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

In 1892 it would not have been as saf,
as it is now in the State of Massachusett.
for one table to dance upon two of its
logs, or for any orator to declare that il
was not himself to whom ono listened
but the spirit of Demosthenes. For, il
those days, any one who would now only
lie spoken of "as so odd, poor DEAR" was
in great danger of being tied to stake
Immediately, and if malevolent person
took n dislike to neighbor the mere
statement that that neighbor had been
seen riding on broomstick the night
before was sufficient. Other neighbors
drowned him at once.
And in those days there lived in the
town of Salem, where grave judges DOOM
ed people to death for no greater crimes
than being old and ugly and little
cracked in the upper story, or for making
faces at little boys who threw stones at
them, and being fond of black cats
there lived in one house daughter-in-
law and a mother-in-law, who hated each
other
Grateful-all- -your-days Popkins was n
respectable farmer, who, having a mother
who had not only given him the name
recorded above, but had made his shirts
and woven the linen for them, and also
the homespun for his trousers and coats,
who had knit his stockings, cut his hair,
and washed the back of his neck every
Sunday morning-we in The widest
and most absurd way and married young
wife; as hity-tity" a young thing as
could come of Puritan stock.
She absolutely could not get the curl
out of her hair, and when her husband
had been absent from home all day, she
would run to the gate to meet and kiss
him-a most undignified proceeding in
the eyes Of her mother-in-law.
Mrs Poplins, the elder, was very
pjous woman, and she was one of those
who believed that Providence smiled
upon the burning of a witch, and was well
pleased with whosoever drowned him.
Whenever there was little festival of
the sort then in vogue and some poor
creature died terrible death, because
OF some absurd accusation, good old Mrs
Popkins was on the ground in her black
cloak and hood and long, silk mitts,
brought years before from England On
such occasions Mrs. observation-disclosures
days Popkins, her sons wife, stayed at
home and wept, and said she could not
bear to see such things, and that they
were not right.
This in itself Mrs. PoplSins the elder
thought suspicious, and in her own mind
she felt sure that her daughter-in-law
had sympathy with witches.
Indeed, she was not entirely clear that
the poor girl was not herself in league
with Satan; for how, without some
special bewitchment, could that other
wise sensible young man, Grateful-all-
your-days Popkins, have been brought
to do such silly thing as to marry, when
he had such a mother?
Verify" cried Mrs. Popkins the
elder, SHOULD discover that one of my
own household was an evil witch, I would
denounce that person. 1t would grieve
me to do it, but 1 would perform my
duty"
And then good Mrs. Popkins fell to
thinking of her-daughter-in-law, who
wept when witches were burnt, who,
perhaps, had bewitched Grateful-all- your
lays into marrying her.
One day they drowned old Gaffer Gill,
IF whom Master Prod, who owed him
money, had said that he stood at his bed
'ide of nights, adorned with horns, hoofs
md tail, and pinched him black and
,lue. 1t was rather doubtful case, SO
hey gave him a chance. He was cast
nto the water, and if he foated they
would know that the evil one was his
riend. If he sunk he was all right. He
unk. No one had expected this, so there
vas no means at hand for saving him.
from this inspiring scene Mrs. Popkns
vent home to dinner She found her
very busy over the fire.
pot hung upon the trammel which de-
'ended from the crane, and it was bub-
ling beautifully. Grateful-all-your-days
'as watching his wife with much calm,
puritan admiration in his light blue
yes.
"We are to have a new dish to our
inner, mother" he said, "and Anne
ayeth it will be a good one."
"One none ever tasted before" said
lnne.
6" 1t would have been more godly to go
D the execution of the WITCH" said Mrs.
'opkins the elder, "and to have re-
'eshed your perishing bodies on cold
leats. 1 fear the lusts of the flesh are
trong within you both"
With which Mrs. Popkins-who read
er Bible rather as means of reproach-
lg other people than as a comfort to