The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-10
4 HUMAN FOOT
 0N CRAVESTONE A Remarkable Story Of The
 Prophecy and Curse OF A CONDEMNED WITCH Gravestone Is Said to Be Standnu Today at 6ucksport, Me-, With the Strange Imprint Which
 No Hand Can Erase.
OF A CONDEMNED WITCH
From the Boston Herald.

From the Boston Herald.
 Close beside the road on the outskirts of the old seaport town of Bucksport. Me. is small family cemetery in which sleep the Bucks, who first settled the town and bequeathed to it their name and a legend
 Conspicuously prominent. the largest monument in the cemetery, is tall granite shaft, which plainly may be seen from the road. This monument on one side bears the inscription: Colonel Jonathan Buck. the founder of Buckport. A. D. l762 Born in Haverhill, Mass, HIS. Died March IS, 1795.,
 On the other side is the single word Buck" and something not cut bv tba skilled hand of the marble worker. On the smooth surface of the pedestal is A curious tracing. which easily can be im- agined to be the outline of humap Foot ot normal size People who pronounce the outline to be that of a foot give cre- dence to the legend which is one of inc many strange and curious stories often told in the old town
 The story is that Colonel Jonathan Buck was a very stern man. upripht in
 
 character and actions. and the leading spirit in his day and generation. He was the highest in civil authority, his word being law in the community. It was to honor this founder that tbe town was named, the original name being Buckstown, under which name it was in corporated. In 1877, when Maine was still part Of Massachusetts, the name was changed 10 Bucksport.
 Colonel Buck was an out-and-out Pur- itan, witchcraft being to him the incarna- ton of basphemy and the manifestation or the evil one Tn accordance with this oellef, when a certain woman was ac- cused of witchcraft, at the first clamoring or freightened populace Colonel Buck. as the story goes ordered that she be imprisoned Later the woman was sen fenced to be executed as a witch ihe execution day came. all gathering rom Tar and near to witness the last Of this menace to the towns peace. The woman. protestinG her innocence went to the gallows cursing her judge with words SD terrible and frightfu that the people shuddered and cluns close together, as if to gain protection one from the other
 
 unmoved, the magistrate first, last and always. All was now ready: the hang man stepped forward with the fatal moose, when the woman suddenly turned 10 Colonel Buck and raising one hand to heaven, said:
 Jonathan Buck, listen to these words, the very last my tongue shall utter. It is the spirit of the only living God which 1 bids me speak to you. You will soon die and over your grave they will erect 1 stone that all may know the spot where your bones lay and crumble to dust Upon that stone the imprint of my foot shall appear, and for all time after your race has vanished from the face of the earth will the people know that you mur- dered a woman"
 Calmly and with firm tread she turned to her executioner and one more martyr was added to the long list due to ignor- ance and superstition.
 Time went on and the "witch's curse'' had been forgotten by nearly everyone until a monrm ont was erected to the founder of Bucksport.
 The shaft shad been in position barely q month when a faint outline was dis covered on fl. If grew more and more distinct until some nerson made out the outline of a foot. This was enough; the old almost forgotten legend was re- vved
 Several attempts have been made to re- move the stain from the stone. but every effort only tends to make if plalner Mammoth old trees stand sentlnels T the silent grounds for Visitore are no i longer permitted within tbe incosure he entrance gate being locleed Hardly l 2 day passes that people may not be i seen looking in throueh the tall old fashioned fence at ths mystery of time