Our Family Trouble The Story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee Read Online Free PDF Page B

be too busy entertaining the company to take any notice of her, her fears gave way to her plucked up courage and she followed mother’s directions to the letter, keeping the whole matter a secret from the other Negroes and all the family until the test was made as to whether the witch would trouble her or not.  So one evening after supper Anky quietly slipped in the room with her pallet and spread it under mother’s bed, fixing herself comfortably on it, to await the coming in of visitors and the witch and hear the talking. It was a high bedstead, with a white-fringed counterpane hanging to the floor, hiding Anky completely.  She was delighted, and not a soul except mother knew she was there. Very soon the room was filled with visitors, keeping up a lively chit-chat while waiting the coming of Kate, and mother had taken a seat with the company anxiously waiting to see the outcome of her scheme. Presently the voice of the witch angrily rang out above the din of conversation. with the exclamation, “There is a damn nigger in the house, it’s Ank; I smell her under the bed and she’s got to get out.” In an instant a noise was heard under the bed like that of a man clearing his throat, hawking and spitting vehemently, and Anky came rolling out like a log starting downhill, her face and head literally covered with foam like white spittle.  She sprang to her feet with wonderful agility, frantically exclaiming, “Oh missus, missus, it’s going to spit me to death. Let me out, let me out,” and she went yelling all the way to the cabin, “Let me in, let me in.”  The witch then addressed mother, “Say Luce, did you bring that nigger in here?”  “Yes,” replied mother, “I told Anky that she might go under my bed, where she would be out of the way, to hear you talk and sing.” “I thought so,” replied Kate, “I guess she heard me. Nobody but you, Luce, would have thought of such a smart trick as that, and if anybody else had done it I would have killed the damn nigger. Lord Jesus I won’t get over that smell in a month!”

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    PART 4
     
     
The Mysterious Hand Shaking
     
    The Johnson brothers, John and Calvin, perhaps had more intercourse with the witch than any other two men who visited our place during the excitement. That is they talked more with the invisible, entered more earnestly into the investigation by cultivating friendly and intimate relations.  They were both very honorable men, of high standing in the community, but were very dissimilar in character.  Calvin was a plain unassuming man of strict integrity, free from deception, faithful in everything he pretended, and would not swerve from the truth or break a promise knowingly and willfully under any circumstances.  John was more dexterous, of a shrewd investigating turn of mind, guided by policy, and would make use of all legitimate means at hand to gain a point or accomplish a purpose, and he cultivated the witch more than anyone else for the purpose of facilitating his investigations. Kate was very fond of gab, and John Johnson made use of every opportunity to engage the mage in conversation, hoping to draw out something that would give a clue to the mystery, but it appears that all of his wits were baffled, and that the seer was all the while aware of his purpose.  The question arose as to the character of the blows received by so many persons on the cheek after retiring. The sound was like a slap of an open hand, and every one to testified that it left a sting like that of a hand, even to the prints of the fingers being felt. Calvin Johnson conceived the idea of asking the witch to shake hands with him. After much persuasion Kate agreed to comply with the request, on one condition, that Calvin would first promise not to try to grasp or hold the hand that would be laid in his. This he agreed to, and then holding out his hand, in an instant he felt the pressure of the invisible. Mr. Johnson testified that he