A Gem For Hallowe'en From Literary Magazine "Bow Bells"

AN 1869 STORY ABOUT WITCHCRAFT BY LUCIUS LYON

BOUND COPIES OF THE LITERARY MAGAZINE "BOW BELLS," TURNS UP A GEM FOR HALLOWE'EN

     To start with, there was at least one documented report of witchcraft in pioneer Muskoka, which involved one angry farmer bewitching another homesteader's hogs, causing the owner financial disadvantage. The hog(s) had been getting into the farmer's crops, potatoes most likely, and destroying the plants. It was believed this man put a curse on these same animals causing them to get sick. It was said, they were also unable to reproduce, causing the farmer considerable hardship.
     Taken from the brittle pages of another wonderful antiquarian book, I purchased recently, in a shop in the City of Orillia, (which is actually a collection of bound copies of the literary magazine, "Bow Bells," specifically the September issue, of 1869), is a perfect little editorial gem, entitled "Witchcraft," as written by Lucius Lyon. The story beings as follows:
     "It is not much more than a century ago, when, in enlightened England, to be guilty of being a witch was to be guilty of a crime punishable with death; to be sure, the crime was not clearly defined, the law being made up of such expressions as 'prohibiting  the exercise of evil arts,' 'devilish machinations,' and thus making it vague and indefinite. Indeed, for the most part, explanations of what the crime consisted, it seems to have been left entirely to the discretion of prosecuting witnesses; and when these witnesses happened to be of nervous imaginative temperament, and furthermore instigated by malice or fear, it is not difficult to conceive the monstrosities of which the accused could be found guilty."
     The large format book, a treasure of literary compositions from the period, also offers some first rate stories from antiquity, that are of the non-fiction variety. The author of the story continues, that "A belief in sorcery, or witchcraft, is probably as old as the human race, and will undoubtedly last among certain classes, as long as the race exists, or, at least, until science brings to light some of the hitherto hidden laws of our nature - for a something connected with our nature it must be that induces a theory that one human being has power over another to create involuntary physical action by a simple exercise of the mind. And, after all, those days of witchcraft only illustrated the fact that every phase of human nature which runs for a long tie in an undercurrent, gradually forces its way to the surface of affairs, and having spent its force, usually resumes its former flow. For there is today, even in this enlightened age (1869), in America, a wide-spread and popular faith in the malign influence of witches. The theory which some of these good people have in regard to the malign influence seems to be about as follows:
     "The power is usually vested in an old woman; the older and uglier she is, her capability in the exercise of her peculiar functions is increased. The power is generally hereditary - that is, transmitted from mother to daughter; the male members of the family seem never to enjoy any of the privileges conferred on the female members, though how the power was originally acquired deponent saith not. The old woman is always restless and discontented, unless she is for the time being engaged in practicing her diabolical art on one of more victims. She has no power over any person unless she ahs received an injury at the hands of said person, or one of his family; having once obtained the power, it extends over all the members of his family, his livestock and crops. Before the witch can lay a charm and proceed to afflict the victim, it is necessary that she should borrow some article of household use from the family of the proposed victim. As regards the effects produced by the influence of the witch, the results are various. Sometimes a sickness falls on some member of the family, which is fatal if the charm be not speedily broken; sometimes the spell attaches to the victim's livestock, and they all sicken and die; or his well or spring dries up; or a mysterious blight falls on his crops; and afflicted till he takes the proper steps to remove the spell.
     "There are diverse methods of breaking the charm - that is, destroying the influence of the witch - the most usual plan being to draw a rough portrait or profile sketch of the witch on a board, and thus shoot through the same with a silver bullet; or nail a horseshoe up to a tree with her name inside, and shoot through that. Sometimes the witch an be induced to remove her spell by presents of money; and in rare cases threats of personal violence have been known to frighten the old woman into a relinquishment of her power. In any case, if she can succeed in borrowing any article from the victim's family within twenty-four hours after the first charm is broken, she can resume her power of afflicting the same."
     The writer adds, that "Now, as regards the first point, if it were allowable to have the witch occasionally a young woman, I could imagine the wherefore of a certain amount of influence which it would be possible for her to exercise, particularly over persons of the opposite sex; for I, in the course of my own short personal experience, have felt myself labouring under the uncontrollable influences of a couple of black eyes supported by rosy cheeks and mouth; and so much was I influenced that I had not even a desire to free myself from her power. I have no doubt there could be found scores of young men from sixteen to twenty-five who have been likewise bewitched, and whose only cure seems to have been in obtaining possession of the young witch herself; but this procedure differs from the present subject, as nobody desires to possess an old witch, but rather that she be removed as far as possible from one.
     "I do not know that I could do better than to repeat (by way of illustrating the form which the superstition assumes among some people)), a story which I heard related by a farmer of respectability; of average intelligence, and who believed the events were brought about as he related as firmly as believe his Bible; in fact, to doubt his faith on the subject, was to doubt the word of an honest man. He lived, and still lives, in Northern Kentucky, where the events of which he spoke occurred. Several years ago, when the country was comparatively new, he had for neighbors an old woman and her daughter. They were not very respectable people; so nobody had much to do with them. When they first came into the neighborhood, there was some talk of the old woman being a witch; she cultivated a little patch of ground, kept a pig or two, with a cowm and with her daughter's help, managed to get on very well for the year or so that she lived there. The farmer was very careful not to give her cause of offence, for fear that (as he expressed it) 'she might put in practice some of her devilments to injure us.' At last one of the old lady's pigs got into his potato patch, and was engaged in digging potatoes on its own responsibility, when his little son discovered it at the mischief; he called his dog, who forthwith proceeded to worry the pig. After the pig was pretty nearly used up, it managed to get out and run home, from whence the old woman came in high dudgeon, vowing vengence for the injury done her pig. The farmer tried to pacify her for the damage; but the old lady would not be pacified, but went as she came, very indignant."
     The story continues, "This affair worried him a great deal, and he cautioned his wife against lending the old woman anything. Unfortunately, not long after, in the absence of himself and wife, the daughter fame to the house and borrowed some coffee from one of his children. He learnt the fact on his return home, and was much dismayed, as he knew he was in the old woman's power, if she was a witch; however, he awaited the issue of the affair with some misgivings. Two or three days after he took his rifle and went out on the hills to look for deer. He had not gone far when he saw a large fine-looking doe standing over on a point not more than a hundred yards from him; he was a dead shot, and was pleased to see so fair a mark, so drew up his rifle, and after taking a careful aim he pulled the trigger; but, to his surprise, the deer did not fall nor stir. He attributed his failure to his feeling of certainty, causing him to look more at the deer than at the sights of his gun; and, having quietly slipped behind a tree, he reloaded his rifle.
     "Again he took a deliberate aim, and fired; but the animal merely shook itself, and went on with the feeding. Feeling much exasperated at his failure, he again loaded his gun and this time walked up to within fifteen yards from him, who continued feeding, apparently not observing him; at this short distance he again fired, and the deer turned its head and gazed at him. The instant he saw its eyes he knew it was the old woman who had assumed the form in order to annoy him. He turned away in great fear, and hurried home where his alarm was increased by finding that his little son had taken very ill; it was the same one who had set the dog after the old woman's pig. The little fellow, on being questioned, said that two or three times in the course of the day, he had seen the old woman come and gaze at him through the window. They were all very much frightened because they knew that their child was bewitched, and immediately set about trying to find means to disable the power of the old hag.
     "The farmer took some pieces of silver money; having melted and run them through his bullet moulds, he loaded his gun very carefully, putting in the silver bullet. Then he sallied out in quest of his enemy; not far from the spot where he had first seen the deer, he found it again, prancing about in fine style. As soon as it stopped, he drew up and fired; this time he was more successful, for he saw the deer limp off on three legs. He hurried home, and, as the result of his experiment, had the satisfaction of finding his child in a fair way to recovery. Hardly had he arrived at home when the old woman's daughter made her appearance, and was very anxious to borrow 'just a little salt;' but she was indignantly ordered off the premises, and, of course, went home unsuccessful. He now gathered a few of his neighbours; and together they paid a visit to the abode of the old lady, whom the daughter said was suffering from the effects of a broken arm, and refused to let them in the house. But they forced their way in, and, sure enough, found the old woman with her arm in bandages. By force they tore the bandages off, discovering a hole through her arm as if made by a bullet. They gave the family a month in which to leave the country (state); and as soon as she was able, she and her daughter took her departure for some unknown place."

