Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-26
AN OLD WITCH STORY.

Spartanburg Journal has an editorial
on the subject of the old time belief
in witches and the like, and referred
to the York story Of Mosie Cable, as
written by the late Maurice Moore,
and publishd In The Enquirer in the
early 70's, with the suggestion that
the story be reproduced for the bene-
fit Of present day readers. With the
understanding that every reader who
believes the story will send us a
quarter, it gives US pleasure to comply
with the Journals suggestion. The
story Is as follows:
"In discussing the subject Of mes
merism, In its early days, with Rev.
Mr.. Elliott of Beaufort, In which he
strongly believed, he told me Of mes-
merists' power and clairvoyant skill
to a marvellous extent. told him
we might begin to believe with our
forefathers in witches, and, for his
amusement. related to him the tale Of
the bewitchment OF Mosie Gabbie, of
York. "a aSr2gl ~
"Mosie. Gabbie lived : two miles
above York court house, and It was
either in the year 1920 or 1921, when
he lived with a brother-in-law named
Burns, that his family, and neighbors
were much excited and bewildered by
his case. He said that he was be-
witched, and his curious state Confirm
ed the minds Of others in the same
belief. All day long he would lie in
bed, in a kind Of stupor, and could
be reused only when directly spoken
to- when he would relapse into the
same comatose state. IL left alone.
Between II and 12 o'clock at night.
he would utter a fearful yell, spring
from his bed where he had been y-
ing all day. rush out Of the house, be
absent till daylight, when he would
return with his hands and feet full of
chestnut burrs. On being questioned
by his family as to when these noe
turnal alarms first began ,fito where
he would piteously declare he could
not help himself; that old Mrs. Big
gart, commonly reported witch,
rode him every night to old Violet
Weston's and hitched him under a
large chestnut tree, In front Of the
house, while the witches had dance
in the rickety old dwelling. In vain
did his sister and her husband devise
and execute means to keep him at
home. Every effort failed by some
mischance, for at the fatal hour he
would give the awful shrek and be
gone, they scarce knew how. AT last
they ceased trying to prevent him,
yielding undoubtedly to the belief that
Mosie was bewitched and ridden ev-
cry. night. Winter came and passed;
made no change, for 1t was a certain
fact that every night. let the weather
be what 1t might-raining, sleeting
or snowing-he would, between the
hours Of II and IL, give a hideous
yell. jump out Of his bed and be gone
till dawn next morning.
|. 1.-The family became so accustomed
to II that their slumbers were scarce
ly arrested by 1t for a moment.
Among the daily tasks assigned the
children, the picking of the burrs out
Of their Uncle Mosie's feet and hands,
was one of the most arduous. Only
once, after the first unavailing efforts
made at the beginning of the strange
occurrence by the frightened house.
hold of his brother-in-law, to keep
him from his midnight jaunts, only
once again-was an attempt made,
say, to outdo the witch. 1t happened
thus: Old Sam Burns, father OF
whom the latter lived, was talking
with Colonel Bill Ferguson on the
subject of haunts, In which Burns was
a strong believer. Ferguson hooted
the idea. Burns told him Of Mosie's
case, and Ferguson laughed the tale
to scorn, Offering to wager that he
could keep him at home. Old Mr..
Burns insisted that 1t was supernatu-
raj, and proposed that Ferguson
should go some night and make the
trial. Colonel Ferguson was eager to
do so. and a night In the next week
was agreed on for the purpose.
"Punctually the two met at Gabbie's
house, and having announced to the
family the cause and object Of their
visit, the family, at the usual hour,
retired to the other room of the cab
in. and left the old gentlemen to their
watch in the room with Mosie. Time
wore on rather. slowly, as time watch
ed usually does, and Ferguson. a lit
tie weary, reclined himself upon
the fire, resting his back and head
against this hard pillow, but still
chatting with Burns, who. too, had
sought a recumbent position, by ly-
ing across the foot Of Mosie's bed,
which was standing near the fire.
Conversation grew more tedious and
labored; they had no candle; the
blaze of the fire flickered uncertain
ly. and the old men. before they
knew it, and certainly against all
their intentions, fell into a doze. All
was still when the quiet of night was
broken by a horrible shrek from
Mosie Gabbie. as II he were possessed
of numberless fiends. Colonel Fergu-
son was fully aroused in moment,
and sprang from the floor to his feet
Old Mr.. Burns, too was awakened,
but rose more slowly from where he
was lying. Seeing Burns rise from
the bed, Ferguson. in the excitement
of the moment, and the dim, uncertain
light, mistook him for Mosie Gabbie