Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-08-07

| nioule OF the last century, and he has
sat by the hour and heard them re-
hearse thrilling tales of events which
either came under their own personal
observation or had been described to
them by their ancestors Some of
these were of a character which would
hardly gain credence in this enlight-
ened age, but they were rcligiously
believed by those who related them.
The belief in witchcraft was quite
general among old people as late as
the first quarter of the present CEN
fury, and there were those who were
believed to have attained to super
natural power, through making a
league with the devil, or selling them
selves to him body and soul.
There lived In the town of Swan
son, III Massachusetts, or in the neigh
boring town of Rehoboth, early in the
present century, a man whose name
L might call, who was believed to be
IN possession of supernatural powers,
and was generally credited with hav-
ing obtained them through compact
made with the arch enemy of man
kind, He was, in the early part of
his life, a devout member of the
Christian church aud the owner of a
large farm. He did not. prosper IN
worldly affairs, and became fiaan-
cially embarrassed. At length he
withdrew from his connection with
the church and almost simultaneous
ly his affairs took favorable turn.
tie became an avowed enemy of re-
llglon, so much so that he would not
be present at any religious service or
ceremony whatever. At the same
time he had gained a reputation as a
conJuror, one who had made a
league with the devil" On occasion
of death in lis family, his wife in
sisted upon religious services at the
interment. He acceded to her wishes.
but would not be present at the SER
vices, withdrawing himself to
neighboring field and sitting down
upon log. He was observed sitting
there by one of the attendants, who
nudged his neighbor and remarked TO
him. Whats that old devil sitting
down there Oh that log for2" The sub
ject had gone from his mind entirely,
when, after the conclusion of the
ceremonies, the old man came up,
and pattimg him on the shoulder, re
peated the very words he had uttered
to the other. At another time man
living in a remote part of the town
from him, and perfect stranger to
him, had lost COW, and, being un-
able to find it, was directed by one of
his neighbors to the ''conjuror He
made a journey of eight miles to his
residence, knocked at the door, when
the man he was seeking presented
himself, and, before a word had been
uttered, remarked to him: "You may
60 home again; your COW is found,
but she Is spoiled" Such incidents as
those made and sustained the reputa-
ton of the man as "conjuror.
Stories of the existence of witch
craft in the towns of Swansea and
Rehoboth during the middle of the
last century were, as [ remarked be-
fore, quite common. In one instance
the whole milking of a family would
sour Immediately on being brought
into the house. This being repeated
at every milking for considerable
time, way was suggested to the
farmer to put a stop to it. Accord
ingly, tie next milking he brought
in, a bright fire was burning in the
fireplace, and he dashed the whole
milking behind the back log. There
was no further trouble with the milk,
but an old bag in the neighborhood,
who had been regarded by the neigh
bors as witch, was noticed to have a
very sore mouth about that time.
In another instance farmer went
to his hog pen in the morning and
found ali iron band fitted tightly
around one Of his porkers with rivet
on every place visible where it was
joined together, and the only way it
could be renewed was with a file.
A whole family was disturbed night
after night with the sound of spin
ming wheel in operation in the garnet,
and on going up there the noise
would cease, to recommence imme-
diateiy on their withdrawal.
One of the pastimes of young folks in
eye oldenne tyne" was trying
tricks" when two or three had come
together of an evening. One of these
frolics, as [ used to hear old people
tell it, came to a tragic ending.
Three young ladies had met in the
house of another ard resolved to ''try
a trick" the result of which would be
that there would appear to each of
them her future husband The con-
ditions having been performed, the
noise of a carriage approaching the
house was heard, and directly the
sound as of box being brought up
stairs, which was brought into the
room by three men and laid upon the
table. One Of the young ladies, LOOK
ing in, saw the image of herself there,
and the story was that she died in six
weeks from that time
Christian men and women in the ru-
raj districts of Massachusetts, and
Rhode Island would sit whole eve
nings around the freside Of winter
night, rehearslng such blood curdling
stories of events either witnessed by
themselves or told them by their an
cestors. and many night have gone
to bed in nay early boyhood, after
listening to them, shivering with fear
! I oh 81 L.