Ye Lyttle Salem Maide; A Story of Witchcraft (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1898. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Chapter XIX On Gallows' Hill AT the foot of this scaffold, the driver stopped. Deliverance was bidden to step out. Attended by the guard, she ascended the ladder. Only one instinct remained to the heartbroken child, and that was to clasp still closer to her breast the little kitten, the one faithful and loving friend who clung to her in this dread hour. "Deliverance Wentworth," spoke the minister in a loud, clear voice, " will you, while there is yet time, confess your sin of witchery, or will you be launched into eternity to the loss of your immortal soul?" She looked at him vaguely. His words had not pierced to her dulled comprehension. He repeated them. Again she was silent. Slowly her unresponsive gaze turned from the minister and swept the sea of upturned faces. Never was there a sterner, sadder crowd than the one upon which she looked down; the men lean, sour-visaged, the women already showing a delicacy, born of hardship and the pitiless New England winters. Children hoisted on the shoulders of yeomen were to be seen. She saw the wan, large-eyed face of little Ebenezer Gibbs, as his father held him up to behold the witch who had afflicted him with such grievous illness. Drawn together in a group were the gentry. And all thrilled to a general terror for none knew on whom the accusation might next fall. At the tavern, the loiterers, made reckless by the awful plague, gathered to be merry and pledge a cup to the dying. With these latter mingled foreign sailors, their faces bronzed, wearing gold rings in their ears and gay scarves around their waists. One of these tavern roisterers shouted: "Behold the imp the witch carries in the shape of a black cat " There came another cry: "Let the cat be strung up also, lest the witch's spirit pass into it at he...