Ellsworth American., 1877-11-29

muskrat's tail and a weasel's paw. They
went of and presently returned, the most
laughable procession that ever was seen
Wash with his arms at right angles. bear
Ing his grains of molding grain on bur-
dock leaf which he held at a. great dis
tance as the size of the leaf and the length
OF his arms would admit, his neck craned
out. and his eyes so glued TO the uncanny
corn. that he stumbled over every stick
and stone that lay in his path Mercy next
with ludicrous solemnity bearing her un-
slightly burden on the end OF a corn-stalk
Apollo last, his weasefs paw and musk
rats tail deposited in the toe of an old
brogan which he had found by the roadside,
brown. and wrnkled, and stiif with hole
In the side. and the ears curled back, and
which he had hung by the heel to a long,
crooked stick On they came, the crowd
around them following at irregular dis.
tances, surging back and forth, advancing
or retreating as they were urged by curios-
hy or repelled by fear.
1t was now getting dark. so DR.. Ruther-
ford. !having had the table removed.
brought forth three large plates filled with
difierent-colored powders. Ga one he
placed Mercy's frog, on another Wash's
corn, and on the third the muskrats tail
and weasels paw taken from Apollos
shoe. Then we all waited In silence while
with his hands behind him he strobe sol
emnly back and forth in front OF the three
plates. At length the bees had ceased TO
hum, the cattle had come home Of them
selves, and could be heard lowing In Ihe
distance the many shadows had decpened
into one; twilight had faded and darkness
came. Then he stood still. | am the great
witch doctor Of Boston, | will now set
fire TO these witch's eggs, and IL they burn,
the flames will scorch her. She will scream
and iy away. and it will be hundred
years before another witch appears in this
part Of the country.
lie applied match TO Apollo's Plate and
Immediately the whole place was illumina-
ted by pale blue glare which fell with
ghastly effect of the awcstrickcn countcn-
ances around them. while In the distance.
apparently near the big gate. arose sue
cession OF the most frightful shricks ever
heard or imagined. Then the torch was
| applied to Ncrcy's frog, and forthwith
every nook aud corner, every leaf and
every blade Of grass. wa, bathcd In a lood
OF blood red light, while the cries grew. II
| possible louder and nercer. Then came
Wash's corn. which burned with poison
ons green glare, and flashed its sickly light
over the house and yard, aud crowd Of
, black faces and hardly had this died away
when from the direction OF the big gate
/ there slowly s,ccnded what appeared 10 be
+ a blood-rcd ball.
There she goe- said the great Or. Ruth
I erfurd. and we all stood gazing up into the
/ heavens. till at length The thing burst Into
I flames, the sparks died away and 40 more
was tp be seen.
| Now. this u the last OF her, Impressive,
/ ly announced the witch doctor OF Boston :;
/ ard neither she nos her sisters Will dare
81.
I hundred years. lou can ali MAKE your
/ minds easy about witches
| Then came triumph instead Of dread,
and scorn took the place OF fear. There
| arose a succcssiou OF shouts and cheers,
laughter aud jeers. They pattrd thcir
| knees and shuflled their feet and waggrd
! their heads 10 deri,on.
| Hyar, hyar. old gall Done burnt up. is
! You? said William Writ in 4 loud voice.
| Go long, pizen sass . said Martha. iiooray.
/ tagrag! shouted Chesterfield. iste 70
/ heels. ole Mrs. Satan crlv-d one. \ ou amt
no better'n free plggerl said another,
I You better not come foon long o. Mas
Ned's nigGers no mo-.
/ But Edward. said |, why did those three
powders turn black.
! Because they were calomel, my dear,
aud IL was lime-@ater that was poured on
them. said Mr.. Smith.
4 Well. but why did not the others turn
+ black. too?
\ Because the others were tArtarized anti
mony.
\ Where did you get what was in the
| plates that made the light. you know:
/ Rutherford had the material. He Is
I going TO settle Ia a small country town. 40
| he provided himself with all sorts Of drugs
and chemical, before he left Philadelphia.
But, Edward. persisted I. putung my
/ hand over his book To make him stop read
, ing; how came those things where they
were found2 and the balloon to ascend just
At the proper msment4 and who or what
was It screaming 80: Neither yoo nor Mr.
Rutherford had LETT the yard except to 60
/ into the house.
4 No, my dear; but you remember Dick
1 Kirby came over Just afteI dinner, and he
would not ask any better fun than 10 nx
I all that.
The next night was gala one, and a
merrier set OF negroes never sang al a
4 -shIcking.