USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > The history of Concord, Massachusetts > Part 16
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Several days before the one appointed for the husking party, the corn had been cut and laid between the rows, and from thence it had been thrown upon various teams from the neighboring barns, which deposited it in Good- man Baker's yard, where we will suppose the husking was to occur, and from which place the fodder and its rich fruitage could be distributed.
Invitations to the party had been sent hither and yon throughout the town, and from every direction on the night appointed the people gathered. From the immediate vicin- ity there came the Rices, Foxes, Fletchers, Taylors and Brookes, also the Meriams, Wheats, Farwells and Balls. From the north quarter there came the Hunts, Temples, Jonses and Browns ; the Barretts from the neighborhood of Punkatassett; the Buttricks from near the bridge; the Hosmers from their pleasant homestead to the west- ward and the Batemans from about the pond. From the south quarter were the Hosmers, Deans, Potters and Dakins, the Woodhouse family, the Bulkeleys, Strattons, Billingses, Wigleys, and Woodses; the Mileses and Wheelers were there from the Nine Acres; the Gobbles from the river bay ; and the Flint farms and Blood farms and the territory about Concord village all had their repre- sentatives at this Fall festival.
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As each dismounted from saddle or pillion or jumped from the ox cart or "hay riggin'," the animals were fastened to a row of stakes which had been set behind the buildings for the purpose.
For weeks, Goodman Baker knowing that his place had been selected for the husking had been alive to all the requirements of the coming occasion, and his home had been a busy hive of willing and enthusiastic workers for many evenings since the early frost began crisping and curl- ing the corn leaves. The woods had been scoured for game, and the clink clonk of the mortar had been a familiar sound for many evenings, while good wife Baker and the boys pounded cloves and coriander seed, caraway, savory and sage, that all might be in readiness when the merry "mixing time" came, and the rich sauces and gravies were to be prepared.
Several mornings previous to the day appointed for the husking the large brick oven had been made ablaze, and by mid-forenoon was well filled with loaves and puddings and pies.
The broad boards of every floor had been scoured and sanded, and everything not to be used had been set aside from the old garret whither the modest might flee to avoid the forfeit upon the finding of a red ear, to the shelves in the arch of the cellar, to which the elders might resort to sample Goodman Baker's choice cordials.
When the day came, everything was ready. The cider barrel had been "hossed up" in the dooryard, beside a bountiful pile of "eating apples." The corn heap had been pierced here and there with pitch-forks and stout poles upon which to fasten the tin lanterns, and sundry milking stools and logs had been arranged at convenient intervals as seats for the huskers.
The evening began with steady work, which was mainly performed by the younger and more nimble of the party. Back in the shadows sat the grave old men comparing the
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year's crop with former ones and wondering why the pre- sent is so different from the past in many things.
As the pile perceptibly diminished the work began to flag, and as the boys saw the end of it they grew mischiev- ous. It was not long however before the work was broken in upon by the discovery of a red ear which was found by Sam Smeadley. No sooner was it seen than a flurry set in and each person braced himself for what was to follow; some ran, but more stood their ground, and if any escaped the person was chased till caught and the forfeit paid.
Many were the red ears found during the evening, but whether kind nature had favored the common planting fields of the East quarter with an unusual number, or the boys had sureptitiously brought them from other places we cannot say, but that husking party was long remembered, and the old men said, over their cider mugs, that "for red ears Farmer Baker's husking was the beater."
In two or three hours the husking was finished and the supper was eaten ; the young people repaired to the cham- bers to engage in games, and the elders, grouped about the sitting room fire, talked of olden times and reviewed the leading events since the settlement started, and told who had come and who had gone.
In consequence of a remark made by Betsey Billings about a sign which she said she saw in the sparks, conver- sation turned upon the subject of the supernatural ; and personal experiences of a curious nature were related, some of which but for the good character of the narrators and the tendency of the times might have been doubted.
