The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-11-29
A WitCh's Thanksgiving.
A story Of the Olden Days in New England.

A Witch's Thanksgiving.
A Story Of the Olden Days in New England.
In the year 1892 the little settle
ments about Massachusetts bay
were less in the humor of Thanksgiv
ing celebration than ever before since
the early days of their trials. AS the
one feast OF their busy and earnest
year drew near, few hearts could say
that a feeling of rejoicing animated
them. What the coming days held
in store for each one was the all alb
sorbing thought. Hardly a month
had passed since eight Of the colony
folk had met an ignominious death
on the gallows. Some of these, as
well as others before, this, had ap-
parently been good and kind neigh
,bors, quiet and cody men and wom-
en-. Even n of the ministers whom
his congregation respected in spite
of his inclinationt to disagree inpoints
of doctrine with the other wise and
cody preachers, had suffered this
shameful fate. Several, punished as
the worst criminals, had spoken and
prayed like holy men and women, but
the Rev. Cotton Mather, who knew
all about witches and witchcraft, and
had led many to confess their wrong
doings, warned the people that it
was the devil speaking through these
servants of his. So long as they
would not confess their "nefandous"
crime, their master would stand by
them and enable them to appear like
angels of light. All this had produc-
ed a gloomy depression, from which
none had spirit to rally. Who should
next be accused by the afflicted, was
the harassing question which came
home to each ore.
During a month, q~uietness had
been to some extent restored, for the
afflicted suffered less violently, and
the spectres of neighbors who came
to intict the devils will upon these
unfortunates were now yelled that
their names and faces could not be
known. VI
The judges and ministers seemed
to be undergoing reaction after their
jealous efforts which had led to the
hanging of SO many. The jails were
still full of accused waiting their
trial, but for time were left unmolest-
ed. People began to breathe more
freely, and to hopethat God, through
the applications and energy OF his
faithful servants had purged the land
of the vile infestation.
sTruly, has it been q dreary time,"
said Dame Carny to herself as she
moved busilv about her pleasant
kitchen, hanging the long strips of
pumpkins and the strings of sliced
apples over the lines stretched from
beam to beam. "But God has been
good to us, in that he has hindered
Satan from troubling this house
hold" She shivered as she spoke.
Even now am / frightened to men
ton the evil ones name lest he look
about to do us harm"
Dame Bishop will say you are o
witch, mother, if you talk tosyour-
SELF" said herfour-year-old daughter,
De~liverance,x who, stretched out on
the braided husk mat before the wide
fireplace, noticed, as she played with
her black kitten, that her mother
lips moved in prayer.
Dame Carny looked at her little
daughter with surprise.
"Say not SO, sweet; Goodwife
Bishop would not speak such dire
speech of her neighbors.
Eyes, she would, mother" said
Deliverance, earnestly. "She says
evil of you. Abigail Bishop told me
to-day.
ut is not seemly for me to heed
the words Of q child. Play with
your kittens and hearken not to the
concerns of your elders" said Dame
Carny, with, that strong inclination
to repression inculcated by her
Puritan training. She went on with
her work, preparing the midday
meal: but her daughter'sWords made
her uneasy. True, the evilseemed to
be diving out, but Whocould tell; and
many 90 harmless and seemingly as
innocent as she had been accused of
exercising evident Witchcrafts upon
their neighbors and carried to jail.
Her ~uneasiness continued, until,
the meal ready some space OF time
before her husbands return from the
fields, she could no longer restrain
hereuriosity, but, sitting down on
the wooden settle in the chimney
corner. she drew her child to her lap
and, stroking her long curls, ques-
toned her.