Why, ye see, boys, she was as withered and wrinkled and brown as an old frosted punkin-vine; and her little snaky eyes sparkled and snapped, and it made yer head kind o dizzy to look at em; and folks used to say that anybody that Ketury got mad at was sure to get the worst of it fust or last. And so, no matter what day or hour Ketury had a mind to rap at anybodys door, folks genlly thought it was best to let her in; but then, they never thought her coming was for any good, for she was just like the wind,she came when the fit was on her, she staid jest so long as it pleased her, and went when she got ready, and not before. Ketury understood English, and could talk it well enough, but always seemed to scorn it, and was allers mo win and mutterin to herself in Indian, and winkin and blinkin as if she saw more folks round than you did, so that she want no way pleasant company; and yet everybody took good care to be polite to her. So old Cack asked her to come in, and didnt make-no question where she come from, or what she come on; but he knew it was twelve good miles from where she lived to his hut, and the snow was drifted above her middle: and Capn Eb declared that there want no track, nor sign o a track, of anybodys coming through that snow next morning.
How did she get there, then? said I.
Didnt ye never see brown leaves a-ridin on the wind? Well, Capn Eb he says, she came on the wind, and Im sure it was strong enough to fetch her. But Cack he got her down into the warm corner, and he poured her out a mug o hot toddy, and give her: but ye see her bein there sort o stopped the conversation; for she sot there a-rockin backards and forards, a-sippin her toddy, and a-mutterin, and lookin up chimbley.
Capn Eb says in all his born days he never hearn such screeches and yells as the wind give over that chimbley; and old Cack got so frightened, you could fairly hear his teeth chatter.
But Capn Eb he was a putty brave man, and he want goin to have conversation stopped by no woman, witch or no witch; and so, when he see her mutterin, and lookin up chimbley, he spoke up, and says he, Well, Ketury, what do you see? says he. Come, out with it; dont keep it to yourself. Ye see Capn Eb was a hearty fellow, and then he was a leetle warmed up with the toddy.
Then he said he see an evil kind o smile on Keturys face, and she rattled her necklace o bones and snakes tails; and her eyes seemed to snap; and she looked up the chimbley, and called out, Come down, come down! lets see who ye be.
Then there was a scratchin and a rumblin and a groan; and a pair of feet come down the chimbley, and stood right in the middle of the haarth, the toes pintin outrds, with shoes and silver buckles a-shinin in the firelight. Capn Eb says he never come so near bein scared in his life; and, as to old Cack, he jest wilted right down in his chair.
Then old Ketury got up, and reached her stick up chimbley, and called out louder, Come down, come down! lets see who ye be. And, sure enough, down came a pair o legs, and jined right on to the feet: good fair legs they was, with ribbed stockings and leather breeches.
Wal, were in for it now, says Capn Eb. Go it, Ketury, and lets have the rest on him.
Ketury didnt seem to mind him: she stood there as stiff as a stake, and kep callin out, Come down, come down! lets see who ye be. And then come down the body of a man with a brown coat and yellow vest, and jined right on to the legs; but there want no arms to it. Then Ketury shook her stick up chimbley, and called, Come down, come down! And there came down a pair o arms, and went on each side o the body; and there stood a man all finished, only there want no head on him.
Wal, Ketury, says Capn Eb, this eres getting serious. I spec you must finish him up, and lets see what he wants of us.
Then Ketury called out once more, loudern ever, Come down, come down! lets see who ye be. And, sure enough, down comes a mans head, and settled on the shoulders straight enough; and Capn Eb, the minit he sot eyes on him, knew he was Jehiel Lommedieu.
Old Cack knew him too; and he fell flat on his face, and prayed the Lord to have mercy on his soul: but Capn Eb he was for gettin to the bottom of matters, and not have his scare for nothin; so he says to him, What do you want, now you hev come?
The man he didnt speak; he only sort o moaned, and pinted to the chimbley. He seemed to try to speak, but couldnt; for ye see it isnt often that his sort o folks is permitted to speak: but just then there came a screechin blast o wind, and blowed the door open, and blowed the smoke and fire all out into the room, and there seemed to be a whirlwind and darkness and moans and screeches; and, when it all cleared up, Ketury and the man was both gone, and only old Cack lay on the ground, rolling and moaning as if hed die.
Wal, Capn Eb he picked him up, and built up the fire, and sort o comforted him up, cause the crittur was in distress o mind that was drefful. The awful Providence, ye see, had awakened him, and his sin had been set home to his soul; and he was under such conviction, that it all had to come out,how old Cacks father had murdered poor Lommedieu for his money, and Cack had been privy to it, and helped his father build the body up in that very chimbley; and he said that he hadnt had neither peace nor rest since then, and that was what had driv him away from ordinances; for ye know sinnin will always make a man leave prayin. Wal, Cack didnt live but a day or two. Capn Eb he got the minister o Sherburn and one o the selectmen down to see him; and they took his deposition. He seemed railly quite penitent; and Parson Carryl he prayed with him, and was faithful in settin home the providence to his soul: and so, at the eleventh hour, poor old Cack might have got in; at least it looks a leetle like it. He was distressed to think he couldnt live to be hung. He sort o seemed to think, that if he was fairly tried, and hung, it would make it all square. He made Parson Carryl promise to have the old mill pulled down, and bury the body; and, after he was dead, they did it.
Capn Eb he was one of a party o eight that pulled down the chimbley; and there, sure enough, was the skeleton of poor Lommedieu.
So there you see, boys, there cant be no iniquity so hid but what itll come out. The Wild Indians of the forest, and the stormy winds and tempests, jined together to bring out this ere.
For my part, said Aunt Lois sharply, I never believed that story.
Why, Lois, said my grandmother, Capn Eb Sawin was a regular church-member, and a most respectable man.
Law, mother! I dont doubt he thought so. I suppose he and Cack got drinking toddy together, till he got asleep, and dreamed it. I wouldnt believe such a thing if it did happen right before my face and eyes. I should only think I was crazy, thats all.
Come, Lois, if I was you, I wouldnt talk so like a Sadducee, said my grandmother. What would become of all the accounts in Dr. Cotton Mathers Magnilly if folks were like you?
Wal, said Sam Lawson, drooping contemplatively over the coals, and gazing into the fire, theres a putty considable sight o things in this world thats true; and then agin theres a sight o things that aint true. Now, my old granther used to say, Boys, says he, if ye want to lead a pleasant and prosperous life, ye must contrive allers to keep jest the happy medium between truth and falsehood. Now, that ares my doctrine.