It is true society had not reached that state of credulity and fanatical frenzy which existed toward the last of the century, and there had been but few instances of witch trials in this country ; but the belief in witchcraft and devil deal- ing had already set in and supposed alliances with evil agencies were not uncommon ; so that the conversation of the plain people of this East quarter husking party was only representative of a sentiment too generally prevailing;
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and when, in order to catch every syllable of old Wigley, when he described what he saw and heard on a late even- ing while passing the three graves at Witch end, the people leaned toward him lest they miss something, they only ex- pressed the common avidity for grewsome subjects.
It may be well here to consider how this came about and the responsible cause of it. This tendency of the times was not born but brought here.
The colonists have been too often and too harshly criti- cised for things which, although they fostered, they did not originate. There was more than old furniture and curious bric-a-brac from far off manor houses, and heirlooms of ancient date, and traditions of heraldry confirmed by an- tique coats of arms, that came to these shores in the "Harp- ers," the "Halcyons" and the "Hopes," ships and brigs of good repute and wise masters; there were superstitions, and false conceptions of demonology, and dismal beliefs in possible alliance with "familiars." These existed, though in embryo, and were ready to develop on easy occasion; and easy occasions were frequent. The soil of New Eng- land was a congenial one. The dark forests, the wild morasses, the lone pond shores, the long and deserted ocean beaches, the crumbling and scrawny ledges where lurked suspicious shadows, these all with the voices of the wilderness were like deft and dutiful nursery maids or over indulgent foster parents quick to promote what had better been prevented. But these conditions and agencies would never have produced spontaneously the grewsome beliefs and practices that so deeply and darkly stained the closing decades of the 17th century.
What was then developed was but an imitation of what many times over had occured in Old England, and although British writers may still turn in their study of witchcraft to this continent, and notwithstanding the town of Salem may still be the synonym for, and suggestive of, all that is classic on the subject, yet not Salem nor the combined boroughs of the entire country can show a record of court
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cruelty on account of witch conviction in any way compar- able with the English tribunals.
The colonists came to America as pupils from an ancient school, and they practiced here what they had been taught to believe elsewhere. It is not to be wondered at then if Delilah Dean thought her churn was bewitched because the eows browsed in Betsey Balcom's back yard, since Bess was considered a witch. But it might be wondered at had not Goody Dean's grandfather informed her that on one occa- sion in old Yorkshire the kine had come home with dry udders because the woman who lived on the hillside by his master's manor house had cursed the herd and said it should go barren. Again, why should not Sol. Stratton say he saw something, and everybody believe what he said, when old Smithson, Sol's uncle, had frequently told him and all the people also that when he lived on the Dorset downs in the Old Country he was warned not to gather fagots from the bewitched hedgerow lest the smoke tarnish whatever it touch.
After the company had listened to the recital of several strange things by old Simson Slowgo as to what he had seen in his day before coming to Concord, for he was late there, having but recently come from down country to fol- low the trade of an itinerant shoemaker, they turned their conversation to things about home. Several spoke of un- usual appearances recently seen near the river, which, by the description, were similar to the one seen by Goodmen Heywood and Barrett on the evening of our excursion on Parson Bulkeley's boat.
One incident that especially interested the company was told by Jeduthan Jones, Squire Flint's hired man, an out- lander who had gotten into town without anyone being responsible for him ; but as Jed had proved good help he was allowed to stay, although it was said "his word should be taken with a leetle keer." The incident was about a strange creature that he saw down at Cranberry Crossing by the brick kiln. The company at once recognized in the
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animal what was known as the spectral wolf which it was asserted was the "familiar" of Sarah Doubleday, an old grandam who once lived at Bogbottom.
This beast had prowled all over Concord, carrying away shoates and calves, and even milking cows. So exceptional was his nature that the usual means of thwarting witches were in his case unavailing; and when Bray Wilmot, a Welshman, nailed a couple of horseshoes over his henhouse he lost not only his hens but the shoes ; the latter having been wrenched off, as was supposed, by the spectral wolf, which, by the "disportation" of Sarah, had been made im- mune from either enchantment by horseshoes or harm from silver shot; moreover the mystery was increased upon finding the horseshoes later, on Jake Flin's old mare, an animal that some said was as much bewitched as the wolf, since it had been seen in various lone localities under sus- picious circumstances.
