Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-29
HEROIC MEASURES.
How the Spell Was Removed from
 Uncle Billy's Horses.

Gross superstition is generally allied to ignorance The man who seriously be- lieves in witchcraft and silver bullets Is likely to contend that the world can not re- volve every twenty-four hours, because it does not empty the water out of his well Uncle Billy, as an old pioneer we wot of was familiarly termed, was one of this class. He knew there was such beings as witches-old women who had made eague with the devll-because he had had some sad experiences in his younger days. "You see," said Uncle Billy, '1 aint man of larning-I never went to school asy in my life-I Aon't know how to write my name or even read 6 word of print put, for sll that, knows as much about witches, and can tell you as much about lem, ss the next.
 "I settled out w est here after the 1njtns had all been druv on, and so me and my wife hadn't nothing to fear from them; but shere was other critters about In these here liggings nigh as bad, as I'm gwine to tell you about.
 s'You must know that after I'd got things axed up to suit me, tux to raising hosses, having nateral incline for that ere animal. t'vo knowed hoss ever sence l was old snough to know any thing. Nobody couldn't fool me in hoss. After two or three years | style, and was doing Q purity decent busi- aess for Q man of my means and edication-
 But then come my fust trouble. An old woman, called the Wilder Groat, living about two miles on, come over to my house ,ne day to borrow peck of Injin meal. My wife she let her have it, and the old witch sho went oil good-nater'd enough. A week went by, and she didn't fetch it back, but como agin for another peck, telling some xind of e story about being disspp'inted and 10 on. Howsomever, my wife she didn't be- ieve her, and wouldn't let her have no moro till she paid up, and this time she went away mad. and said that rich people that wouldn't help poor folks wouldn't git along aone too well, and that we might look out 70 see the Lord pay us off for our meanness n Q way we'd feel 1t. If.shc'd said Satan instead of the Lord reckon she'd Q como nearer the mark.
 "Well, about a week after that I went out 70 seo after my hosses and found Ave of lem sick in . way I'd never seed hossos afore {; and the minute looked at lem knowed Mother Groat had begun her de'llish work, and l didn't have much hope to cure lem, though I went In for trying what thought was best. It didn't do no good, though they all died in great distress-and then ,omo more of lem was tux in the same way. got . hoss-d doctor to como and see lem, but 1 he couldn't tell what ailed lem, no more'n nc, and they died, too. But when the third 1 .ot was tux thought 1t high time to try so'thing else; and, backing my saddle-hoss, { rid thirty miles to see woman that told eortins and sich. She was big, fat thing, with 8 purity sharp eye, and knowed c | heap
 l "'You'vo come on important business P says she, as leaped down from my pant lng boss, and hurried into her house. 1 "I has, said I; what Is it'
 "'so'thing's happened to you of late that's kind of awful and mysteriousp she said.
 "'Yes,' said l, that's true,' wondering sll the time how she could know.
 "'You've lost,' said she; and there she stopped, and looked right curious into my eyes.
 l "I have; but can you tell me whatp
 "I did that jest to try her, like.
 "I can tell you,' said she, but 1t might take me some little time to git ct all tn. particulars, and every minute is so preciou, to the success of what you're after.'
 "'It is,' sad l; and went on to tell hel all about the hosses.
 "'They're bewitchodr she said, right oil without stopping to think @ minute
 "sThat's itr cried. I knowed it.
 "'There's an old woman in the scrape she said.
 "'Exactlyr replied.
 "sLet me seer she sort O unused; he | name is-'
 "'Groatr I said.
 "'The very same,' said she; and I'm gla you know 1t yourself, for now you'll be read to act as tell you.'
 ''Its wonderful, sir, what that lar forth teller knowed. She catched at the nam
 
 she'd knowed the old witch all her life and s'pect she'd never sot eyes on he nutber.
 'Well, she told me to go and git som tansy, some dogwood roots, and mix 'ez with some yarbs she giv me, and put lem LSTERIN NC WOOD FINISHING, Piano Polishing an w general urniture Repairing. Oak Pi