Ghosts of the Carolinas

The Witch Cat

34 The Witch Cat TIM FARROW MET A FRIGHTFUL DEATH BECAUSE HE rAILED TO RECOGNIZE A WITCH IN THE FORM OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN In the stormy and uncertain days just before the Revolutionary War a miller and his small daughter lived near Edenton, North Carolina. To Tim Farrow the British occupation of Boston and talk of the king's oppression seemed remote, indeed, from daily tasks. His Brownrigg Mill sat beside a long earthendam with tall cypress trees on either side. The pond was one of the largest in that vicinity. There has always been talk-to which Tim paid little heed-that its dark amber waters were bottomless. The day's work done, the miller would fish for a while along the bank and meditate as the last rays of the sunsifted through the cypress trees. One evening at dusk he saw a figure in a small boat approaching him from the far edge of the pond. He had never ventured to the opposite bank for the dark woods which fringed it contained for him elements of mystery and dread. At first the shadows on the water were so deep that he could not tell whether the figure in the boat was a man or woman. But much to his astonishment when the boat reached him a woman raised her arm and pushed back her bonnet to reveal the loveliest face he had ever seen. "My journey to these parts has been a long one. And on the way my husband died," said the young woman. "Can you tell me if there is a place close by where I might lodge for the night?" Tim Farrow's heart went out to her. Ithad not been long since the death of his own wife, and this lovely creature seemed so pathetically alone and helpless. "My smalldaughterand Ilive in yondercottage by the mill," replied Tim. "You are welcome to share what little we have." 35 36 The young woman smiled at him gratefully and he marveled at the redness of the lips curving over her small white teeth. She gathered her full black cape around her with one hand and placed the other in his as he helped her from her boat. That night for the first time in months Tim Farrow sat down to a delicious supper and the delights of feminine companionship. Faye, as his guest called herself, was not only a fine cook bututterlybeguiling. Her hair had the sheen of black satin and while he talked her large amber colored eyes fixed themselves upon him in a manner which made him feel that surely he was a most entertaining fellow. The crude, good natured miller had never met such a woman before. Why, he felt as if he could grind com all day and come home lighthearted as a king. Faye stayed on, with one day following another in this happy fashion. And when the first traveling minister passed their way the two were married. The miller's only care now was the aversion which his small daughtershowed for the newcomer. Occasionally Fayewould try to touch the child only to have her cringe and draw away. Then sparks of yellow fire would glint in the wife's beautiful eyes. Tim began to think that his neighbors were jealous of his good fortune. It had seemed to start while he was away on a hunting trip. Faye hadspent the night with a neighbor. And afterwards the woman told that she had found her big feather bed with only a little round spot mashed down in the middle just as ifa cat hadslept there. After that some began to make no secret of the fact that they believed Tim's wife to be a witch. Troubles piled up for Tim. Along with the gossip, hisbusinessat the mill began to dwindle. At thesame time he sensed that his young wife was tiring of him. Often he would come home in the afternoon from the mill to find hercurled up asleep in herbed. He would fix their supper and generally after the meal she became more animated and vivacious. Unfortunately, the slacking off of Tim's business was accompanied by a series of mishaps to the mill itself. He would begin to grind the grain only to find the grinding wheels jerking, jumpingandsendingoff blue sparks. Then he would discover that nails had been placed in the grain hoppers. Sometimes...