The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-08-12


and the crows tapped round-the only
creatures that looked fat and comfortable.
Gas if there wasn't misfortune enough
at Cudworth, one day as master was riding
over the downs his horse slipped on the
turf-that was like glass, that hard and
slippery-and down come the horse and
master underneath. We fetched him home,
and there he lay like log for weeks and
weeks, without morsel of sense in his
noddle But then it was that Miss Dulcie
showed her mettle She was but fimsy
III health, but there she was at the head of
everything, riding round the firms with
an eye to all that was doing, and keeping
us all hearty and cheerful with the very
sound of her voice. But what could she
do-just bit of girl, with her one little
babe, against the ruin that was coming
with the drought? We kept the stock
alive with roots and old hay but it was
like feeding EN- with gold, for hay was
eight pounds ton, and turmets couldn't
be had for love or money. And says the
mistress to me one day, 'Coney, says she,
'if the drought don't break, my heart will.
"That was one evening of a Sunday, |
remember, and felt sad and sorry for the
trouble that was over my poor young mis-
tress, that had been such good one to
me; and | took walk over the downs,
towards the Beacon Hill, just to spy out
the signs of the weather. Never did see
the sun look so hot and fiery and the hills,
all yellow aud brown, looked to me like
the deserts you read about in Scripture.
And then on the hill side | saw one of
our shepherds with his flock, that were
scattered about little copse that, dry and
brown as it was, might give them mouth
ful of herbage here and there. We had
seven shepherds, but this was the oldest of
them, and most knowledgeable. There
he sat, whiting away with his knife, and
taking no notice, you would have said, but
there was nothing as escaped that old shep-
herds observation. Shepherd, says |,
you know more about the weather than
most, what do you think about the chance
of breaking the drought?' Shepherd
wasn't man of words, and he sat there
chipping away with his knife and took no
more notice of me, except for nod of the
head, than if I'd been a fly. But l
knew his ways, and l sat down and waited,
and presently shepherd began laughing
quietly to himself. what are you laugh
ing at, shepherd p said l. Il was laughing
at what the crows were taking about,
ssid he. And what was that? asks l.
You had better go and ask them And
with that he got up and chucked stone
against bush, and two gurt black crows
| few out with such horrid scream and
croak as you never heard. Il hit un,
chuckled shepherd, and, sure enough,
there were three black feathers flying about,
and picked EN- up and stuck 'em in my
hat.
"Well, watched those two crows as
they few and flew till they settled at last
in clump of trees long way off on the
common. And then l began to know
where | was, for by that clump of trees
stood Mother Drurys cottage. And if
there be such creatures as witches-I don't
say as there are or as there aren't-Mother
D-ury was one of that lot. She wasn't
ugly neither, nor yet old, but there was
that about her as gave you cold creak in
the back, with her gurt black eyes that
shone like fire, and her coal black hair.
But being set upon the business | was like
to 90 through with it, and, leaving the
gruff old shepherd, | stepped out, and
presently knocked at Mother Drury's door.
''She opened quite sudden, and stood be-
fore me, tall and angry-looking, with
cloth in her hand, and stanching a
wound in the forehead that the blood was
flowing freely from. 'Was it you, she
said, chucking flint stones about peoples
houses and breaking their heads ? I'll
have ye up before Squire Sandon for this,
blame me if don't But spoke to her
so quiet and respectful that she turned
quite civil, and when I'd crossed her hand
with new half crown, she babe me come
in and sit down; and then, still speaking
her fair, told her what | thought about
the drought But that, she said scorn-
ful like, lis what neither you nor can
meddle with There's stronger spell
about that than half crowns can break.
But when | went ON to tell her about my
young mistress, and how Squire Sandon
had sworn the ruin of her, and how it was
like to come about, then she began to bend
bit round. 1t might be as witches have
some good feeling about EN-, or it might
be jealousy, or what not; but certain 1t is
that Mother Drury come round. And,
ma 'am, said, seeing as she was softeuing,
if you have ever happened to do any evil
In your life, If you could do this one good
turn it would all be forgiven you. She
laughed, and then she frowned and said
1T isn't | that can do it, Couey-a poor,
sinful woman-but you, Coney, that's
honest lad so far, and love your mistress
just as if she was your sister-you might
try. And this is the way of it, sinking
her voice to whisper and looking round
as if to make sure that nobody was listen
ing. you shall take a black eve lamb,
without white fleece about it, and you
shall carry it on your shoulders at mid
night to Wanbury Top. And there You'll
find gurt stone with fat top, and you
shall kill the lamb with knife, and
sprinkle the stone three times with its
blood, and then you shall say the words
that | shall teach you. And then you
shall drag the earease of the lamb three
times round the stone, and then run and
save yourself, for there's death waitingsfor
you if you turn or look
"Well, the words she taught me could
tell 'em now, hut | will not, for there
might come harm Of it. But as / went
home that night said to myself, Stuff
and nonsense about black lamb and Wan
bury Top. Why, there isn't such lamb
in all masters fiocks, and its good ten
miles to Wanbury Top, and shall lose
my nights rest and days work for such
foolery That was my last thought as
went to sleep, but early in the morning, |
just before dawn, saw light under my
cottage door, and here was somebody
knocking. Get up, Coney, said my mis-
tress. for she it was with a lantern in her
hand And she waited for me out in the |