There were a great number of people in Massachusetts in 1692 who
believed in witches, and quite as many in Salem as in any other town.
Usually there was some old enmity under each charge of witchcraft,
though not always, for in some cases people made their charges
recklessly, apparently enjoying the prominence it brought them, and
thinking little of their victims. In those cases where there was some
old score being paid off, however, the populace usually gave little
attention to that side of it, but were only interested in the facts
brought out to prove that the accused person was a dealer in the Evil
Arts. As Mr. Glover said, "Call a person a witch, and you were
two-thirds of the way to actually proving that he or she was a witch."
There was school next day, as usual, and Thomas Appleton tried to
appear unconcerned about everything but his scholars' lessons. The three
afflicted children, the two girls and the boy, were not there, having
been kept at home by their parents; and the others, who had all heard
the story about the schoolmaster by now, could see that he had something
on his mind. When school was over Mat and Joe waited until Mr. Appleton
was ready to go, and then joined him on his walk home. At first they
talked about all sorts of things, but presently Mat said, "We wanted you
to know that we're friends of yours, no matter what people may say about
you."
The schoolmaster smiled, and put his hand affectionately on the boy's
shoulder. "You've heard then that people are saying that Mistress Swan
is a witch, and that I'm another?"
Both boys nodded.
"It's the most absurd story in the world," the man went on. "Mistress
Swan is kindness itself to every one, and especially to children. When
she hears of any boy or girl who's ill she takes them jellies and
puddings. I know a thousand things she's done that shows how much she
loves them."
"And we know how you care for dogs and cats and birds," put in Joe. "And
every one in school, except those three, would follow you anywhere."
Just then two women, coming along the lane, saw the schoolmaster, and
deliberately crossed to the other side so as to avoid meeting him.
Thomas Appleton reddened, and looked hurt. Then he snapped his fingers,
and muttered, "I'd like to play on my pipe, like that Pied Piper of
Hamelin Town we hear of, and dance away, taking all the children and
animals after me. It would serve you right, you evil-minded folk of
Salem!"
Presently they came to Mistress Swan's door. "Might we see the shed
where you keep your dogs?" asked Mat.
"Certainly," said the schoolmaster, and he led them to the little
building back of the house. Inside were half-a-dozen dogs, and those who
could leaped up about Appleton, licked his hands, and showed their
devotion to him. "These two," said he, pointing to a couple of collies,
"need exercise. Would you boys like to go for a walk with the three of
us?"
The boys said they would, and soon they were out in the open country
back of Salem, master and boys and dogs racing along in the nipping air.
They passed some of their school-fellows playing in a field, and these
joined them, so that presently there was quite a crowd tramping with the
schoolmaster and his dogs, and all enjoying themselves.
The schoolmaster whistled and sang and laughed as if he had quite
forgotten what people were saying about him in Salem; but when they were
back at Mistress Swan's gate, and all but Joe and Mat had left, he
frowned. "Poor Mistress Swan!" he said. "She can't throw off her
troubles as easily as a man can. And I doubt if any of the neighbors
have come in to see her."
"We'll come in," said Joe; and as soon as the dogs were housed again
they went in with Mr. Appleton. They found Mistress Swan, a pink-cheeked
woman with soft gray hair, working on a sampler at a window. "I'm right
glad to see you, Mat, and you too, Joe," she said. "Thomas, will you
fetch some apples from the pantry?"
The schoolmaster brought the apples, and the boys sat near the window,
eating them, and told her of their tramp in the country. Neither Mat nor
Joe could see anything that made them think of a witch in this
sweet-faced woman.
While they were chatting a resounding thump came at the front door, and
when Mr. Appleton opened it, three grim-faced men walked in. One was the
town clerk, and the other two were constables of Salem. They marched
into the room, with never a bow or "By your leave," or smile of
greeting. Mistress Swan grew a trifle pale, and the boys stood up. "What
do you want?" demanded the schoolmaster in a low voice.
