Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-10
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Anybody who is not "hexed" today
might as well confess that he Is out of
style. Such an immune antique is not
in touch with the majority of folks, ac-
cording to the authority Of a college ex-
pert-a professor who comedies, like
the Widow Bedott, that we're all poor
critters"
This PROFESSIONAL conclusion does not
date back to the seventeenth century,
when Salem was hanging witches. Nor
Is 1t so recent that it may be refiec-
ton of the trial for witch-directed muir
der now occupying the public mind in
York, Pa.
There Is nothing sudden about this
ripe conclusion of Prof. George
Lincoln Burr or his antagonist, DR..
Buckley: 1t TRANSFERRED In the course of
debate in 1911 in Worcester. Mass,
between Prof. Burr and Prof Buckley
before the American Antiquarian So
ciety. In paper by Prof. Burr, pub
lished by the society. appears this state
ment concerning that seat Of New Eng
land learning, Harvard University burr
Is speaking)
"Dr. Buckley says-and he has given
the matter study--that witchcraft is
still believed by majority of the citi-
zens of the United States. A month or
two ago 191D Mr.. Addington Bruce,
in the outlook, illustrated the per-
Sistence of superstition by studying its
survival in the professors Of Harvard"
Now just what form Harvard witches
take is not clearly set forth, but that
may make little difference. Perhaps
they ride broomsticks; perhaps they
dance around caldronS of boiling hui
man bones.
No matter: Harvard University be-
Ia xrysk wr,H.1 hal IAx.v
their existence? Ask DR.. Burr or DR..
Buckley, or consult the whole Anti
quarian Society.
Like a typical quibbling professor,
however, or technical lawyer, DR.. Burr
tries to hedge by qualifying his defini-
ton of witches. He adds, in order to
confuse DR.. Buckley:
"Yet I doubt if Mr.. Bruce or DR..
Buckley would count the professors Of
Harvard, or even the majority of the
citizens of the United States, on the
same side of the question as those who.
in the seventeenth century, put women
to death for their league with the
devil"
Certainly not! Conditions have
changed in three centuries. The Devil
may or not be more influential In Amer
lean society, but it is certain that wom-
en- with all their witchery are more to
be feared. We have women's rights to-
day, which the Salem women lacked.
And women smoke-which in itself sug-
gestS hell fire.
One of the great tests Of witch in
those pioneer days was made by duck
ing her in deep water; If she sank, she
was no witch, but II she floated, the
devil take her, for she could hex the
bravest man around town, make his
cattle die, his children or even himself
have fits, and move his growing crops
from one field to another overnight.
Today many damsel can swim like.
q duck-she's a Self-convicted witch, as
many a judge at an Atlantic City beauty
show has testified. Sink or swim, live
or die, survive or perish"-ay, there's
the rub! If one sinks, she dies; If one
floats. she convicts herself and dies. So
let us eat, drink and be merry, having a
Devil of time. for the Devil is sure of
the witches who have made a league
with him. And he is in q hurry TO get
them all before the Quaker administra-
ton begins, when the Calvinistic orgy
will end. and Quaker dominion will
lay the ghosts and restrict all such Sa-
tanic wickedness. (I'll be hexed If 1t
amt SOD Let's all knock on wood!
If there be mystery as to who was the
witch who hexed ones cattle, here Is
the secret of finding out:
Put a pair of breeches upon the |
cows head that is bewitched, and beat |
her cut of the pasture upon Friday, |
and she will run right to the witchs :,
door and strike thereat with her horns" |
That Is easy, but here Is a recipe |
far more potent and important: How |
to make man or woman love you: |
Take the heart OF young dove. espe- |
cially that of a turtle dove, and steep |
1t in blood six hours; have 1t curiously |
baked and dried, and as often as you |
have opportunity, mix it in his or her !
drink, till he or she has taken the |
whole. by which time the partaker will |
feel the god Of love very busy In his
or her breast, and will take all occa-
sions to shew you kindness"
If there be any trouble about catch
ing turtle dove, here Is a substitute:
Get hollow ring and goats hair
taken from the beard, steep 1t In the
juice of nightShade, or wake robin tan
herb so called, and put 1t through the
ring, and whoever wears 1t will fall in
love with you"
That is easier, for there is plenty of
"goats"-and that is not personal re-
lection, for few men, however goatish,