It proved a surprise to hear from the spectral animal, for he had not been seen, it was said, since Lemuel Loker over at Sudbury tried to shoot it and by mistake hit Jake Flin. Lem had lost several pullets and a couple of cocks and naturally laid it to the white wolf, as he was sometimes called, for it was supposed he could take all colors.
After this last loss, it was stated by those present, for Lemuel was not there, as he lived out of town, that he delivered himself of some very strong language, so strong that his wife rebuked him ; and with great emphasis he declared that he "would capter that wolf ef it cost him suthin, pervided he could do it at a safe distance, for he didn't care to deal with Sarah with bare hands." "So," continued Hilkiah Heald who was relating it, "Lem sliced up an old spoon, it was a silver one, and arter breakin' it up inter bits and rounding 'em over, he put a pooty stiff charge of powder in his snaphance and the bits over it, and then lay down behind the lalock bushes and waited. Well, about midnight Lem heered suthin and fired at it and it fell, and as he went to look at it he found he had shot Jake
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Flin. He hadn't injured him much, for Jake's coat, which was made of wolf skin, kept the shot out, but he was ter- ribly scared and somewhat jarred, and when asked how it happened that he was there, Jake said he was out arter the specter wolf which had jest stole his fowls. When Lem saw the coat he didn't wonder much at his mistake, for he said it looked for the whole world like the wolf which he got a glimpse of round the corner when he lost the horse- shoes.'
It is unnecessary to state that after the shooting of Jake Flin by Lem Loker the people of Concord were no longer pestered by the spectral wolf, for Jacob Flin left the poul- try business.
After the narration of incidents, the methods of detect- ing witches was discussed, and the making discovery of such as practiced the black arts or were allied with "familiars." One way suggested was to ascertain if any relative had ever been suspected of being a witch. Another was to look for the "witch mark," which might be a mole or any irregular growth, or perhaps some slight deformity, not enough of itself to be a mark but only as taken with other things. To accuse one of dealing with the devil and receiving in response no denial was suspicious and to do one harm by well-known witch methods was a bad symp- tom.
When it came to stories of apparitions such as were sup- posed to stalk about ancient burial places it was noticeable that those who were sitting in the back part of the room hitched nearer to the fireside. Someone also got up and closed the cellar door, which a few moments before had sprung open without anyone knowing the reason, for Good- wife Baker said she knew she buttoned it when she brought up the last pail of cider.
As the subject of apparitions was talked about each speaker grew somewhat subdued in his manner of narra- tion, and the hearers bunched together as if the last hand-
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ful of chips that was thrown on the back log did not suffi- ciently warm them.
Just as the group were in the midst of a story told by Tilly Temple, in which she was relating how Peg Wil- loughby, a new comer, concocted a mixture of dragon leaf and swamp adder root with which she tried to charm Felix Fox's cows in order that she might stealthily milk them, and how, in order to prevent it Felix consulted an old grandam down at the slough, a large lug bar which had long been braced across the chimney ledges, but not lately used, because the Bakers had a crane, having become weakened by the unusual fires of the husking party, sud- denly dropped, bearing with it a couple of jib cakes, a hook and a dislodged brick. In its fall it struck upon a dish kettle hanging on the crane half full of water, and upsetting it emptied its contents upon the glowing back-log which, being struck by the falling lug bar, rolled down upon the cider pail and upset it.
A dense cloud of hissing steam and flying ashes quickly filled the apartment and shrieks issued from every quarter. The two dogs, Fleck and Towser at the same time set up a cry, the one a long howl, the other several sharp whines and for a moment it was as if Peg Willoughby's witch broth had been poured down the chimney, which some thought was the case. The tumult being heard in the chamber above, where the games were going on, brought down the young people, who only added to the confusion.
When order was restored it was found that no serious damage had been done, except the spotting of several cali- manco gowns.
