Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-01-31

but meanwhile, during the SculHe, loSle
was up and gone till daylight, when ne re-
turned, haggard and buried as usual. 90
not know that Ferguson was convert TO
Burns opinion, but he never could be IN
duced to make another effort to keep the
witch from her ride, and Mosie was left TO
his fate for five years.
One day was passing Sam Wright's ho-
tel in YOrkville, when noticed a crowd of
people in the house and yard. 1t was not a
public day, and my curiosity was good
deal excited as to the cause Of the assem-
blage, and I concluded to 60 in and see.
ENDURING of some of the crowd, I was in
formed that the celebrated Doctor Brindle,
from Lincolnton, North Carolina, a witch
doctor, was in the house to prescribe for all
who needed his services and, furthermore,
that the day before, he had cured Mosie
Gabbie. Old Burns, who always kindly
took great interest in the poor lad, heard OF
DR.. Brindle and his great success in like IN
stances, and went to North Carolina to see
him. The doctor said, with confidence, he
could cure Gabbie, and agreed to return
with old Mr.. Burns tOtry it. ~ large num-
neighborhood, gathered in to see how the
doctor would proceed in the matter. The
first step of the physician was to administer
an emetic, which caused Mosie to eject from
his stomach crooked pins, needles, hair balls,
&C. This was attested by many persons who
were present, who, in telling the tale, would
say they were willing to swear on the Bible
they saw him throw up this trash. After
this, a black cat, which had been procured
for the purpose, was tied to chair, a switch
of dead hOg-weed was provided, and the
doctor gave the cat nine ''clips." Mosie,
then taking the switch, gave the cat the
same number Of strokes, then waited nine
minutes and resumed the feline castigatlon,
striking different number Of times, and
pausing a longer or shorter period, but al
ways by odd numbers.
The doctor told then that the witch who
rode Mosie, would, by this means, be brought
to the house and ask for some tritling favor,
and would be in great distress of mind and
not leave until the favor was granted. They
continued the discipline of the black cat till
late in the afternoon, when, sure enough, up
walked old Mrs. Biggert, as the doctor had
predicted, though as Mrs. Burns said, she
had not been in the yard for years before.
On this visit she asked for some little thing,
perhaps pitcher Of buttermilk, which be-
ing refused, she seemed in the greatest trOu-
BILE and hung around instead Of leaving.
This seemed singular fact for those pres
ent. BY little sleight-of-hand the needles,
pins and hair-balls might have been so ma
nipulated as to deceive them, but the pres
ence of old Mrs. Biggert was unmistakable
Late in the evening Mrs. Burns gave hel
what she wanted, Whereupon the old crea.
ture expressed great delight and trudged OF
home. From that hour Mosie Gabbie was
free from the spell, and slept in his bed all
night like other folks.
| After this over true tale, l, even, must
test the conjurer, and went into the room al
Mr.. Wright's to see him. Advancing,
told him, wanted to know if he could cure
pain in my arm. go, yes, he could make
it we'll" Taking my hand so as to extend
nv arm to right inclination, he passed his
hand quickly down the length Of my arm
from shoulder to wrist and with flourish
as he passed the extremity of my fingers
said, "in out !" with each manipulation
and repeating it three times, pronounced
me well. / certainly was for my ache was
entirely feigned. I paid my quarter for the
manpuvre very willingly, having satisfied
my curiosity, and amused myself awhile
longer watching him with others.
When finished my tale, Mr.. Elliott said
ssD0 yOu think any one could believe such
a tissue of absurdity ?" EYES," was my re-
ply "many, before your revelations fines
merism." ''Oh no." he insisted. We
were walking up the nil atGlenn'SSprlngS
and pointed to a group of men sitting in
front of the store-door talking politics and
news, while waiting for the mail. pro
posed we should join them and repeat oul t3l
narrations, predicting | would have the
most believers. He willingly agreed, and
joining the crowd, I introduced the topic
He talked well, and they were much enter
tanned. When he was done, l said it re-
minded me of case I'd heard of in York,
and told them of ''Mosie Gabbie." When
| was done, asked, 'Now, gentlemen, il
you were bound to believe one story or the
other, which would it be ?" "'rhe witch
story" was the reply of all. Mr.. Elliott
with his true courtesy, laughed at the con-
frmaton Of my statement. Now, probably;
as mesmerism is no longer new, he would
find as many believers as |.
TO BE CONTINUED.