The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-16
Marsery Key sending
forth a blessinS

in my Lady Culpeper's bedchamber,
with a black woman tanning her, until
she was sufficiently recovered to go
home. Mary. did not espy ME until,
returning from her sisters side to Or
der the sedan chairs, she jostled against
me. Then such a blush of delight and
relief came over her face as made my
heart stand still with rapture and
something like fear. You here, you
here, Harry" she cried and stammered
and blushed again, and Sir Humphrey
and Cicely, who were pressing up,
looked at me jealousy.
II am here at your grandmother
request Mary I said.
Then my Lord Estes came elbow
ing me aside and made no more of
me than if l We're a black slave, and
hoarsely shouting for the sedan chairs
and the bearers, and after him Ralph
Drake and half score OF others, and
all cursing at me for a convict tutor
and thrusting at me.
All the road was white with moon
light, and when we came alongside
Margery Keys house, as / live, that
white cat shot through the door. and
Immediately after /. looking back.
saw the old dame herself standing
therein, though it was near morning,
and she quavered forth blessing after
me. God bless thee, Master Wing
field, in life and death, and may the
fish of the sea come to thy line, may
the birds of the air minister to thee,
and all that hath breath of life, wheth-
er it be noxious or guileless, do thy
II inc low hn fe,v
less stand from the path of thy de-
sire and hold back from thy face the
boughs' of prevention whittier thou
wouldst go" This said old Margery
Key in a strange, chanting-like tone
and withdrew. and light flashed out
in the next house, and the woman who
dwelt therein screamed. and Mistress
Mary, thrusting forth her head from
the chair, called me to come close.
AS for Catherine, she was borne
along as silently as though she slept,
being, / doubt not, still exhausted
with her swoon. When / came close
to Mistress Mary's chair, forth came
her little hand, shining with that pre-
ciousness of fairness beyond that of
pearl. and Master Wingfield,' said
she in a whisper. lest she disturb
Catherine. what. what, L pray thee,
was it the witch woman said?''
l laughed. "She was calling down a
blessing upon my head. madam"
said
"A blessing and not a cursor
"As / understood it, though / know
not why she should have blessed me-
''They say she is white witch and
wOrketh good instead of harm. and
yet said Mistress Mary. and her
voice trembled, showing her fear, and
l could see the negroes rolling eyes of
wide alarm at me, for they were much |
affected by all hints of deviltry
Il pray you, madam, TO have no
fear" l said, and thought within my
self that never should she know of |
what had happened on my way thith- |
er.
"They say that her good deeds work |
in the end to mischief" said Mary, |
land, and-'tis sure no good whatever
can come from unlawful dealing with |
the powers of evil even in good |
cause. / wish the witch woman had |
neither cursed thee nor blessed thee, +
/ strOve again to reassure her and /
said, as verify begun to believe, that /
the old DANES words, whether of ours
ing or blessing, were of no moment.
but presently Mistress Mary declared
herself afraid of riding alone, shut
within her sedan chair. and would
alight and have one OF the slaves lead
my horse and walk with me. taking
my arm the remainder of the way
I had never known Mistress Mary
Cavendish to honor me SO before, and
knew not to what to attribute it,
to alarm, as she said or not.
And / knew not whether to be enrap-
-ured or angered at my own rapture, or
whether / should use or not that au-
.hority which I had over her and
which she could not, strive as best she
could. gainsay, and bid her remain in
Ter chair.
But. being so sorely bew ildered, / did
but let her have her way, and
IN toward Drake Hill we walked, she
.linging to my arm and seemingly hold
ng me to a slow pace. and the slaves.
With the chairs, and my horse forging
lhead with i'll concealed zeal on ac-
ount of that chanting proclamation Of
dargery Key which. will venture to
ay,, was considered by every one of
he poor fellows as a special curse di-
ected toward him instead of q bless
az for me.
AS we followed on that moonlight
light, she and 1 alone. of a sudden /
elf my youth and love arise to such
n assailing of the joy of life that l
new myself dragged. as it We're. by it
nd had no more choosing as 10 what
should not do. Verify it would be