The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-01-31
THE WTTCH'S ISLAND.
How Was Handsomely Reward
ed for a Little Kindness

You may look as long IS you please
Tor Nilch's Island. on any map you
choose, without dnt.ng IL
10 IS only = great bare rock, with some
grass and few sr-u-ed pine trees a.
one end, and near them. and in the mid
die. q .l-L.e hut. with 4 roof the shape OF
an o-l-tlsEioucd beehive. Il had two
rooms on the lower floor. and IN the
dome a lof; or garret- Each room had q
window, and the loft TWO round holes at
either end. In all the windows, instead
OF panes OF glass squares Of mica had
been cunningly set. The chimney was
in the middle, and arranged 70 warm
both lower rooms, which were semi-cir-
GUAR The outer walls wero built Of
stone. Within all was smooth as an
carrleru pot and Of a very dark brown;
nobody knew wnat had been done 10 IL.
The story OF It's building was this:
Many. many years before queer little
man had come 70 town lie was yellow
as a Chinese. but was not OF that nation.
IC had a bay with u.nl which ce carried
on c.s back When ne was spoEen - he
gruntei AMI Nodded Having va. kei
down % ;he shore he stool looking at
the is.and Tor awhile and then went TO
the baKe-'s shop and pointed 70 4 loaf
and idlt some pennies on tho coUr Ter.
The baKCr took i've Of tEcm and gave
him the loaf After this he returned %
the shore and bought an old boat and
rowcd out 10 the island. Every day he
rowed in for his bread and 10 Ill 4 black
Jug with whisky, and they often saw him
fishing. Shortly ho was noticed build
ing something IL was the hut de-
scrjbcd. He built IL Of loose stones that
lay about the island. and plastered i,
with mud, and from that time on seemed
% 1.-Two on bread, whisky, fish and such
fruit as was 20 be found upon the ground
in any farming country, in lanes, or
after the passing OF wagons from Ihe
orchards
In the course OF time he died, and the
clergyman vas rowet over 20 give him
decent burial.
The reverend gentleman was Mortified
by finding queer lump OF hardened
mud in the shape OF a squat human
figure set up At one end of the room.
He declared that this was an idol In
this day people would have carried IL
away as curiosity, but in that they
dod trembling, and no one ever dared TO
20 over 70 the island, which At that time
was nameless.
I had often rowed across to see il.
The idol-if idol it were-had crumb,ed
considerably. but otherwise the house
was una.tered. The spring near the
door was always fresh and sweet, and
the mica had not fallen from the panes
IL was 4 good place 10 picnic in when We
went 70 the island TO fish, and / felt
very much provoked when | heard one
day that it had become tho property Of
an old woman, DilsLy More by name,
who had been the village fortune-teller
for years. She had bought the island Of
the town for mere song, and soon es-
tablished herself in the queer little
structure, whence she came AZ intervals
70 pursue her trade, going from door TO
door 70 begUile servant girls of their
small change by promises Of rich hus-
bands, selling bead necklaces which
she manufactured very curiously, and q
candy FOR which she averred she had a
special recipe.
can see her yet, with her eager
gypsy face framed in red hood, her
quick step, her long lean arms, and tho
basket she alwa - carried on her back
a fat basket made FOR that purpose.
tetested her, for she had spoiled my
p.ay-place. And the older people spoke
OF Dilsey as OF one whose ways were
dark. and who was little better than a
heathen in her practices shortly they
baptized the place the Witch's Island
vas by this time a tall girl of four
teen and handled the oars bctter than
many boys I often rowcl around the
island, and sometimes saw Diisey az her
door ruaking her bracelets or boiling her
candy All day long I bad nothing 70
do but 10 enjoy myself Masters came