Goodman Bateman said he "guessed he'd go as the hour was getting a little late and he had got to ride clean over the river to the North part and pooty nigh the spot where Sim Slowgo saw the wolf." Upon this suggestion Pete Potter surprised the company by saying he was certain it was late, for, said he, "I have tarned that hour glass nigh agin five times sence the moon passed the quarter mark on
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the door post." In a half hour the house was still and nothing was to be heard but the occasional rattle of the cows' walnut bows and the barking of a small Indian dog down at the Dean place, where some wolves were trying to get at the shoates.
It may be here observed that the selectmen warned Peg Willoughby out of town the day following and broke up the bough house where she simmered her noxious herbs.
As we have now set forth the common belief in witch- craft and in the supernatural generally in colonial times, by the supposititious conversation and conduct of the old folks at the East quarter husking party, we will observe that the view on this subject as entertained by the laity was perhaps more strongly entertained by the professional class. Ministers and magistrates were alike deluded. The fact of bedevilment was assumed by the pulpit, and the judges at the bench charged jurors in the laying down of rules for the weighing of evidence in the case of witchcraft with the same confidence as in cases of theft or assault. It is thought probable that the judges of the Province Court sought to employ in the Province laws the rules and practice which had been employed at the Colonial Court in Salem, and the judges who presided over that court were reappointed, William Stoughton, Esq., being chosen chief justice. In the works of Rev. Cotton Mather on subjects relating to the marvelous, doings as strange as those related around Goodman Baker's fireside were set forth. Among other supposed manifestations of witch power he mentions per- sons afflicted with "sore paynes" and "vomiting" and "fre- quent swooning." He gives an instance of a child being "lame on one side and then on the other," and of some- times pretending to see mice. He states that on one occa- sion the child catching a mouse threw it upon the fire, whereupon it snapped like gunpowder. He said that several standing by saw the flash, but only the child saw the mouse. In speaking of witch marks he intimated they might be caused by the devil touching the person ;
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that these marks were insensible, and upon being pricked would not bleed, and that they were sometimes bluish and sometimes red. Among the ways of testing witches which he referred to were the being heard speaking to their "familiar" or telling what they have done, or telling of their "transportations," or being seen with their spirits or feeding their imps.
But it should be said to the credit of the colonial clergy that the witchcraft delusion which ran its course before the century closed was dissipated as much perhaps by their efforts and influences as by all other agencies combined. Its cessation may have had its beginning in the attitude of the Mathers, who while they stood ready to coincide with the judiciary in the correctness of witch conviction upon proper evidence, yet considered it a cruely and a great trav- esty of justice to make use of some of the evidence which was admissible in the courts of England, or to abide by such principles and precedents as were sanctioned by them. While they believed as did Sir William Blackstone, who wrote his commentaries about three-quarters of a century later, that demoniacal possession was a possibility and scrip- tural, yet they believed the devil and not his victims should be held responsible. Rev. Increase Mather declared it to be unlawful to use herbs to keep off the evil spirits, and he disparaged the curing of diseases by means of charms, saying that they who obtained health in that way had it from the devil. He considered white witches who pre- tended to cure in that way as bad as black ones, and a good witch as bad as a bad one. He said "Balaam was a black witch and Simon Major a white one, but the latter did more hurt by his cures than the former by his curses." He took a decided issue with the English courts of the time, which held that "If a specter practicing diabolical molestations appeared to anyone it was conclusive and legal evidence that the person so represented was a witch," which theory was accepted by Sir Matthew Hale and adopted at the Salem trials. The attitude of the Boston ministers was
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that the devil himself and not the person accused caused the representations.
In 1692, Rev. Increase Mather wrote a work at the request of the ministers of Boston, which was published in this country and also in England, the object of which was to show the illegality and wrong of using spectral testimony which was used at the Salem trials. The preface to this work was written by Samuel Willard and signed by four- teen ministers, who made the following statement: "That there are devils and witches the scriptures assert and expe- rience confirms ; they are the common enemies of mankind set upon mischief. But certainly the more execrable the crime is, the more critical care is to be used in the exposing of the names, liberties and lives of men (especially of a godly conversation) to the imputation of it." Mather said : "I declare and testify that to take away the lives of any one merely because a specter or devil in a bewitched or accused person does accuse them will bring the guilt of innocent blood on the land." He maintained that the oath and tes- timony of confessed witches and of persons possessed should never be received, and that a trial for witchcraft ought to be conducted by the same law and rules of evi- dence as a trial for murder, burglary or any other felony.
