good mans
sole reply, and he turned away and stood
at the little window looking out in the
twilight. The ticking of the clock was
the only sound in the room till the moth
| er laid the child in the cradle and pushed
it from her as far as her arm would reach.
! At the movement, EnOch turned again
4 and came back to her.
g Miriam" he said, gently, miriam.
" Thou knowest better than all the
! learned gentleman about the witches,
she answered slowly, with hard ex
preston around the mouth-"better than
Parson Williams and they in Salem, and
! than Mr.. Cotton Mather himself, who
saws children of the devil must be cast
out, root and branch. And thinkest thop
the governor had held his peace if it were
as thou wouldst have it and the witches
all honest folk? 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 children, and given Mistress
Dwight horrid rheumatic pains. She
cursed them then before the judge and
all the people, and said if she could sht
would come back from hell to plague
them.
"God be mercifuL to us! Goody
Blake had a fiery tongue, and was ever
a poor half dazed old wretch. The gen
tlemen of the court know what they do
[ trust. | had left her alone an it hac
been my say. Still, Miriam, | dispute
not with the learned men that Satan il
going up and down among us. 1t may
be so. Only this, | say, that Mistress
| Wilson cursed no one. She only ans
wered, Nay, on my soul, as gently as
have heard her speak-how oft in this
very room, when the judge charged he
of throwing the parsons son into fits anC
bewitching our babe here. Nay, on my
SOUL she said, and stood straight anC
looked him in the face. God knows
have wished the babe naught but good
from the time it came into the world.
And bethought me, Miriam, how kind
Nv and helpful she was when the child
vas born how she watched with thee al
NIGHT and rocked the babe in her arms"
Av, and she we'll knew why" saiG
the mother, the lowering cloud of hatred
darkening her face. My babe has new
er known a healthful hour, and hers
like a rose. She has drawn the life GU
) of our child into her boy, If, indeed,
be our child at all.
CHOW canst thou be so crueI?' burs
forth the indignant answer. 1.-The par
sons son is we'll again, and this poor chill
has naught the matter with it but that i
was born of weakly nature, like man
another one before. Even that thou be
Iievast It not and Mistress Wilson nigh
oo free. Think, wife, she's young Xix
thee. and has child as thou hast, an
: mnst die and leave the little creatur
, alone in this hard world, all because tho
, bast listened to old gives tales? Nay
: God forbid Thou hast ne'er though
j of it myself, | know; but thou has
done a great wrong in letting other
wicked suggestions get possession OF tn
, heart. and there is but barely time
| make good again.
: The Young face looked in the fire lo'
: not one whit of the hxed expression tia
disagured it. There came no reply
Miriam" said the youthful goo
man, with passionate pleading in his tom