Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-08-18
Written for ne Beaeon.
Legends Of st. Mary'S.
ssDKoII Dyer

There are many traditions in old
st. Mary connected With the early
settlement Of the State and with
times Of later date. which II col
lected and published, would be d
great interest and pleasure u our
people. Hardly . neighborhood
but has It's old story 70 he l4oounted
to timld children by some Old
dame Of past generation The
old people are pasug away and
these old legends with them. The
new generation looks to other things
than to the freside stories Of the
olden time. 1t would be veil, while
yet time, for come lover Of Iegen-
Diary lore, however. poor and hum
bic his efforts may be. to gather
these old legends aud preserve them
fromirretFieyable loss. The forms,
at least, should 30 preserved, II bnt
in moulds q clay that, hereafter,
some great master may make those
forms divine. An Irving would
have found II them rich material
ont III which To weave many beau.
tiful legends. But for somc hum-
bic ehronicler, Tie great Wizard
o. the North could not have Civ
en- 10 the world his masterpieces q
fiction.
The following story has often
been heard BY the writer and many
are the believers in lie authenticity.
Many, many years ago, ceutury
perhaps, when witehcraft was more
5elieyedin than now and when Got
ton Matber held sway 10 the land Of
the Pnritans, there lived il an old
hut at a place about one mile south.
east 81 the County Aims Honsean
old bag who bore the reputation 81
being a witch, IN those days when
believers in the occult gcieace werc
many, h witch WA the hanp ot any
locality. There we're those who
were Fearful 81 mourning her anni-
y aud those yhp icefniIy tested
her powers ia discovering their
hidden fate. she was known far
aud wide by the manic II Moll
Dyer, and more than the, no one
knew with any positive knowl-
edge. She gss d d tail and com
handing figure, as all witches are
expected 70 be, but, Il Is said,
through the wreck d years, ono
could see glimpses Of former beau-
IT,
ller history no one knew, but
there were stories told IL her III
another day aud in another country
where her lot vas different and
wherc all that was refined aud bean.
tiful waited on her every atop.
Her tattcred dress would 1T times
reveal patches Of an embroidered
kerchief or bio Of faded lace,
which might recall far Of Summers
when tho banquet hall rang with
the music Of her laughter and court
" men worshipped 1t the shrine Of
her loyeliness.
Some great sorrow which crushed
hope and love out Of her young
life, came upon her and with hate
for her kind in her heart. she sought
distant shore to live ont. alone
and unloyed, the remnans of her
miserable existence,
These were only stories 81 her
life, not, howcyer gathered from
her, for, Whenever III allusion to
her former life was made she wouId
Eat once cease conversation and re-
main silent for many days and on
such occasions, it was thought the
most evil effects Of her witchcraft
were felt.
The hut in which she lived served
her with shelter during the cold
Winter months, but in summer
she would roam the country around
gathering simples for her incanta-
tioLs and living upon the aims Of
the people who we're afraid Of Of
Tending her BY denial.
Moll Dyer was a name too often
used in those days to hush the cries
Of the little child into trembling
Ireposc, and meeting her On thoroad
in certain places md a. certain
times, portended dire calamities.
The cry Of the Banshee, the falling
Of a tree at Lockwood o. The ghost
" walk Of the White Indy were no