Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-20
THE OLD HAG.
NJ. f. STONE.

can remember ever since [ was
very little girl, hearing the people of my
native village make this remark, (when
anything happened out of the usual
order) GAS queer as the old hagp 1t
puzzled me at first but I soon solved the
meaning.
The school house stood quarter of a
mile outside our little village, and the
first time my youthful feet wendell their
way toward it, was enlightened by my
sister Alice and another girl, who were
leading me.
''You must be good girl to-day, Met
ia, said Alice. land not whisper, or the
old bag will get you tonight. Sec" (and
she pointed to a log hut in the middle Of
a tield) ''that's where she lives"
Yes, that she Will" exclaimed the
other girl; "she's witch, and once turned
a little girl, who was naughty in school,
into great big stone, folks say.
Jim Cressy, he's seen it with his own
eyes; says she keeps it for door
Step"
was very much alarmed at this har-
rangue, and scarcely breathed loud word
during the whole day. And for months
afterward, if had committed the slight
est misdemeanor in school, | would run
past the old hut on my way home at
night.
But, as the years rolled by, gradually
lost all faith in the witch story, and be-
came possessed with the desire to behold
this human being, SO isolated from the
world, upon whom mankind had bestow-
nd tho hid <ck k,1l l.
had often had stray glimpses of a
bent figure, hobbling around the hut
Twas rare, indeed, that she ever ventur-
ed beyond her domain, which was in
closed by an old tumble-down rail fence,
while | dared risk no nearer approach,
not relishing the idea Of being turned in
to-perhaps a hearthstone for an old
witch to boil her porridge-kettle on.
| have remarked that, as the years
rolled by my fears subsidized, while my
curiosity increased Aud one bright Sat
urday afternoon | started out with the
secret determination. "live or die"
would make a heroic attempt to get a
nearer view Of the .'old bag" before the
day was done
| took the path through the woods, and
after short walk found myself emerging
from the leafy covert, in exactrange with
the hut, which stood about forty rods
distant in the field. Here stopped and
INDUCED in several swooping surveys of
the lanpscape, to discern if the coast was
clear. No one being in sight, l boldly
struck out, and by making swift transits
to friendly raspberry pushes, which grew
at intervals all along, felt tolcrably Ger
tain had not been observed Yet it was
with q shaky feeling around my heart
that crept into the shadow Of a clump
of elders and peered through the rails.
My perseverance was not to go unre
warded for soon the door opened, and she
appeared on the threshold. Oh, what a
sight! to my dying day shall never for
get my first look at her. A poor, bent
figure, carrying great burden on her back,
as if the burden of lite were not enough.
One shoulder being higher than the other
gave her a queer, one-sided look, as if
just ready.to totter over. Her long gray
hair hung in struggling slocks around
the pale, haggard face, which was furrowed
and seemed with the marks of age or sor-
row. On her left temple just above the
eye, as if to brighten the. wierd affect, was
plainly marked fiery red cross. can
remember this thought dimly presenting
itself to my childish imagination: .Was
it not symbol OF her life?"