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as if they came out of the fire； and marking them they laid them on the
table； but in a little while they found some of them again flying about。 The
spit was carried up the chimney； and coming down with the point forward；
stuck in the back log； from whence one of the company removing it； it was
by an invisible hand thrown out at the window。 This disturbance continued
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from day to day； and sometimes a dismal hollow whistling would be heard；
and sometimes the trotting and snorting of a horse； but nothing to be seen。
The man went up the Great Bay in a boat on to a farm which he had there；
but the stones found him out； and carrying from the house to the boat a
stirrup iron the iron came jingling after him through the woods as far as
his house； and at last went away and was heard no more。 The anchor
leaped overboard several times and stopt the boat。 A cheese was taken out
of the press； and crumbled all over the floor； a piece of iron stuck into the
wall； and a kettle hung thereon。 Several cocks of hay； mow'd near the
house； were taken up and hung upon the trees； and others made into small
whisps； and scattered about the house。 A man was much hurt by some of
the stones。 He was a Quaker； and suspected that a woman； who charged
him with injustice in detaining some land from here； did； by witchcraft；
occasion these preternatural occurrences。 However； at last they came to an
end。〃
Now I have done with thee； O credulous and sour Cotton Mather！ so
get thee back again to thy tomb in the old burying…ground on Copp's Hill；
where； unless thy nature is radically changed； thou makest it
uncomfortable for those about thee。
Nearly a hundred years afterwards； Portsmouth had another witcha
tangible witch in this instanceone Molly Bridget； who cast her malign
spell on the eleemosynary pigs at the Almshouse； where she chanced to
reside at the moment。 The pigs were manifestly bewitched； and Mr。
Clement March； the superintendent of the institution； saw only one remedy
at hand； and that was to cut off and burn the tips of their tales。 But when
the tips were cut off they disappeared； and it was in consequence quite
impracticable to burn them。 Mr。 March； who was a gentleman of
expedients； ordered that all the chips and underbrush in the yard should be
made into heaps and consumed； hoping thus to catch and do away with the
mysterious and provoking extremities。 The fires were no sooner lighted
than Molly Bridget rushed from room to room in a state of frenzy。 With
the dying flames her own vitality subsided； and she was dead before the
ash…piles were cool。 I say it seriously when I say that these are facts of
which there is authentic proof。
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If the woman had recovered； she would have fared badly； even at that
late period； had she been in Salem； but the death…penalty has never been
hastily inflicted in Portsmouth。 The first execution that ever took place
there was that of Sarah Simpson and Penelope Kenny； for the murder of an
infant in 1739。 The sheriff was Thomas Packer； the same official who；
twenty…nine years later； won unenviable notoriety at the hanging of Ruth
Blay。 The circumstances are set forth by the late Albert Laighton in a
spirited ballad； which is too long to quote in full。 The following stanzas；
however； give the pith of the story
〃And a voice among them shouted； 〃Pause before the
deed is done； We have asked reprieve and pardon For the
poor misguided one。'
〃But these words of Sheriff Packer Rang above the
swelling noise： 'Must I wait and lose my dinner？ Draw
away the cart； my boys！'
〃Nearer came the sound and louder； Till a steed with
panting breath； From its sides the white foam dripping；
Halted at the scene of death；
〃And a messenger alighted； Crying to the crowd；
'Make way！ This I bear to Sheriff Packer； 'Tis a pardon for
Ruth Blay！'〃
But of course he arrived too latethe Law led Mercy about twenty
minutes。 The crowd dispersed； horror…stricken； but it assembled again that
night before the sheriff's domicile and expressed its indignation in groans。
His effigy； hanged on a miniature gallows； was afterwards paraded
through the streets。
〃Be the name of Thomas Packer A reproach
forevermore！〃
Laighton's ballad reminds me of that Portsmouth has been prolific in
poets； one of whom； at least； has left a mouthful of perennial rhyme for
oratorsJonathan Sewell with his
〃No pent…up Utica contracts your powers； But the whole
boundless continent is yours。〃
I have somewhere seen a volume with the alliterative title of 〃Poets of
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Portsmouth；〃 in which are embalmed no fewer than sixty immortals！
But to drop into prose again； and have done with this iliad of odds and
ends。 Portsmouth has the honor； I believe； of establishing the first recorded
pauper workhousethough not in connection with her poets； as might
naturally be supposed。 The building was completed and tenanted in 1716。
Seven years later； an act was passed in England authorizing the
establishment of parish workhouses there。 The first and only keeper of the
Portsmouth almshouse up to 1750 was a womanRebecca Austin。
Speaking of first things； we are told by Mr。 Nathaniel Adams； in his
〃Annals of Portsmouth；〃 that on the 20th of April； 1761； Mr。 John Stavers
began running a stage from that town to Boston。 The carriage was a two…
horse curricle； wide enough to accommodate three passengers。 The fare
was thirteen shillings and sixpence sterling per head。 The curricle was
presently superseded by a series of fat yellow coaches； one of which
nearly a century later； and long after that pleasant mode of travel had