Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-08-14
WIZARD CLIP.

The following, found In an old paper
in the possession Of gentleman Of Ber-
ryville, is taken from The winchester
Hrqinian of October -, 1889:
In the adjacent county Of Jefferson
(says writer in the Romney lrSts),
seven miles west of Charlestown, there
is little village generally called "Wiz-
ard Clip" 1t probably obtained this
ghostly appellation from the fact that n
great many years ago sn aged and opu-
lent German, residing therein, had his
family's wearing apparel and their bed
clothes cut or clipped, from time TO time,
into ribbons, by mischievous wizards,
as he supposed. And not only so, they,
in spirit of deviltry, wod1d also very
frequently clip or cut out the seats Of
his own, his sons, and those gentlemen's
unmentionables, who happened to tarry
xll night under the roof Of his "hsunt'
ed" house.
Nor, Mr.. Editor, is this yarn" about
wizards and clipping in "Wizard Clip
q mere idle tradition, having no founda-
tion In fact. For the writer Of this,
though a small boy at the time this clip
ping took place in "Wizard Clip" rec
ollects very distinctly of seeing some Of
its effects-of seeing, in the once
"haunted house," Of this old German,
clothing, clipped or cut all into rib
bons, about half al inch wide, which
had been preserved, for = number OF
years, in his family, as tangible evil
dence OF the bad treatment he had pre-
viously received at the hands of wizards,
aud which, though clipped, possessed
this remarkable popularity that, when
elevated as high ss q man could reach,
not ribbon, or part thereof, fell upon
h the floor-al and every part Of 1t ap-
peared to stick or adhere together a.
though 1t was perfectly whole and had
never been the subject Of the wizards
shears.
And this clipping or cutting process
was continued or carried on, In his
home, until nearly all of his and his
sons wearing apparel-particularly the
seats of their unmentionables and bed
clothes-were so clipped or cnt to pieces
that they were measurably useless.
As might be expected, this clipping
in this old Germans family excited, In
this little village and its environs, q
great deal of curiosity-numbers Of mas-
culines, of heroic spirits, who were not
afraid of wizards, witches, or ghosts,
would therefore frequently visit his
house at night, the time the wizards
shears were generally applied, for the
purpose of satisfying themselves wheth-
er or not there was any reality in this
clipping story. But they generally left
in the morning with their unmensiona-
bles minus seats.
Being thus so much annoyed and be-
deviled by this. clipping, cutting, and
consequent destruction Of his property,
this old opulent German came to the
conclusion that he would forthwith
make public sale, sell all Of his prop
er.y, and move to the far west. But for
tunately when about to advertise, he
met q Roman Catholic priest. who re.
aided in his neighborhood, to whom he
related all his recent grieyances-all the
losses he had sustained, and was still
sustaining. on the account Of the devil
try of wizards. This erudite man oi
God, after attentively hearing his com.
plaint, Immediately made him this prop
osition:
"Give me one OF your farms and
will therefor put an immediate stop te
this clipping aud consequent. deetruc'
rien Of your property"
To this proposal the old opnlent Ger
man most heartily aequiesced. Accord
ingly, on the next day the priest, with
such Of the paraphernalia of his church
Is were portable, repaired to the haunt
ed house to fulfill his part Of the con
tract. And, by spending q couple o
days In celebrating high and low masses
| sprinkling q large quantity Of holy va