The Bewitched Ones.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1726, 28 August 1885, Page 3

The Bewitched Ones.

[From a Carterton correspondent). 11 AVitchwaft in Carterton ; ” “ Borne of the resident* alleged to have been bewitched.” Such were the headings which startled our township when the St.vxijard was opened out last AAednesday afternoon, and you certainly scoied a sensation. But I don't know whether the majority of the residents took the statements contained m vour heading's as a compliment. However, wo are glad to see that you don v foiget us, and a little sensation wakes us up now and then. In contiouatiou of your article 1 may state that poor Ulisoski has been bewitched no, bewildered numerous inquiries and with v isits to his quarters by several persons, also Constable Darby (representative of tho ’law), and Father Tracey (representative of the Gospel). You may judge that the feelings of Otisf'ski when he was interviewed by these two gentlemen, were of a mixed character. Father Tracey, of course, saw that drink was at the bottom of the affair and gave Offsoski to understand that he did not blame him in the least. AA hen Constable Darby vi.-ited Off-oski they both went to the dwellings of Offsoski’s countrymen, over whom it was said ho bad cast the evil spoil. When the-e men s nv Offsoski they got excited and bad it not been for the presence of the constable the poor unfortunate man would have received some bodily barm. As water was considered in bygone days to lie the only cure for witchcraft, Oksoski's friends proceeded to dip a broom in a bucket of water and to liberally sprinkle him. and even Constable Darby. I believe the representative of the law did not take very kindly to this act of purgation and commanded them to " stand hack.’’ Then these superstitious people requested Offsoski to enter a roam where one of their number was lying in an insensible state (he was drunk), and drive the devil out of him. The end of the matter was that Constable Darby explainel they had been suffering from the effects of diink and warned them that if they did not be careful he would arrest them and put them m the lookup. This, it is believed, bad the desired effect,[and so I hope we have heard the last of this witchcraft scare. But it is really astonishing how many ignorant and simple minded people in tiii-i place really believed that something serious had happened through the influence of Offsoski.