Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-06-06

at the school house Mr.. Washington North
and wife came there, and Mr.. McCachren,
brother of the teacher unlocked the door
and We " cnt into the house. No noise
was heard excepting what We made our
selves. The pee-wees were not then run
ming along the spouting OF the house. And
the young men that were there, II they ey-
or did play spook,-the probability Is that
they never dld-refrained from any mani
festation, and were so modest that they
could not be prevailed on to give Us their
names. On our way home Mr.. Patterson
stated that he often heard the old people
tell OF how a house owned by David HOke
about a half mile from j. l.. Barton's place
at Pleasant View was haunted by noise Ike
that made by dragging a heavy chain up and
down u stairway. They sent TO Adams
county for witch doctor, he came, and
shot a black cat IN the garden with silver
bullet and that put an end TO the noise IN
the house. lie said it was the belief that
the Hoke house was haunted because
years before somebody had cheated some
one out OF the property, and that reminded
US of story that b. f. Kepner deceased,
told about a year before he died. Over,
not far from where Pannebaker had his
residence in Lost Creek valley there liS ed
a family by the name of Burge. We believe
the Burgess lived where George Hover lives.
Mrs. Burge was a reputed witch. AcommIt-
tee was appointed by citizens of the COM
/ munity to select one OF their number 10
mould a silver bullet aud with that shoot
Mrs. Burge. The man delegated by the ig-
norant people OF that day To commit murder
| thought that he was doing Gods service
when commissioned by the committee 10
| shoot Mrs. Burge. He went near the house,
/ hid himself and when she came out and sat
down to milk a COW in front of the door, he
| fired, The COW ran away and Mrs. BuTge fell
over and he tied from the scene and report
ed to his superstitious coniederates that he
had shot the witch, but whether she was
struck by the bullet or whether the COW IN
its fright kicked her over has never been
1 found out. She lived many years afterwards,
and the ignOramus that shot at her hved
long enough 10 realize how nearly he came
TO being murderer.
The manifestations at Muddy Run school
house are mid when compared with the
! McCachan and Mettiin trouble; the Hoke
manifestation, and the conspiracy TO mur-
der Mrs. Burge. The people are growing
to be more intelligent, and as consequence
less supersiitiOus. Three generations
ago there was great deal more supersti-
iOus belief than now, and several genera
tions previous TO that time superstitlous
belief was stronger still. However, during
Colonial days the hot bed of superstitioUs
belief and manifestation was among the
English Yankees of New England. In
1865 hundreds of people in New England
were imprisoned as witches and wizards
many were hung, and many were driven
from their homes. To raise the cry ol
a witch on a woman, or wizard on a man
was to ruin them for life. Men that were
supposed TO be learned wrote to prove the
truth of witchcraft and other gobllng man
Hesitation. The president OF Harvard Col
lege, the college that last week refused tc
confer the degree of l.. l.. D., on Governor
b. F. Butler, wrete and published book &c
prove the truth OF witchcraft, the book wa:
reprinted in London and was prefaced with
an endorsing article from the pen Of Rich
ard Baxter author OF Saints Rest
Commend us to some other authors Saints
Rest. While the people OF Pennsylvania
have been somewhat troubled with super
s;itiCus belief 1t was Of mild type, be i
said, to the credit OF their judgement, wher
compared 10 the crazy belief OF the New
England Yankee. The noises that have
been heard IN Muddy Run school house have
been made by people or by the pee wees
with the help, perhaps, OF chimney swallows
The teacher Miss McCachan should gather
her school aud 20 on with the teaching and
say,
s'Let not frolic, not a mouse;
Come to disturb the school house;
But to the birds warbling notes;
Hand in hand, with native grace,
Sing and bless the place"