The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-05-25
CHAPTER II-continued

s.
aWhy didn't these two strangers
stop your bloody work? At least the
white man, If he be white. If George
CrOghan. had been here. he'd o.
stopped you quick enough"
'Mebbe so, mebbe not, Mother Cox.
Bpt Croghan's In Great cove. So it's
no good talking hts name. Mother
Cox bantered Cromit.
"H0w do you know he's In Great
cover demanded.
The widow eyed me with stern dis
approval. but was quick to take the
words from cromit's mouth and told
me:
HE was here three days ago and
bound for there. Some of his drat-
ted Indians are straying round the
country, and he's looking 'em up. And
when he amt hunting up his Injuns.
he's trying TO hire our men to work
on Braddock's road. Let the red
coats make their own road, say.
When our men-folks 60 to the Ohio
they don't have no road laid down
for 'em to walk on. They just git up
and git"
"Where is Mcdowell and his menu
Where are the Craigs?" | asked.
"McDowell's folks is in Great cove,
a told YOU" huskily reminded the
tlrover.
And the Craig brothers are on the
road to Shippensburg." said the
widow. ''McDoweil's gone to help
drive out some witches"
But he and his men haven't time
to hep drive out the French" | said
She eyed me bIankly. and then be-
rated me:
AOf all the numbskullsl There
ain't no French near'n Fort Duquesne.
They can't hurt US with Bradd0ck's
army going ag'in' EN-. But witches
right among us can spell our cattle
and send sore pains to our children.
Merciful land! What good to drive
the French from the Allegheny If
Kitches can work their evil spells in
81 homes?''
IF it want for these beeves. I'd 60
back and help clean out the devils
nest" muttered the droyer.
"There'H be no tormenting OF poor
people ON the charge of witchcraft If
George Croghan is in the cove" l
told them.
/ walked up the horse-path toward
Parnal's Knob with Round Paw at
my heels. We covered a quarter Of
a mile when a yell behind caused US
to look back. Cromit was coming on
the run and his legs carried him rap
idly. expected trouble and handed
my rifle to Round Paw. Cromit halt
ed and informed me-:
II amt no call to sell my soul to
the devil. don't banker to see no
witches, but Ill go with you. Just
stopped to git my knife. Old Brad
dock will give me a new gun. but he
might be stingy with his knives"
And he patted a large butcher knife
worn without a sheath Did he trip
and fall it would be a miracle II he
escaped inflicting severe injury on
himself.
The belief in witches and wizards
h western Pennsylvania and Virginia
wns widespread. The Old world i'm
migrants had brought along their su
perstitions as well as their Bibles
Once they had ventured into the On.
broken forests and made clearing
and felt the solitude closing about
them like a wall they worked new
fancies into the old tales. If there we're
werwolyes in Europe, why should
there not be as bad. or worse. Ola.
bolic agencies in this new land Of
gloomy ancient forests. weird water.
falls and wild mountains?
What with the Palatine Germans
and their grewsome beliefs, the Irish
with their fairies, the Scotch with
their gnomes and other strange hill
creatures, and the English with their
devotion to ghosts. It was small won,
der that almost any community along
The frontiers should possess those who
implicitly believed 10 witchcraft. Nor
was this delusion lacking In New Eng
tang and other colonies.
AS we drew clear of the hills we
beheld two-score men and women
grouped at the foot of low bill on
which stood~a log cabin.
The door Of the cabin was open but
save none of the occupants. Nor
Mere the people at the foot OF the bill
giving much heed to the cabin as we
came up. Their interest was confined
to woman groveling on the grass
and making great outcry.
pushed my way through the crowd
ana looked down on the young woman
She was having a ct of some kind.
"What's the matter here7. asked.
@Thls young woman IS witched. SIR
sxied . gray-haired woman.