The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-27
\ WITCH STORY.

Of tio civ now known Us ors;viile,
v;l...o ,t.t ia orc s.use Of tie word
,vos ,.e....f,.s. It was known, however
tJ,ro. ..i the surrounding ccCnuy as
The Mot hamlet It's dwellings were
,ymc.. n,v hats. small and mcanly
cons.ru SEA, ard the inhabi,ants lived in
the D.. abjccs poverty They barely
el,o8 l..l miserable SUPPORT by cutting
wood u ;ho forests surrounding them
and scl,. p, it to purchasers ia the city.
Those Of orr readers who have ever
Travelled li.o-~h The south OF France
have seen scattered .sout thc traces OF
an almost lost race, separate and distinct
from the mass of the inhabitants OF the
country. Iii thc middle ages this com
munitv was quite large, but they grad
ually died out under the injustice and
oppression with which they were treated
by their neighbors. Forced to remain
by themselves, and cut off from all the
social advantages Ct other people, Ire
qucnt intermariaSas were not slow IN
producing "a dwarfed and really inferior
race. Some Of these people managed to
make their way to this city, but it seems
that the feelings engendered against
them on the other SIDE followed them
here
In the eyes OF the people, both here
and in France. the NagotS were lnfittcls,
hcathens, prisoners, worshipers Of Satan,
and il was favOrite suspicion with them
that these poor wrotches lived chiefly on
human blood, and that they were wehr-
wolves-that is, possessed Of power to
assume ut pleasure the form of wolf,
and to pursue the destructive habits OF
chat terrible monster.
The hamlet, however, had friend IN
one Eben Kershaw, a venerable and
worthy old gentleman, who was faml-
iarly called "Uncle Eben.' This kind
Old man pitied the outcaSts, and ms heart
warmed to them as he daily saw the in
Justice which was heaped upon them.
One day "Uncle Eben" abstractedly
wandered beyond The limits of the ham
let, when suddenly ne was startled from
his rcycrie by loud shout Looking up
he saw a young girl flying in terror be-
fore a crowd Of people who were pursu-
ing her vita boots and curses.
The girl saw him. and, rushing toward
him, Ten 80 his feet and chung to LIS
coat
"Savc r.e. Uncle Ebenr 90 she cried,
implc-Lir.
Tho -au man waved the crowd back
stclnS AMI demanded What they wanted
ar tl, r.rl.
"fi.i,a devi-a wehrwOf,' said one
Of o., crowd, stout, bury fellow.
"Wc va-t her life before she fattens on
NOR. a our blood"
"Unclc Etan' gazed at the crowd
scorufuliy for q moment, and then,
drawing The girl closer TO him, said
calmly. This is no wehrwoH She is
one &C Gods children. Let him who
dare touch Ter at his peril He then
lel ls safely % the hamlet
"What have YOU done, Marie?' asked
"Un.i. Nen,' Is they went along.
"Nothing. uncle They found me neal
Che edge Of the forest and said | was
wehrwolf. and threatened to kill me. "
"What were you doing in the forest,
my childI'
The girl FLASHED and hung her head.
mo doubt you were there to meet a
hover. Is it So"
The grl was still silent, but the blush
ing face answered him and he contin-
0ed:
as he Of your own race, DIariel'
ale is not. uncle. He belongs there"
and she pointed 10 the village.
My good GIRL" said the old man,
kindly, Il don't think this is right. You
must be careful Of the people in The vii
hge. Tncy don't consider you their
equal, and DO not believe they will act
honorable with YOU. Let them alone, or
you viii have cause to repent
''But Alfred Tompllins is brave and
honorable, uncle,' Marie exclaimed in
dgnantly. He loves me, though am
poor, downtroddcn Nagot And why
should lac not love mc2 have beauty,
and am as worthy oil him as any of the
women in the village who sheer at me as
they pass me by
Tho girl SPOKE rapidly and with pas
sion. and her face seemed to the good old
man more beautiful than anything he had
ever seen.
Marie y.as the daughter of All old
widow liking in a small cottage. Her
mother Lad been bed ridden for more
tlian a year, and now awaited her dauSh-
ter's coming with impotence. She knew
that Marie had gone to the forest. and,
knowing the hatred which was felt for
the Nagots, feared that some harm had
befallen her. rs the young girl entered
at last, she asked her sharply what had
detained her SO long; and Marie told her
Of her adventure with the townspeople.
Course thcmw shrieked the old dame.
''Thcy murdered your father child, and
now they would take you from me. Oh,
that | were Il wolf! l would tear them,
warrant me. Gul, girl. ii ever you
love one of them, as | did once when /
was young, you VIII repent it bitterly
You had better die first.
Marie shudderek Twice in an hour she
had received this warning, and she could
not shake of the feeling which it threw
over her. Still she could not give up her
love for Alfred, even though he did be-
HONG IN the tOvpSppOnlO He was n yOlDg