The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-31
Strange az it may seem, many of the So

Strange as it may seem, many of the su-
perstitions of the old colonial times still
survive in the mountains of Virginia, I do
not refer to the Voudoo worship of the col
cred people, but to the beliefs that are COM
mon among the white folks of the region.
Here among the A~lleghenies, "witchcraft
celebrates pale Hecate's offerings" and
within easy reaching distance of Fincastle
there a number of withered hags, who less
than a century ago, would have been
burned at the stake for the black arts they
are supposed to practice. They are reputed
to be witches, and to meet one of them at
midnight would appall the bravest inhabit-
ant. At least two OF these women belonged
to fine families in the long ago and were
noted for their beauty and their jewels. In
the olden time withcraft was not confined
to the Puritans of New England. Princess
Anne Courthouse, a little village southeast
of Richmond, Virginia, witnessed the duck
ing of Grace Sherwood in the waters of
Lynhaven bay for wltchcraft. The belief in
witches has never dice out in this vicinity.
A ~favorite name of the Virginia witch is
Sally, due to the fact, probably, that one
Sally Slate achieved great fame in this re-
gion years ago through her internal arts.
She was guilty of many ugly tricks before
she turned old CAsar-her neighbours hired
man-into a horse, and went foraging upon
his brawny back. He was a strange negro
from Georgia.
He had come into the country one day
and been employed as blacksmith by a re-
spectacle farmer. He had never heard Of
Sally Slate.
He had never seen her queer little old
house up under the tulip trees.
But the very night he arrived at his new
home he was visited by her, so he declared
when daylight came. "Bress Gawd, massa,''
said he in relating his adventure. IAN old
'oaman, wit red beard an a hump on her
back, came to me las night. Git APP she
ses; an up l hoped. Den she straddled
my back an | went q pacin' off sech as |
never seen no hos do afore. She rode me
into q c%o'ntiel, an we didn't stop for no
fence. bu: trabbled up u shaft o%'moonlight.
She filled a yaller bag wit corn, and den
made me kerry off her an de con to n little
house up yander, whar, a whole yard-tul o.
black-cats meow-ed us q welcome. Don she
GIN me a slash wit a black snake whip an
ses scat an tuck to my heels an paced
home. You can't spec me- to work to-day
massa, Use too tagged OUT
OF course he was allowed a holiday and
the whole neighborhood took up his story
with profound belief and now repeat it with
awe and trembling though Sally Slate has
long since entered the body of her own
black cat.
Liddy Hughes, a noted witch, yet lives,
II q destitute condition, at the county poor
house. She has q son, moderately well-to-
do, but disclaiming her because of her
witchoraft.
She also has been shot with a silver bull
let, shot by proxy. for the death of a COW.
By proxy? Yes. Her neighbor drew upon
paper, with juice Of the p'coon root, and
with the art of "A skilled inountaineer. in
deed-Lidy Hughes portrait. This he
tackled upon n beech tree in the woods
where the cow died. And, upon shooting
the portrait with a silver bullet. Lidy next
day appeared very lame in the hip joint.
She is lame yet from the silver bullet.
asked her how she had killed the COW.
AFTER her Own confession to it, in which she