Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
CHAPTER II.

The Witch'S Tent.
There are many accounts still eXtant OF
the various doings at East Molesey fail
on this ID of October in the year of our
Lord 1553, and several chronclers-R
nard is conspicuous among the latter
make mention of the events which very
| nearly turned the gay and varying come
dies of that day into weird and tragic
drama
Certainly the witch's tent was mis-
take
| But what would you? No doubt the
worthy individual. who for purposes of
mystifcation called himself "Abra" had
tried many means of earning livelihood
! before he and his associate in business
took to the lucrative, yet dangerous, trade
| of necromancy.
| He was tall and gaunt, with hooked nose
| and deep-sunk eyes; he had cultivated a
| long, gray beard, and could call forth
| the powers of Mirrab the Witch, with a
| remarkably solemn and cultural voice.
! AS for Mirrab herself, no one was al
| lowed to see her. That was part of the
| business. She was witch. a dealer in
| magic potions, charms and philtres, a
reader of the stars and-softly be it
| spolen-a friend and companion of the
| devil She only appeared enveloped in a
| thick VEIL with diNning wand held lightly
| in her hand. the ends of her dark tresses
| alone Visible below the heavy covering
| which sWathed her head
| 1t was the mystery of it all-oheap
| devices at beSt-which from the first had
| irritated the country folk who thtronged
| the fair
| The tent itself was unlike any other
ever seen at East Molesey. 1t stood high
| upon raised wooden platform, to which
a few rough steps gave access. On the
| right was tall flagstaff, with black flag
! emblazoned with white skull and cress-
| bones, fluttering lazily in the breeze
| On the left a huge elm tree with great
| heavy branches. overshadowing the tent,
had been utilized to support a placard
| bearing the words:
''Mirrab! the World-famed Necromancer
| Sale of Magic Charms and Love Philtres.
| Horoscope Casting and Elixir of Lifep'
Perched on the platform and assisted
| by humber henchman, armed with big
! drum and cymbals, the worthy Abra, in
| high peaked cap and flowing mantle COW
cred with strange devices, had all day
| long invited customers to his booth by
uttering strange, mysterious promises
/ This way. this way, my masters" he
would say with imposing solemnity, .-e
world-famous necromancer Mirab will
evoke for you the spirits of Mars. of
| Saturn or of the moon"
She will show you the grand gri-
| morium,'
! Now what was the Grand Grimoriurn :?
The very sound of the words suggested
man had ever heard or spoken OIL the
Grand Grimorium.
"She will show you the use of the blast
ing rod and the divininS wand. She vial
call forth the elementary spirits
10 Some people would try to laugh Who
| had ever heard of the elementary spirits?
Perhaps If some of the more enlightened
| town worthless happened to be nigh the
booth one or two OF them would begin
TO chaH the necromancer.
And prithee, friend WiZard'' a solemn
burgher would suggest 'prithee what
are the elementary spirits?"
But Abra was nothing if not ready
witted.
The elementary spirits he would ex-
plain with imperturbable gravity, ARE the
green butterfly, the black pullet, the
queen of the hairy flies and the screech
OWL
The weird nomenclature was enough tn
make any ones hair stand on end Even
the sedate burgesses would shake their
heads and silently edge away, while their
womankind would run swiftly past the
blessed Virgin or kissing me holy soap
ulary hung beneath their kerchiefs. as
their terrified glances met the cabalistic
signs on the black flag
The humber country folk frankly spat
upon the ground three times whenever
they caught sight of the flag, and that is
a sure way of sending the devil about
his business.
The shadows now were beginning to
lengthen
The towers and cupolas of Hamilton
Court palace were studded with gold and
gems by the slanting rays of the setting
sun.
1t had been a glorious afternoon and
except IN the open space Immediately
in front of the witchs tent, the fun of the
falr had lots none Of its zest
me wltch's booth alone was solitary
weird, looking beneath the spreading
n hE
The tent seemed lighted from within.
for. as the evening breeze stirred its
hanglngs, CLEANS of brilliant red more
glowing than the sunset, appeared in
zig-zag streaks between its folds.
Behind and to the right and left of It
the gentle murmur of the sister streams
sounded like ghostly whisperings of even
ing sprltes, busy spreading their gray
NANTES over the distant landscape.
AS the afternoon wore on the crowd in
the other parts of the fair had grown
more and more dense, and now among
the palmer garb of the burgesses and
townsfolk and the jenkins and worsted
hose of the yokels could be seen rnfte
frequently a silken douolet or velvet
trunk. a masked face perhaps beneath a
plumed bonnet, or the point of a sword
cleaning beneath the long dark mantle
denoting the court gallant.
Now. then. too. hooded and closeIv
swathed forms would fit quickly through
the crowd, followed by the inuuisitive
glances of the humber folk as the dainty
tip of a broidered shoe or the richly
wrought hem of q silken kirtle protruding
below the cloak betrayed the lady of rank
and fashion on gay adventure bent
Most OF these yelled figures had found
their way up the rough wooden stems
which led to the witch's tent The fame
of Mirrah, the Soothsaver had reached
the purlieus of the palace, and Abra. the
Magician had more than once seen his
lean palm crossed with gold.
This way. noble lords, this way,'
He was even now trying to draw the
attention of two cloaked figures, who had
just emerged in Sight of the booth
Two gentlemen of the court evidently,
for Abra's quick eye had caught glimpse
of richly chased sword hits as the wind
blew the heavy dark NANTES to one side
heed to the worthy masician's blandfsh-
ments. They We're whispering excitedly
to one another. while eagerly scanning
the crowd all around them.
''rhey We're ladies from the court, feel
sure" said the taller man of the two;
Il swear / have seen the hem of that
kirtle before"
"Carramba,' replied the other: sit
promised well. but methinks we've lost
| track of them now"
He spoke English very fuently. vet
with a strong, cultural intonation while
/ the well-known Spanish oath which he ut
tered betrayed his nationality
| "Pardi!' he added impatiently "I could
| have sworn that the damsels were bent on
| consulting the WITCH
Nay, only on seeing the fun of the
fair apparently" rejoined the other;
/