Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1878-01-05
Story of a Dumping.

In 1892 it would not have been as
safe as it is now in the State of Massa-
cbusetts for one table to dance upon
two of its legs, or tor any orator to
declare that j: was not himself to
whom one listened, but the spirit Of
Dcmosthenes. For, in those days,
any one who would now only be spo-
ken of "as so old, poor DEAR" was in
great danger of being tied to a stake
Immediately, and if malevolent per-
son had been seen riding on broom
stick the night before was sufficient.
Other neigbbors drowned him at once.
And in those days there lived in
the town of Salem, where grave
judges doomed people to death for no
greater crimes than being old and ugly
and little cracked in the uper story.
or for making faces at little boys who
threw stones at them, and Icing fond
of black cats-there lived in one
house daughter-in-law and q moth
er-ip-law, who hated each other.
Grateful-all-your-days POpkins was
a respectable farmer, who, having q
mother who had not only given him
the name recorded above but had
made him shirts-and woven the lin
men for them, aud also the homespun
for his trowsers and coats, who had
knit bis stockings, cut bis hair, and
washed the back of bis neck every
Sunday morning-went in tho widest
aud most absurd way and married a
youog wife; as "hitty-,itty" a young
thing as could not come of Puritan
stock
She absolutely could not get the
curl out of her hair, and when her
husband bad been gone from home all
day she would run to the gate to meet
and kiss him-s most undignifed pro-
ceeding in the eyes of her mother-in-
law.
Mrs. Popkins, the elder. was a
pions 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
q little festival of the sort then 10
vogue, and some poor creature died a
terrible death, because of some absurd
accusation, good old Mrs. POpkins
was on the ground in her black cloak
and hood aud long, silk mitts, brought
years before from England. On such
occasions Mrs. Grateful-all-y your-days
Popkins, her sons wife, stayed at
homc and wept, aud said she could
not bare to see such things, and that
they were not right. This in itseli
Mrs. Popkins thought suspicious. and
10 her own mind she felt snrc that ber
daugbter-in-law bad 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 bewitcbment, could thai
otherwise sensible young man, Crate
ful.all-y -your-days, Popkius, have beer
brought to do such silly thing as tc
marry when she had such q mother
Verify" cried Mrs Popkins The
elder, "should | discover that one o.
my own household was an evil witch
l would denounce that person. Il
would grieve me to do it. but l would
perform my duty"
And then good Mrs. Popkins fell to
thinking of her daughter-in-law, who
wept when witches were burnt, wht
had perhaps bewitcbed Grateful-all
your-days into marrying ber.
One day they drowned old CATER
Gill, OF whom Master Prod, wht
owed him money. bad said that be
stood at bis bedside of nights, adorn
ed with horns, boots and a tail, ant
pitched him black and blue. 1t wa
rather a doubtful case, SO they gav'
him a chance. He was cast into th'
water, and if be foated they woulC
know that the evil one was bis friend
If be sunk be was all right. He sunk
No one had expected this, SO ther
was no means at hand for saving him
From this inspiring scence Mrs. Pop
kins went home to dinner. She foun,
her daughter-in-law very busy owe
the fire. A pot hung upon the tram
mel which depended from the crane
and it was bubbling beautifully
Grateful-sll-your-days was watchin
. bis wife With much calm, Puritan ad
e miration in bis light blue eyes.
I'VE are to have q new dish for ou
!, dinner. mother" be said, land Ann
> sayeth it will be a good one."
"One none ever tasted BEFORE" sal
Anne.
ut would have been more godIy t
= = 90 to the execution of the WITCH" sal
!. Mrs PopkiDs the elder. "sud to hav
a refreshed your perishiug body on col
4 meats. fear the lusts of the aes
are strong within you both"
With which Mrs. Popkins-wh
read her Bible rather as q means {
reproaching other people than as
= cor,fore ,o horco1f pot II down an