AN OBSERVATION ABOUT DEATH CIRCA 1869

     The same compendium quoted above, also had a small but interesting notation about "death," and its mysteries. Perfect for a pre Hallowe'en's eve.
     "How is it, that, having once looked on Death, we can for a moment forget it? How can we go back to our hopes and dreams and labours, when we have understood that they must all end here, that the most loving eyes must be closed thus, the busiest hands so crossed upon the breast - the greatest mind become a blank, and human beauty turn in a few brief hours to a thing of horror? Why does
not this phantom Death stand beside the alter, and say to bride and bridegroom, 'Why love, when there must come a bitter parting for one of you ere long? Why wed, when the very wedding hour hurries you nearer to the grave as it passes by?'
     "How can the mother forget it, when her baby lies upon her breast, and not say to herself, 'I have only brought into this world another thing to die.' Why do we not see the ghastly skeleton at our feasts; see him in our streets; hear him in songs; and be so bitterly oppressed by his inevitable coming as to lose all hope, and sit in dust and ashes, bewailing the bitter fate of man, who, do what he may, can only live to die?' Greatest of all mysteries is it, that we can go about forgetting, or seeming to forget this thing. Nor could we, so it seems to us, but for that inward consciousness of a life beyond that of this world, greater and better, where the spirit shall take up its work again, and we shall learn, as we never can on earth, why we have lived here."
     Happy Hallowe'en from antiquity.