Connecticut western news., 1910-05-19
The Saving of Patience Goodwin By KATHLEEN J. M'CURDY Copyright, 191O by American Press
 Association.


 our family for many generations of her descendants. Patience in the days when witchcraft had its grip on Mas sachusetts was young girl. She won the love of Francis Winthrop, who had been attentive to Jane Hartshorne, and Jane for spite accused Patience of be- ing a witch.
 A great deal of interest was mani fested in the trial, especially because Patience was so we'll beloved. The ev idence brought against her was con- vincing.
 Young Winthrop when his sweet heart had been tried and found guilty said that he could not be present when she was burned, and he would no longer remain in a so called civilized community where such superstitions were rife and such cruelties were prac- ticed. The day before the execution he left the settlement, saying that he would go and live among the Indians. His parting with Patience was distress ing in the extreme and would have moved anything but the ironbound consciences of the Puritans.
 The next day stake was set up in q wood near the settlement and fagots laid about it in preparation for the burning, which was set for the | hour of sunset It was October, and 1 there was a mellow haze in the at mosphere. Shortly before the sun went down the great men of the 1 church and their families began to collect at the place of execution. Pres i entIy in the distance appeared little 1 procession, led by the minister, who read from his Bible as he walked such passages as he thought might exercise the evil spirit that had got into the poor girl. Patience came next, attend ed by her weeping parents and a few i of her intimate friends.
 Now, it is not claimed that what I am about to narrate is a matter of his i tory. Detailed accounts of those who | perished by the witchcraft insanity have been given in histories of the times, but I admit there is no his 1 torical account of this case. It has merely been perpetuated in the family. l We must remember that those were a 1 superstitious people, looking always for the marvellous. Yet there is noth- ! ing more remarkable in the witch plague than in the story of what hap | pened at Patience Godwins burning. | The condemned girl bade farewell to l her parents, her brothers and sisters and her friends and with a resigned l step approached the stake. She was | bound. and the eXecutioner was about l to apply the torch to the fagots when the setting sun broke through cloud 1 and flooded the scene with a yellow 1 spIendor. A glory from heaven seem- ed to be poured upon the trees, whose ! leaves still wore the autumnal colors, the group standing about the stake, and lit the face of the witch, giving i a holy glow to her pale features.
 And then out of the western sun- light there came figure dressed in a long white robe walking slowly. Whether man or woman none could say, for the long hair falling on the shoulders gave the figure a feminine appearance, while a sword pressed by the right hand against a large blood red cross on the breast seemed to indi- cate manhood. As the visitor drew near the face was seen to be white as marble, and soft brown beard could be distinguished.
 As the man or specter or god, food ed by the yellow light, which every moment took on more effulgence, ap- preached those about the stake knelt with bowed heads. Reaching the witch, he said in a voice soft, but dis tinct:
 Come out, Satanw
 Then it seemed to those who saw that Patience writhed for a moment, after which her face shOne with a holy light. Raising his sword. the appari- tion cut the rope that bound her: then, taking her hand, led her away in the direction from which he had come.
 Some say that the two figures were lost in a snowstorm that suddenly came up from the east, giving q still more wonderful appearance to the western illumination as seen through the falling flakes.
 1 have examined the records of the weather for the year in question and found mention of terrible snowstorm 
 depth. falling on verdure thatlhad not yet been blighteH
 The legend says that Patience and the stranger Were seen walking through this snowstorm in a gradually lessen ing illumination, darkness finally en- veloping them.
 Patience never returned to Massa- chusetts, but after the witch craze had passed she was known to be living in Maryland, the wife of Francis Win throp. Who the mysterious stranger was has never been definitely settled. In Massachusetts most people believed that it was either the Saviour or St. JohE. But in the family inheriting the legend it has been supposed that he was none other than Francis Win throp, who went away immediately be- fore the execution for the purpose of working on the superstitions of the people and thus saving the girl he