The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-25
A Tale of Superstition and
WitChCraft.
II Concerns the Piney Woods
of Southern Georgia.
Beliefs Of the Ignorant Crackers In
That Dslectable Land.


Of superstition is among the Ignorant
crackers Of that delectable land. In that
wide stretch Of pine barren which con-
stitutes fully one-third Of the area OF the
state, there are hundreds of people who
live miles away from any railway line,
and who are still completely isolated from
the outside world. They cling to their Old
time manners and customs, and the
"Hardshell Baptist" faith Is still the pre-
vailing religious doctrine, mixed with a
vast amount OF superstition and belief In
signs and omens. The belief In witchoraff
Is as strong as their faith In what Is to
be will be.
Away out I'm the heart Of that lonely
region man by the name Of Ben Wills
built water mill on ono Of the oozy
streams that flow sluggishly from one
swamp TO another, and cleared consider
able plantation around the mill. including
the bottom lands lying along the creek,
| that were a little more fertile tnan the
average pine barren. Included in his
purchase was small tract OF land In
| which stood the log hut of an old
| widow. Her husband was an original
| squatter, and claimed that land by right
| of prior settlement as he had not the
shadow of legal title. Old Pollie Wick
| cry as she WAS known far and wide, had
| the reputation OF being a witch, and she
| rather enjoyed ", as through the fear OF
| her neighbors OF her power TO work them
| mischief with her occult powers. she was
not molested In her proprietary rights.
| But Willis was newcomer. and had not
| that wholesome fear Of Aunt Pollie which
had caused her To enjoy immunity from
| the encroachment OF others who knew her
| letter In clearing his plantation Willis
| found that some OF his most desirable lard
| had been preempted by the widow, and
4 k.,.t k..r ont ON IN N
| that she would leave the community.
| But old Pollie was obdurate. She had
| spent the greater part of her uneventful
| life in the humble log cabin under the
| shadow Of the great pines, and there she
proposed to remain.
Willis offered her the value OF her
| holding several times over, but she stur-
dily and obstinately declined to accept
any proposition. Willis had spent all his
money improving the place and he did
| not propose to submit to the whIms OF
| the old woman, whose sole power to re-
| sist lay In her reputed arts OF sorcery.
The mill was completed and was con-
sidered as godsend by the crackers who
had previously ground tho fiinty corn
into hominy on primitive handmills
The grist came into Willis mill at n
lively rate and ne soon became one of the
prosperous men in the noighborhood. He
raised good crops and his plantation was
model of thrifty cultivation to the
crackers around him.
But the widow troubled him. He
wanted TO get rid Of her and her un-
calmly cabin which prevented his takine
In choice piece of hummock land and
adding Ii to his flourisbing farm. lie
decided to resort To the law TO sustain
him in his rightful possession of the few
acres claimed by old Pollie Vickery. az
they were clearly included in the plat OF
his purchase So he entered suit to dis
possess the old woman.
Litigation Is slow and tedious In that
country whore people are never in hurry
about anything and who enjoy law suit
so much that they are averse to sec one
como to an end too speedily. 80 the case
was continued from court TO court until
several years had passed, and Willis had
accum ulated considerable wealth In lands
and cattle and was considered rich Inan
in that country. Then came the final
hearing and of course the old woman had
no show to win against her powerful
neighbor.
She was dispossessed and the sheriff q
officers were instructed to turn her out.
Even then Willis heart releuted and he
offered TO pay her n fair prico for her I'M
provcments But she haughtily declined
aud when the officers went with fear and
trembling to execute the mandate OF the
court, she met them ut the door and began
TO curse. The officers were terrified at the
maledictions which she called down upon
the heads of all who had had any hand
in dispossessing her.
She singled out Willis in particular as q
special object OF the vengeance OF the
unseen powers, and prayed that he might
never enjoy another day of peace, and
| that his mill should be broken up, and
his crops fail, and that ho should lose all
his illgotten gains for turning poor
| old lonely widow out of house and home.
Old Pollie carried off her few effects,
| and took up her abode In an abandoned
| hut just outside the limits OF the posses
| sions of her oppressor There she bided
| her time knitting socks and digging
| roots and herbs of supposed medicinal
| virtues OF high order for livelihood.
| In the meantime other mills had been
| built in that part of the country, but
| none of them were so we'll situated as
| that Of Willis. which never failed in the
| dryest seasons, and when the other
mills ran dry he had To work night and
| day to serve his customers, who came
| from many miles around. The Doighbors
! shook their heads when old Pollie uttered
| her curse, and whispered among them
selves that Willis would come To no good.
| Suddenly one morning the news flew
| ing the night and that n large portion oi
| IL near tho mill houses had washed away.
! The Deigbbors ilocked in To offer their
assistance in repairing the damage as oil
the community folt proprietary Interest
| In the mill. Tnc break In tho dam wa,
repaired, and few rains enabled Willis
| To resume business. But not for long,
for one spring morning he woke To find
| the dam broken near the same spot rs al
first, with no apparent reason for the
giving way of the solid wall OF earth,
strengthened with pine logs set deep IL
| the clay foundation.
Then ono of the neighbors remembered
to have seen old Pollie NicKery crossing
| the dam !ato on tho evening before The
first break occurred, and tho tongues o
tho gossips we're set wagging. Some said
that she had poisoned tho mill with
| quicksilver. which she had thrown IN tb,
pond above the dam. Othors thought she
| had simply bewitohed It. ana still Others
wero of tho opinion that she had In heI
| power Co attract the burrowing water
| snakes to that particular point and tina
they wers responsible for the damage
At all events they decided unanimousl,
| that old pollie Nickery was at tho root oi
| -. ..I lei. ali