The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-11-23
Uncle Jas' Writes About Witches
When He was a Boy in old Elk Lick.

When He Was Boy In Old Elk Lick.
The early settlers OF this region generally
came from The eastern counties and shs
banks Of the Delaware. Our ancestors were
OF German origin, many Of them from the
soil that bad been repeatedly ravaged with
fire and sword By French invaders Their
dialect, as we still hear it. is clipped and
abbreviated in the French style, while their
legends and traditions, yet remembered by
many, point to The valley of the Rhine. Tn
educated and simple 10 their habits they
were as different from their countrymen,
who have become 50 numerous in the heart
of this continent in our day, as II they had
belonged 10 a different race Few Of them
being able to read either English or German
in;elligently, they had few books, and news
papers were almost unknown. Naturally
enough the art Of the story teller was invok-
ed 10 while away the time during The long
winter evenings. Their tales Of the weird
and supernatural were heard with the same
interest we might display in the perussl Of
any ingenious fiction when We have moth
ing else TO do. But as ignorance and super
stition go hand in hand, many were ready
enough to believe them. especially the witch
stories. These would say, Does not the
Bible speak Of witches 7''-making the same
use Of the Bible that We often do nowadays,
not to search TOR truth, but for arguments to
support their opinion. By occupation
farmers and farm laborers, they were gener-
ally respected for their industry and hospi-
tality. and above all for their strict intsgri-
ty, the result of their religious training,
their pet aversion being for English speak
ing people, whom they stigmatizsd as Irish
and Yankees Among them a farm house
was usually hive of industry, their cloth
ing being made there Of wool and fax OF
their own raising and manufacture, with the
butter and maple sugar. Unfortunately
they had an idea that education makes ras-
Gals, and held on to their opinions and hab-
its as tenaciously as they did to their relig-
ion, OF the cut Of their garments.
When / was introduced 10 another genera
ton near seventy years ago the progress of
time had wrought great changes. The whis-
Ky war had interTened, Somerset county had
been organized, the National Road had been
constructed and was lined with home-seek-
en- from the old world and the new, the bat
tie of New Orleans had been fought and the
people were shouting for Andrew Jackson.
Business men and mechanics we're settled
in the villages. a few. English schools we're
kept up regularly during the winter, and
the neighboring lads and issses were spruc-
ing themselves 10 initiate the dress and man
ners OF the town. Nearly all the families in
and near Salisbury, though chiefly Of Ger
man descent, spoke English, but farther of,
still on our side of the State line, the case
was different. The village is in the lower
part of the great valley, the principal abode
in this county of the good people have
been describing. There spent part ofeach
year as a pupil. and afterward as assistant,
in the school of my father, the old Grammar
King, and during the intervals between the
several school terms, comprising the greater
part Of the working season, was employed
on the adjoining farms That on which the
town Of West Salisbury now stands was
then owned and occupied by John Liven-
good, grandfather Of the bankers of that
name, man of great weight (Avoirdupois
Weight, and an intelligent and leading cit
izsD, somewhat humorous and quizzical,
but good-hearted withal. The broken ranks
Of the old orchard, the ruins of the log dis
tillery, and the frame house on the. site Of
the log weatherboarded structure knew so
well, will serve to identify the spot About
the last work ofthe SESSION used to be gath
erins in the heavy end Of the great apple
crop, the fruit being piled upin huge mass,
sound. rotten and frozen altogether, TO be
used in the msnufaetare of what was ca led
apple jack, or 'rot-gut" 1t was on one
of these occasions the scene occurr ed
/ am about TO relate, which at the time
made an indelible impression on my memo
".
The party was composed Of the workers,
boys and girls, with visitors OF both sex
es, think was the youngest, and that /
am the sole survivor Of all that were there
that night. As the day bad been chilly, we
were thawing out after supper under the ge-
nial influence Of log fire in the ample
chimney. It was Saturday night, aad the
old folks had retired at their usual hour,
leaving US 10 our own devices for amuse-
ment. Somehow the conversation dropped
into the supernatural, aud as time wore on
the subject of Witchcraf was introduced,
when we had several stories illustrative of
the popular belief Of the old German race on
that head, still entertained by some Of their
descendants If we're to repeat them IS
they wrre told that night they would put
the boldest types to the blush, therefore
shall not attempt it, but viii give them in q
way that may not be uninteresting.
The first was Of family that. having been
greatly annoyed by a witch. at last had re-
course to a vitch-dOctor for relief He took
. needle. and after mumbling some charm,
bent it so as TO insert the point in the eye
1hs next morning the family found the
witch lying on the manure pile doubled up
in the same style, which made her look very
ridiculous. The story ended here, having
evidently suffered in the telling, for as an
appropriate icale the witch-doc.or should
have been made to marry the woman. At
the same time cannot help thinking Whst
= mercy it was that the needle did not
break.
II reminds me OF another many Of you
may recollect, Of the wicked man who had
sold himself to the devil. He had pursued
his evil way for long time. and whenever
he fell into the clutches Of he law he would
invoke the aid Of his master, who by the
terms Of the contract was bound to release
him At last, when be wss imprisoned for
q capital crime and had made the usual in
vocation, the devil appeared, bearing at his
back huge pack of old shoes, all of which