The Delta independent., 1889-12-10
"sTwo or three days. she says. with an.

"'Two or three days. she says with an.
other grunt.
~ knew she lied, for It hadn't been but Q
few hours senoe I'd got the spell put on
her; but wasn't disappointed; 'spected
her TO lie; the .fortin-teller had said she
might not let on, and she didn't, you seel
''Well after I'd oiven her niece Of my
mind on her wicked doings, set out to 60.
She fairly begged mo to fetch her soothing
to eat, or tell somebody else to, as she was
dying, which promised I'd do as soon as
my hosses got we'll, II she'd agree never 70
witch 'em ag'in.
"'You're an old foolp she cried; land
the curse Of Heaven be on you and your
family
"'Which 1t won't be none the more foi
your wishing it, said I, as walked away
and left her.
'She was terrible wicked old witch, sir,
that same Molher Groat, tell you. After
all I'd said and done to her, she wouldn't let
up on the critters, which kept on dying till
rs afeard I'd lose the hull of 'em. 30 I
started OF ag'in to the fortin-teller's, and
told her all about 1t.
"I see we've got to try so'thing seversr.
she said. If the old witch can't be salts
fed with the punishment we've given her,
there's no way but to 70 to extremes, even
II 1t kills her. Now you go home said she,
'and pound up some silver into bullets, put
one on 'em into your gun and go out into the
woods and draw her face on q stump or
tree, and then shoot into it,
"'But can't draw her face,' said, sbe.
kase aint no drawer.'
"'Oh, make o round mark for the face,
and then make marks for the eyes, nose and
mouth, calling her by name all the time; /;
that'll do Jest as WE'LL
"'And will that kill hertz asked.
"'It will hurt her good DEAL she said,
III it don't do nothing else. and maybe iti;
break the spell on tho hosses'
"'And s'pose 1t dontp l asked.
"sThen you must take the res. OF the bull.
lets,' said the ortin-teller--'one for each
hoss as is sick, mind-and shoot tho critters
dead, one after T. other, and SO keep ON
shooting all as gifts sick.
"Well, sir, come home ag'inysud set to
work on the new spell l cut and pounded
up two silver spoons and some pieces Of
money into bullets and went out into the
woods with my gun, drawed the old witch
on stump, and let her have one on 'em
right through her head. The next day
went over to see what had come ont and
found old Mother Grost stiR and dead in
her bed. Yes, sir. the bullot had done for
her, and s'pect Satan had got her soul, &C.
cording to his bargin with her."
A suggestion that she might have died Of
starvation and disease was treated by the
superstitious Uncle Billy with scorn and
contempt. It was astonishing how ignorant
people were on the subject Of witches. She
was not the only one who had been put out
of the world in that way; he had heard of
many othera, and had some other exps
riences himself,
''But what about the horsesr'
NWQ1l. / 0nlv Ind tn ahnOG f0uP NJ lem
after the old witch died." he said, "and then
the rest Of 'em got along right nice"
You might have made Uncle Billy be.
lieve the milky-way was painted, because
that looked reasonable, but not that the
earth turned round, or that there was no
such thing as witchcraft. He was only one
Of large class, however, whose ignorance
il sad aid 10 their credulity.-N. Y
Ledger.