icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Sign out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon

The Wizard of West Penwith

Chapter 9 THE LAND'S-END CONJUROR.

Word Count: 1682    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

m. The mare had eaten her warm mash, and Mrs. Brown had procured the assistance of Josiah Trenow to give her a good rub-dow

a rub-down for a month. Look here's a great strong arm, sir," he continued,

ombat with him," replied Mr. Morley, sm

gy! Polly! Polly! Why the women are all run a

Josiah; "what news have

lled it. "Sit down, sir, if you please. Why, a good many people seed the boy and the mare go up, an' a fine passle seed the mare come down again all o

nough," said Mrs. Brown, coming

dy wor in this world," said Josiah; "he's in

'Siah," said Mr. Brown; "

are's shoulder, and yet he do keep that mare in good condition, with her summer's coat up all the year round, like the squire's hunter, and better too, I b'lieve. He's mighty f

t?" said Mrs. Brown; "dear lor'! I should think

ley, and he changed the subject by ordering a glass of brandy

as he went to get the brandie

anything else, for, like him who called spirits from the vasty deep, poor Mr. Brown was not very much distressed or astonished if they didn't come. While they were

t?" asked

's ill-wished as much as ever the boy es. Something frighte

fore. I worked my arms off, purty nigh, afore she begun for to

own; "the mare es ill-wished, I do b'lieve;"-so he

te, and Mr. Freeman's house wa

, the maid said. What did

him 'pon private busine

him there in the dark, as she had orders to do to all

nd then all would be well. All these mysterious sounds-coming sometimes from above, and sometimes from one part of the room he was in, and sometimes from another, when everything was shrouded in darkness-were calculated to strike terror into a stronger mind than poor Mr. Bro

again. He remained standing just inside, having a screen of thick black cloth hanging before him, to prevent his seeing what was in the room. He thought his las

ost things are. Are you prepared to go through the ordeal necessa

mulous voice: "I'll do anything. I do know that y

n to what is now to be spoken." And down flopped poor Mr. Brown on his knees, and awaited the orde

have a gentleman sta

es; and a very nic

r) "He admir

own) "H

or) "He mus

! a wild harum-scarum like he to ride th

d look over the point, and the spell will be taken off which now hangs over the mare, and the boy will be restored. If not,

eggy! What shall I do? No mort

und, and a thin vapour filled the room, through which he saw the conjuror standing, dressed in a black gown, and white wig, surrounded by ornaments composed of what seemed to be silver,

w minutes, the door was opened as before, and Mr. Brown was pushed

weakminded, and make them believe that he knew more of their affairs than he really di

o-do farmers, it was well known, paid one of these emperics annual salaries to keep the evil eye from their cattle. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that poor Mr. Brown should place implicit reliance on what such a notable man as "The Maister" should tell him, and determine to have "The Maister's" commands carried out to the very letter, if it were possible that it could be done. If he had been commanded to ride the mare to

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open
The Wizard of West Penwith
The Wizard of West Penwith
“In writing my Cornish Tales I have always endeavoured to pourtray the Cornish character in all its native wit and humour, for which the genuine west-country miners are so proverbial. And I have generally taken for the foundation of my Stories incidents which have really happened in the localities wherein the actions of my little dramas have been laid. The scene of my present story is laid in the neighbourhood of the Land's-End, and most of the characters were well-known there in days gone by;-the names only being fictitious. The fall of the horse over the cliff is still in the remembrance of some old people in the neighbourhood; and the circumstance is related by the Guides who shew the beauties of the Land's-End scenery to strangers. The marks of the horse's hoofs in the grass at the edge of the cliff are preserved to this day. The Wizard (or Conjuror as he was called) was a notorious character at St. Just, some fifty years ago; and the horrid murder related in these pages; and the mistaken identity of the guilty parties are also veritable facts.”