Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-08-26
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II 10 my father. A;id my' father gave
VI /" me. What possessed the people
or those days is wonder to all OF US
nov. I've thought that the DEVIL plant
Cd the sup rstiti,n in them Tor his own
PURPOSES, but l, being i Scotch Pres
bytrriNn, am myself accounted bit
cranky in my religious notions
Anne Uolliwpil when she was eight
cen years Old was accused of witch.
craft. Mark Spoonei, 4 big. strong
fellow, wanted to marry her, but he
was Il wicked ona-they said he had
secret meetings VIZ. Satan at midnight
in the woodland Anne s'9tsld have
nothing to do With him. Moreover,
she loved Joel iIallitt, son Of Deacon
Hallitt, who went off With the Roger
Williams people. Joel was the reverse
of Spooner, being a small, pale looking
young man, but with Il very intellec-
tual countenance. He was not in IA
vor with the congregation, however,
because he openly denied the right of
the church to burn out woman's
tongue with a reuhot iron. Indeed, so
great was the Indignation against his
hrtet!cal protest that Joel came near
paying the penalty of his rashness
with his lie.
Now | am not going to vauch for
what ! intend 10 tell you. Iii give it
as got it from others and theii. later
pretat Ion CT il. If YOU choose to take
different views concerning it, l sAa!
have 10 Objection
Anne iIuiiiWrii WAS accused rs |
have said. Of Witrhcraft NJ. grand
father used 10 say that Mark SHeoner
was at the bottom of the accusation
with q View to getting Anne into his
power. but this was not current at the
time. However this be- Anne was
tried and sentenced to be burned.
Whom the fagots were prepared and
Anne was being bound to the stake
tall man stepped out Of wood nearby
and advanced to the party. He wore
purple doublet. bordered With red, and
red hose. while on his head was con.
zeal hat with a single feather in it.
There was something SO singular in his
appearance that the people turned
from Anne IIolliwell, the stake and
the fagots to look ut him.
What DO you with the wencL:"
asked the stranger.
We're going to burn her. Shes
WITCH
"a witch:" The speaker threw back
his head and. displaying white, pointed
teeth. gave a laugh. At first it WAS Il
simple ivouical ma. ha. Then it had the
ring Of q trumpet in it. Then came
back Al echo, though there was no enl-
,ueuce or cliff to send it.
"Who are you:" asked one OF the
pillars OF the church who were con-
Quoting the execution. You strangely
resemble Mark SpooEer, but you are
not Mark Spooner, for Mark is but
twenty-five While Tou-you may DC
young or YOU may De Old
No natter who I am. have come
for the Wench."
Stand OIL" cried several OF the most
pious men present, who had no mind
that the Lords viii should lie inter
fered with. but the stranger, drawing
his sword stepped up to Anne Holli-
wei. and, cutting the cords, led her
away toward the wood. Some SAID
that sparks Were seen to fly from the
point OF the sword, some that his face
suddenly from being quite handsome
becan.r SO uemoni:.c;,l that every man
gave way iNstinctiyely before him. .As
for Anne, fron the first she shrank
away from him. but he took her by the
wrist. and, though he seemed to make
no eXertiou, he dragged her away from
the fagotS, after which she walked be-
side him puSsvDiy, as though under
spell IN this way he took her to tie
edge of the wood. where the two dis
appeared, no one daring to follow.
An hour later Anne HoIliwell, ac-
companied 10y Joel IIallitt came back
into the town. She was not further
QolesteI by the people. 1t was not
generally knoWn why, though the mas
ter Of ceremonies who WAS to have
presided At her execution, after Il lon@
Interview with her, gave out that size
could not have been q witch because
the devil had tried to rescue her anl
had failed. My grandfather claimed
to have got the story of what happened
after she disappeared with the stranger
from one OF her children.
Jccl lIalltt on tue night before the
expected execution. instead of giving
way to his g-icf spent the hours oa
his knees praying that the people
might lt ahsolyod from the supersti=
tiQHS o1 Nitthcraft and persecution
When tAe Aour o. the execution came,
h. WI, seized with an impulse to so