Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-06
WEAVERS OF SPELLS AND CHARMS
North Carolina Mountains and
Their Quaint Superstitions
TOLD OF OLD n A N CE

exclusively by native Americans, which is
as witch-ridden AS was New England be-
fore the Salem hangings. There aged hays,
who have fostered for themselves a re-
pute of mystery and terror. hold entire
communities in subsection, weaving spells
and charms, blighting with the evil eye
and compromising potions Of strange ingre-
dents.
"Fi11et Of a Jenny snake,
Eye Of newt and toe Of frog,
Wool Of bat and tongue Of dog,
Adder's fork and blind worms sting,
Lizards leg and howlet's wing"
The black art in Macbeth may well be
the prototype OF this mountain witchcraft,
for there Is a strong current Of Scotch
blood in this part Of North Carolina, and
at least two Of the noted witches are
known to be part Scotch and part Chero-
kee. The best known of these is called Old
Nance-but only in whispers, 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 Macon county. among
the roosts of the foul buzzards. her cabin
clings to a wind-beaten ledge Of rock,
overhanging an abyss. No road leads
thither.
a matter Of no little difficulty. First of all
he must find out where Old Nance lives
which isn't as easy rs tt might appear. No
native will guide him. 1t is difficult to find
is.
Visit to Old Nance.
After considerable effort the writer found
a young woodsman. who agreed to accom-
pany him on the road to Old Nance's. but
after some six miles Of the hardest kind Of
trampins. from the nearest point Of the
roadway. the youth lost his courage and
refused to go any further
You can't miss 1t now" he said. glanc-
ing fearfully up the mountain side. 1T
amt more'n half a mile. There's the laidge
O. rock, IL yer sure you want to go. Don't
blame me II your friends don't reco nize
yer when you come back-ef you ever do
git back" he concluded, with startling
earnestness.
Superstition Is one Of the most contagious
OF ailments. It was with somewhat
daunted spirit that the writer proceeded.
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 strangers footstep she whrled
nily out Of keeping with her apparent de-
crepftude. and after moments study OF
the writer's face, spoke in 80 cracked an
accent and barbarous a dialect that it was
hard to make out her meaning.
Yer kin someit."
Assuming the meaning Of this to be.
You know something that has brought
you up here" the writer replied:
mo. mother, I came to hear something
that you know" at the same time pro-
ducing a silver dollar.
ed forward, natched the coin and hid it in
her bosom.
Eyer KEN hur fer wot?" she snarled.
ITO find out If you haven't something to
HIM. t h v,cr n1o,, . So H.,
coming"
She sauinted cunningly over the edge of
the rock into the abyss Yer come FUN
below" she said. 'Yer'H go back ter be-
low"
Isn't there some charm you could give
me to make 1t pIeasaaer down belowT'
Danger in the Potion.
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 spicy odor. This she
proffered. Now there are certain tales Of
people who went to see Old Nance and
be explained by the fact that they drank
steamfng liquid out of q bowl. There are
many poisonous plants in the North Caro-
lima mountains, and 1t seemed best to
evade the drink.
1T isn't considered polite to drink alone"
said the writer to the witch. After YOU"
With snarl Of rage she dashed the bowl
to the ground. darted into her cabin and
barred the door. This seemed to Indicate
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 i'm
possible to believe that the natives had
anything but the fullest faith in them Here
Is one: woman had a daughter who was
In love with a South Carolina youth whom
the mother hated because he came from
another state, quite sufficient reason In
that region. AS the girl threatenen to elope
the mother took her to Old Nance. Now
for some reason, possibly connected with
an evil or unfortunate past, the witch
hates all marriages. and will do anything
to thwart one. By her orders the trembling
girl was left with her. The witch, ac-
cording to the story told afterward by the
girl. scraped turnip. which she gave to
the girl to eat. Hardly had the girl tasted
It when her nose began to pain her, and
soon 1t had grown far around upon her
home, and. now comes the strange part,
Tor there are scores OF people In the town
who are ready to swear that they saw
the hideously distorted organ. Her lover
horror. Again she was taken to the witch,
and this time ate willingly Of the scraped
turnip, whereupon her nose returned to
its normal shape and position. But the
to marry the same mishap would befall
her again.
Bulls Experience.
Similarly well authenticated Is the case
Of Carr McCordle's bull. On the occasion
Of one Of the witch's rare visits to che
town the bull undertook to chase her. She
turned upon the ANIMAL and looked 1t in the
eye with SO fierce a glare that 1t turned
tall. That night it went mad, and rushed
believing about the pasture. plunging into
rocks and bushes until it finally wedged
itself so tightly between two trees that
the utmost efforts of McCord1e and his
friends to get it out were unavaillng. What
is more, its bones are stin there between
the two trees. Nobody has dared to touch
them.
Even more dreaded than Old Nance is
the nameless witch Of Roam mountain
Specific instances of her power are not so
plentiful, but there hangs about her more
Of the terror of mystery. What her name
originally was is either forgotten or for
hidden. She is known only as THE
Witch" or 1.-THE Witch Of Roam Noun
tain" For many miles around it is be-