The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-06
Farmer G)ho Believes in GOHches
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune
A hard working and active young
farmer who lives few, miles out of the
village of Limestone, in Aroostook coun-
ty, is a firm believer in witches-a state
ment that reads strangely in these mod
ern days.
A short time ago the man came into
the village of Fort Fairfield and consult
ed lawyer in regard to a certain old
woman in Limestone. The farmer de-
clared that she mad bewitched his cows.
He said that the old woman was also
doing other things to bother him. He
told how few days before he was driv-
ing yoke Of Oxen who drew a two
wheeled cart. He said that when they
were passing along piece of road that
skirted a lake, the witch, making her
self invisible, pulled the linchpin out of
one of the axles, and away went the
wheel. 1t rolled down through a pasture.
so the farmer declared, the witch steer
ing it and keeping it upright, until
splash! into the lake it went.
The lawyer explained to the farmer
that in all probability the linchpin
dropped out accidentally and that the
wheel rolled away on it's broad tire,
driven by it's own momentum. But tne
man wound lave none of this explana-
ton, and was greatly offended when the
attorney informed him that Witchcraft
wasn't recognized in law in these DAYS.
and that it would be pretty difficult to
go into court and prove that he had re-
celYed direct damage from any old
woman unless he should be able to de-
tect her actually performing the mis-
demeanors. But the ''black art" end Of
1t wouldn't go down with a jury, he said.
The farmer went home declaring that
ne would take the law in his own hands.
Out or his determination has come a
rather singular case in court. 1t seems
that this Aunt" Collins, whom the
farmer accused of witchcraft, owns some
troublesome live stock The farmer be-
lieves that each animal that the good
wife owns is inspired by the devil. All
the natural pranks that the creatures
play he ascribes to sorcery.
One day "Goody'' Collins old SOW and
her family OF little rooters slid under
the division fence and began shouting
in a potato field owned by the young
farmer. The old porker had been there
several times before, and this time the
farmer was ready for ner. He had
moulded some bullets, into the center OF
each OF which he had put little square
OF sumach wood. For years this wood
has been known as witch wood" and
1t Is said by those VINO believe in such
thlngs that 1t is a sure charm to over
come black art" When the neighbor
spled the mother pig and her family
feasting on his potato seed ne took down
his gun, put in one Of the sumach bull
let's and drew bead on the SOW. He
dropped her at the first shot, and the
motherless litter fled home squealing.
Aunt" Collins collected them and
brought them up on warm milk as best
she could.
A few days after the tragedy of the
potato field another of "Goody'' Collins
harnyard families, a bustling, cluckina
hen with brood Of fluffy chicks, made
her way through hole il the old fence
ana got into newly sown wheat field
When the young farmer spied her size
was Shutting out a regular sand Jig
and the dirt and seeds were flying above
her head. Behind her We're the chicks
puslly gobbling every grain that showed
itself. Once more the farmer loaded Ms
gun, and he stalked the old hen, who
was absorbed in her hustle for her lam.
lily. Bang! and the hen was a draggle6