Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-12-09
THE WITCH OF HlRPsWELL.

The feathery branches Of the hem
locks that stood. tall and sombre, be-
sids the path along Harpswell Neck
soughed softly in the November wind !;
and the funeral train that wended its
slow way, with frequent haltings.
through the woodland track might
hear also the monotonous sound Of
the surf on the rocks out Of sight, yet
not far away.
1t was a singular procession. Six
brawny fsh-wives carried the rude
bier, upon which rested coffin un-
painted and clumsy, while behind
came a tall. pale girl, supporting the
steps Ct q man n-eseewssd too feehia-
for the task Of walking at all. After
these two mourners, to whose faces
the effort of REFRESHING emotion had
lent an expression of cold sternness.
came handful Of women, who strag-
gled irregnlarly forward, avoiding the
rough places in the forest path with a
half-lnstinctive sense that comes FROM
familiarity.
Now and then the bearers were in
silence relieved Of their solemn bur-
den, and with stolid impassiveness the
train moved on. The quaint dresses
of the women, the cold light tiltering
through the tossing boughs Of pine
and hemlock, the mournful bier, com-
bined to produce sad and strange
effect. Even tue stolid fish. wives who
were thus accompanying Elkniah Sto-
ver's second wife to her last resting
place were not wholly unconscious OF
the wildness of the circumstances, and
although they had few words in which
to express their feelings, they now
and then muttered. half TO themselves
and half 10 each other, some comment
which Indicated the as;onishment lit
tie short OF stupetAction o! people used
TO the most commonplace round Of
life who find themselves suddenly
taking part in remarkable and start
ling occurrences.
The last century was not far past
its noon. HarpsweIl Neck. now a
long cape almost bare Of trees, stretch
ing out into Casco bay in unattractive
barrenness, wac then still thickly
wooded and only path through the
prImevAl forest connected the fishing
settlement at its end with the small
village gathered about the graveyard
and the old square church, still stand
ing. where Parson Eaton. or, as the
country people universally called him.
Priest Eaton, broke the bread of life
to his sea.faring dock.
There had been grave doubts how
Priest Eaton might feel about per
forming the last rites over the body
that the women. anGrily deserted by
the men Of the settlement, were wear
lily bearing to her grave. Hannah
Slower had not onl Y been a Quaker,
causing great scandal by refusing TO
be present at the services in the old
square church, but there were afoat
rumors Of a wilder and darker char
acter concerning her To the step
daughter Mercy. who had been on
the day previous to ask him, Priest
Eaton had, however, given his prom
ise, perhaps somewhat reluctantly. to
overlook al! short com!ngs in view Of
the welI-establIsi>hed sodliness OF Elk
riAh Stovers family and her sor-
rowing husband hoped that uo sllu-
sion to the religion, wanderings OF
his dead wife might add TO his pain
While the women by their presence
and by taking the office OF bearers
gave testimony to the worth Of the
departed they were not without more
or less conscious Willingness that the
occasion should be improved to their
spiritual edihcAtion by seme contrast
ing of their own steAdfastuess in the
faith with the errors of the deceased
They had lsborsd zeslously with her
living and their characters were too
hardy to yield all opposition simply
because Goodwife Slower could no
longer reply. They had braved the
anger Of the husbands that had for
hidden them to be present at the fu-
neral Of one to whom popular malig-
nity gave the name Of witch, a name
in those days of terrible :mport but
righteousness, and perhaps especially
feminine righteousness, is seldom uu-
willing to hear itself commended, even
at the expense of the unanswering
dead.
As the forest began to grow thinner,
and there were signs that the village
was near, 3 certain subtle air OF ex-
pectation made itself evident bv faint
signs. The bearers walked with a
more alert step, the women behind
drew their cloaks about them with an