Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-12-03

ID them what was to be the witch
fate.
y One night, when all was siler
in the village of Tamney, the tire
e men stole out of Devenny's cot
Ie tage, and cossted the reedy edg
IT Of the Tough, in whose gloom
depths poor Doolan was lying. N
r candle, or priest, or wake, or buria
n had the poor fellow had; and the,
a shuddered as they passed his un
J. known grave, crossing themselvel
: piously, aud thinking of his wan
dering soul. The water-hens wer,
a disturbed by their stealthy tread
{ and a ilock Of plover flew overhead
] uttering their wild, almost human
! cries. On they went, cautiously
mounting the bill, and pausinc
several times TO listen before they
! reached the witch's door. The
reason for this caution was that,
, Donegal being in disturbed state,
parties Of yeomapry secured the
country every night, and sppre-
hended anybody whom they found
abroad after nine o'clock. All
lights were to be ext.nguished at
that hour, so Betty's dip candle
had long BEEN out, aud no glimmer
appeared at her single tiny window.
where's the kale stalk I" asked
one Of the men. They climbed rp-
on the roof, stopped up the Chin
ney, and then putting the cabbage
stalk into the keyhole, blew clouds
of sulphur through it into the
7 cabin.
"We1l smoke her the way his
reverence smoked the bees said
they, stationing themselves at the
key-hole in turn and they did not
desist from their labor until dawn
appeared.
So they smothered the witch she
was cold and dead next day when |
the door was opened; and as there
were no coroners' inquests in those
days, her being found dead excited |
bat little attention. Indeed, at the
time Of the Union, Ireland was in so
disorganized state the death of
one old woman in her bed was but
little noticed. The manner OF
her end was known to her old
neighbors around Tsmney Tough;
but was never spoken of except in
whispers, though years afterwari
parents pointed to the ruin wall
steads upon the hillside, and told :
their little children what the witch's ,
late had been. The writer was
told the story by an old man whose l
mother had lived in Tamney at the !
time. i
On our venturing to doubt the |
sxistance of witches st the present =
lay, he declared there was then
August ls70, to his certain +,
knowledge, a witch living close to ]
his farm; and he pointed out a {
pretty, fsir-hAired woman, mother G
II large family, who has only one :
'ow, yet sells quantities Of butter. I
She has 8 slight figure, as well as |
blue eyes and faxen hair, and we s
.hought her pleasant sight as she j
ripped along the Trsmney road to I
market, followed by her little {
,rowd Of white-headed children. i
The uninitisted, at least, look at
Yer with pleasure; but the Roman '
Iatholics cross themselves furtively a
Eben they meet her, and the old ]
nd ignorant among her Protestant 4
regard her with fear and 7
lislike. I
"Do you mean TO say that she I
. able TO draw the butter away
rom your churn = we asked our q
I'd friend the farmer. 6
"Tro;h Is she, miss; there nae S
iivilneut too hard or too bsd for j
hss witch-vonzn- Sure she turns
herself into hare every summer :
1icht, an nilks the COWS in the Z
ields / hs' started . big hare
rom among NY ain COWS in this
Tery field an As sure IS I'm s liviu' {
sinner, il made for yon hole in the
osck o. NorAh's house. 4,
do you really think Norah's the ;
hare I
think IT, miss. God bless your
innocent will I'm sure Of il 1t $
wad be charity to the country
side to shoot her vi q bit o. silver
in troth, IL / was as souple as /
used to be, I'd do it myself \
"Does it take long to turn her |
back into . womanf-
at is not long, MIST Not . {