If the Mathers and the other ministers here referred to were representatives of their profession at this period they were more than abreast of the judiciary and the laity, and far in advance of English law generally.
CHAPTER XXI.
Return to the East quarter - Forest Ride - Game Birds - Goodwife Hartwell's Kitchen - Cooking by the Fireplace - Evening talk of the Farm Folks - Laws Relative to Domestic Animals - Historic Sketch of Hartwell Family - Visit at Home of Con- stable Thomas Brooks - His Official Duties - Rules Relative to Colonial Dress - Homestead of Good- man William Hunt - Early Military Matters- History of the Hunt Family.
TO O return now to our original narration, after the bag was replaced and Farmer Hartwell was re- seated there was no further interruption to our journey ; it was jolt after jolt all the way ; but we rather enjoyed it, for the swaying of the ox cart was some- what soothing, and our slow pace gave us an opportunity to see the birds. In one instance a wild turkey ran before us with a surprising fleetness ; upon expressing our surprise we were informed that this was a means of their safety, for on the wing they were heavy, the largest specimens weigh- ing forty or fifty pounds. In a moist hollow by the road- side we flushed several woodcocks. Upon inquiring if they were flight birds we were told they were; and that there were also plenty of natives; that they nested near every runway and spring hole, and that the corn fields in low places were full of their borings.
As we approached a reach in the road several wood ducks whistled over us, and we learned that their nests were made in the woods adjacent to the meadows and that when their young were full fledged they carried them to the water in their bills.
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HOME OF HENRY D. THOREAU AT WALDEN POND
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Emerging from the forest into a sunny opening, where Farmer Farwell had a small patch of Guinea wheat, there arose from it a flock of purple grackles ; and so large was it that we could easily understand why a bounty was placed upon them, for as they alighted on a large oak they almost covered it and the overflow settling on a willow caused it to bend like a reed.
When we reached Goodman Hartwell's home his wife and children were at the door looking for us, having heard the rattle of our cart in the distance, and soon we had en- tered and were seated at the dinner table. The afternoon was mostly spent in one of the front rooms chatting about matters pertaining to the East quarter, for the pre- diction of the wild ducks about the weather had proven true and the rain was now beating against the east windows.
At early twilight Goodwife Hartwell set about preparing the supper ; and as we heard her clinking the tongs against the andirons while she pulled from underneath them the hard wood coals which during the afternoon she had taken care to have in readiness, the desire seized us to see a meal cooked by a fireplace. The wish was no sooner expressed than Goodman Hartwell led us into the kitchen and seated us close by the wood box, where we could see everything. The sparks ascended thickly from beneath the long, stout crane, the tea-kettle hummed, and the steam gracefully as- cended among the various objects that were pendent above the mantlepiece upon a pole stretched over it; and every now and then as there fell upon the fire a few rain drops, which had been driven by the blast down the chimney, there was a hissing and sputtering as if the coals were con- versing with the storm sprites.
Amid all this snugness, Goodwife Hartwell was busily "plying her evening care;" being at the outset of her work particularly engaged with a plump ball of rye dough which she was stirring and patting in a wooden bread trough or tray in an earnest endeavor to mix the ash and butter-milk which she had poured into it to make it rise. When the
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dough had been thoroughly stirred she scraped it into a compact little heap, being careful to leave nothing on the tray ; and after cutting it in halves, deftly slipped one part into a frying pan and the other upon an iron disc the size of a bucket top, which she set on edge and tipped slightly towards the coals. The frying pan after covering she placed on the longest hook of the crane, saying as she did so that she usually cooked shortcake in that manner, but thought we might like to see it done both ways.
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