The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-21

~ SPEAK VI VIII -IdIL III LLlS LWen-
ueth' century seems a mingling of ire
concilabIe terms Yet today in the noun
tains of North Carolina there is district
peopled exclusively by native Americans
which is as Witch-ridden as was New
England before the Salem hangings, says
the Cincinnati Enquirer. These aged
hays, who have fostered for themselves
a repute of mystery and terror, hold en-
tire communities in subjection, weaving
spells and charms, blighting with the
evil eye and compromising potlons OF
strange ingredients:
'Fillet of a fenny snake
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adders fork and blind-worm sting.
Lizards fork and howlets wing"
The black art in Macbeth" may we'll
be the prototype of this mountain witch
craft, for there is strong current of
Scotch blood in this part of North Caro-
lima, and at least two of the noted
witches are known to be part Scotch and
part Cherokee. The best known of these
is called Old Nance-but only in whis-
pers-and it is by no means certain to
the countryside that she does not hear
these whispers, so most people prefer
the safe side and refer to her as Mother
Nance. Five thousand feet high in the
mountains Of Mason county, among the
roosts of the foul buZzards, her cabin
clings to a wind-beaten ledge of rock
oyerhanging an abyss. No road leads
thither.
For a stranger to make his way there
is a matter of no little difficulty, First of
all he must find out where Old Nance
pear. No native will guide him. 1t is
difficult to find anyone who will even
tell where the place is.
After considerable effort the writer
found young wOodsman who agreed to
accompany him on the road to Old
Nances, but after some six miles Of the
hardest kind of tramping, from the near
est point Of the roadway the youth lost
his courage and refused to go any fur
Their.
You can't miss it now" he said, glanc-
ing fearfully up the mountain side. 1T
amt more'n half a mile. There's the
laidge O. rock, If yer sure you want to
go. Don't blame me if your friends don't
reco 'nize yer when you come back-ef
you ever do git back" he concluded with
startling earnestness.
Superstitution is one Of the most con-
/ tagious of ailments. 1t was with some
what daunted spirit that the writer pro-
ceeded and presently came abruptly upon
a small, one-roomed log shack without
window or chimney. Outside very old
woman was stirring something in an iron
pot hung over fire. She was bowed
down with age and hideous with wrinkles
and CRIME, and her little eyes were bright
and evil. At the sound Of a strangers
footstep she whirled around with a swift
ness that was uncannily out OF keeping
with her apparent decrepitude, and after
moments study of the writer's face
spoke in so cracked an accent and bar
barous dialect that it was hard to make
out her meaning.
Yer kin some'it."
Assuming the meaning Of this to be-
you know something that has brought
you UP here" the writer replied:
mo, mother, l came to hear something
that you know" at the same time pro-
ducing a silver dollar
With the swiftness of a snake she
darted forward, snatched the coin and
hid it in her BOSOM
Yer KEN hur fer wot" she snarled.
''To find out If you haven't something
to tell me; something about the days
that are coming"
She squinted cunningly over the edge
of the rock into the abyss Eyer come
fun below" she said. "Yerll go back ter
below"
isn't there some charm you could give
me to make it pleasant down below?"
At this a malignant grin distorted the
deep lines about her mouth. With a
swift movement she disappeared into the
cabin, returning with a bowl of liquid.
which steamed and exuded a spicy odor
This she proffered. Now there are GER
tain tales of people who went to see Old
Nance and never were heard Of after
ward. This might be expected by the
fact that they drank steaming liquid out
Of bowl. There are many poisonous
plants in the North Carolina mountains,
and itzseensed. best to evade the drink
ut isn't considered, polite to drink
alone" said the writer to the witch. Aft
er you"
With a snarl of rage she dashed the
bowl to the ground, darted into the cabin
and barred the door. This seemed to in
dictate that the audience was over. The
writer returned to the village whence he
had started and was welcomed as one
from the dead. Also he learned many
tales Of the witch, some of which were
so specifically corroborated by witnesses
to the fact that it was difficult not to
believe them and impossible to believe
that the natives had anything but the
fullest faith in them. Here is one: A