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

= heaven. The women shrank back il
fear and the men in astonishment
while with arms stretched out in a,
! unstndied attitude ofappeal. and Will
an energy the more impressive b,
contrast with her usually calm anC
almost shy manner. Mercy poured out
her protest.
What has my mother done" she
demanded with a sort of sacred fury
} that stilled for the moment all mur.
murs and brought to the eyes of more
than one tears, half Of pity and hall
Of excitement, what has nv mother
done that you would treat her dead
body. worse than a dog? She has
been more than mother % me, and
how many times she has helped the
sick and the poor Oh, are you the
neighbors | have lived among all my
life. and that have been kind to me,
that must beg for grave for my
mother, who was kinder and better
than you all? And you, Uncle Ezra !
Who saved your hand when it was
frozen? Who doctored little HoE e
when she had the scarlet fever? You
wore glad enough to have her help
when she was living. but now
Her self-control gave way. She
broke off in burst of hysterical sobs,
leaning her face upon the shoulder OF
her trembling old father. Ezra John
ston, for moment giving way before
his niece's vehemence, covered his
confusion with a sneer, and again at
tempted to seize the handle of the
bier.
Before he could do more, however,
vigorous grasp caught his arm, and
stalwsrt young fellow drew him
roughly back.
Let be-, Ezra Johnston, the young
man sail in deep voice. his strong
white teeth showing angrily. Let
be. or it will be worse for ye.'
Like u wildcat. Johnston turned tc
strike, but before the blow could fall,
the clergyman sprang to catch the
strong wrist of his angry parishioner.
Stay Priest Eaton commanded
in voice Of authority. Il warn you
that YOU are going too far"
Enraged as Johnston was, he was
still sufficiently master Of himself to
realize that it was not safe openly to
defy the clergyman, and it is not i'm
probable, too, that he could not him
self wholly shake off the habit of obe-
dience that was almost universal in
the scattered parish.
With any ally less powerful than
superstition, it would have been idle
for him to set himself against the min
istrr on any question; but the remote
pulses of the wave of madness that
shook Salem in l64S were more than
century in dying away, and in
Hnrpsweli the belief in witchcraft was
as perfect as the faith in religion.
Even to day the superstition lives in
many a remote New England village,
and the air of the sea, laden as it is
with mysterious sounds aud influences.
seems especially to nourish these de-
lusions.
Johnstor:'s whole stubborn nature
was by this time aroused, aud all his
cunning bent on the carrying Of his
point. He felt Instinctivelv that the
tide of general feeling was turning
ag.inst hun. anu with genuine New
England shrewdness he lit upon pre-
cisely the appeal that would most
surely win the tickle crowd again to
his views.
Well" he sneered, falling back,
''if Jacob Thatcher takes the matter
W. Of course We must all give way,
even if he warts an accursed witch,
wife buried in the same lot with all
the Christian folk We come of. Eve
rybody knows that Goody Slower
bewiIched him long ago to make him
rvu after Mercy and We, Daniel
Strong, have cause to remember the
luck she gave him. But if he takes
sides with the Devil, the two together
may we'll be too much for the honest
men OF Harpswe!l."
The appeal produced an instant and
powerful effect, aud the angry retort
of Jacob Thatcher was drowned in the
cries of assent and approval that an
swered Johnstons words
That Thatcher was the lover Of
Mercy Slower was well enough known
in q community where a man was
hardly able to keep even his thoughts
to himself, and the reference to this
fact imp~ached at once the sincerity
aud impartiality of MS interference.
By alluding, moreover, TO an old ri
yslry that extended to boats, athletics.
and all interests that the narrow life