Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-01-16
THE HEX'S DAUGHTER.

fenDSylVdnla DutcU Town. All Olu
woman had died in the place that
dav, end wherever | went about the
village her death seemed TO be the
leading topic. finally asked the
landlord of the hotel where | stopped
who or what the old woman had
been.
"Oh, she was a hex the landlord
replied.
Not having the least suspicion OF
what in the world hex might be, /
pushed inquiry, and learned that
great many people in that vicinity,
and, in fact, throughout that entire
part of the State, were still firm be-
levers in witchcraft and in the power
of certain persons, by ridiculous in
carnations, ceremonies, and prescrip-
tions, known under the generic name
OF pow wowing, to drive the witches
away from persons, animals, wells,
crops, or whatever had fallen under
the ban. These witch doctors were
usually women, and were known in
Pennsylvania Dutch as heIes. They
were held in great respect, and the
death Of one was regarded as a ca
lamity by the believers in witches.
The woman who had just died had
been a particularly successful hex.
and her death was an event OF no lit
tie Importance in the village.
Now, | don't believe in witches
myself, or in the power Of a hex
said the landlord, but | would be
obliged to some one who could eS-
plain to me an occurrence with which
this woman who has just died was
concerned. and which came under my
personal observation. 1t was certain
ly the strangest thing l ever read or
heard Of, even in this locality, where
superstitious belief and credulity find
never-ending weird and wonderful
things to tell
Il don't know how old the hex was
who died to-day. No one knows. But
twenty years ago she was an old We
man. She Was the widow OF well
known Pennsylvania Dutch farmer,
Jacob Freitcher, who died a quarter
of a century ago. Although she was
left wealthy, her daughter went out
to service. as is the custom with the
girls of Pennsylvania Dutch parent
age, although they may be prospec-
tive heiresses to thousands This girl,
then about twenty years OF age
worked at this very hotel. Her name
was Barbara, and she is to-day the
wife of one Of the richest farmers in
the county. The landlord at that
time was leading man in this coun-
ty, and usually a jovial sort OF fellow.
His name was Joseph Boyer. For
some reason he never could explain
he took an intense dislike to the old
hex's daughter, who worked for him.
| have often heard him say that when
he was near the girl, or she was in his
presence. he could scarcely restrain
himself from doing her personal in
jury, and was constantly, against his
will, wishing that he, or some one
else, might make her suffer. 1t was
most singular feeling, for the girl was
honest and industrious, and, as the
landlord had frequently said, the best
girl he ever had in his house.
"Boyer's unaccountable hatred OF
the he1's daughter was not the only
strange fact connected with the two.
The girls fear of her employer
to terror. She trembled
yisibly when he was in sight and that
she suffered greatly could be seen by
the expression of her face. AT times
she fell into fainting fits after Boyer
had left her ,ight, out OF which she
was revived with difficulty. Another
singular thing was that the girl quit
the landlords employ several times,
but after an absence OF few days in
variably came back and re-entered
his service. She told his wife that
she had such pains while she was
away that she was forced 10 come
back for relief.
1T seems that Barbara, who was a
sensible girl and not inclined to the
superstitions her mother was believed
to hold the charms against, did not
make known to her mother the pecu-
liar sensations and suffering she eIpe-
rienced and endured until nearly a
year after they first appeared. Then,
finding that she got no better, she
confded in her mother, who told her
at once that she was bewitehed.
But who would want TO bewitch
me. niotherT she asked.
- L don't know replied her moth
er. but l will find out
THE old hex took a piece Of black
PAPER. took down her witch book,
something every hex has, copied
something from it on the paper, and
folded the paper. She then gave her
daughter hammer and a sharp bail,
and told her that at 12 o'clock on the
first night Of the first new moon she
must take the paper, the hammer and
the nail with her TO an ash tree that
stood at the cross roads mile beyond
the village. She must place the pa
per against the tree, and with one
blow of the hammer send the nail
home through the paper. That, the
hex said, would not only destroy the
witch, but would discover the person
or thing that the witch had acted
through.