"We want Mistress Swan," answered the town clerk, his eyes very stern
and forbidding. "She stands accused of dealing in Black Arts and other
evil business. She must go with us to the jail, there to await
examination of the charges brought against her."
"It's an infamy," cried the schoolmaster, "and a lie! You've known
Mistress Swan for years, and you know her to be as innocent as your own
wives!"
The town clerk glowered at Thomas Appleton. "Have a care," said he, his
voice like steel scraping on iron. "Have a care lest it be your turn
next, Master Appleton."
"I care nothing for that," hotly retorted the master. "Gladly would I go
with you in Mistress Swan's place. But to think that you charge her, the
soul of gentleness and kindness to every one, with such an infamous
thing! What can you be thinking of? How can any man or woman or child in
Salem bring such charges against Mistress Swan?"
"They have been brought, nevertheless," responded the clerk. "There are
three children claim to have been bewitched by her, and there is a man,
Jonathan Leek, who tells of strange happenings."
"Jonathan Leek?" exclaimed Mistress Swan. "He? Why, 'tis he who claimed
my husband owed him money, and has tried to get payment from me. But we
owed him no money. He's an evil, tale-bearing man; but he knows I am not
guilty of such wicked things as these."
"All that you can answer to the court," said the clerk. "My business is
only to see you taken into custody."
"Is there no way by which she may stay here?" asked Appleton. "I will
promise that she will be here when you want her. Or take me as hostage
for her."
"She must come," said the clerk. "There's been enough talk, and to
spare. Get your cloak and come."
Mistress Swan rose, folded the sampler and put it away in a closet, and
got out her cloak and hood. She held out her hand to the schoolmaster.
"You've stood by me like an honest man, Thomas. God grant they don't
drag you into this!"
He took her offered hand and his eyes glowed as he looked into her face.
"If they do you a wrong they shall suffer for it," said he. "There are
honest men in Salem as well as knaves."
She smiled at the two boys, who were taking in every incident of the
strange scene, and walked out through her doorway, followed by the three
grim-looking men.
Mr. Appleton paced the floor. "Infamous!" he exclaimed. "The lies of
three wicked children and a villain to stand against the spotless life
of such a woman as she! What is Salem coming to? It should hide its head
in the ocean for very shame of such a crime! Witchcraft! Yes, there must
be witchcraft to make people believe such lies!" He stopped and looked
at the boys. "What was the name of this man who brought the charges?"
"Jonathan Leek," answered Mat. "Joe and I heard him talking yesterday at
the smithy. A tall black man from Boston, who seemed to know a great
deal about witches."
"I will find him," said Appleton. "I will make him take back these words
about Mistress Swan, or I will cram them down his throat!"
"But, Master Appleton," said Joe, "suppose he should make the same
charges against you. He's a dangerous man. And then you would be
arrested, and couldn't be of any help to Mistress Swan."
The schoolmaster stared at Joe. "That's true," he answered slowly. "I
must keep my head, and tread right warily. Yes, I must not tell these
rascals what I have in my mind about them. But Mistress Swan must be
saved. And, to speak the truth, I don't know where I can go for help to
save her."
"Joe's father and mine will help," said Mat eagerly. "They both know
Mistress Swan. And the children at school will help, and perhaps their
fathers too. We'll go home now, and tell what has happened." He picked
up his hat, and ran out of the house, Joe at his heels.
They went straight to Mr. Hamlin's house, and, finding him and his wife
at home, told them of the arrest of Mistress Swan. "I expected as much,"
said Mat's father. "All Salem is talking witchcraft to-day, and they
tell the most outrageous stories of Mistress Swan, and worst of all,
half the people seem to believe them."
"I heard a woman say to-day that Ann Swan gave her baby the croup last
December," said Mistress Hamlin. "They're laying every ache and pain
their children ever had at her door now. It's scarcely to be believed
that people can be so wicked against a kind woman they've known all
their lives."
"But what's to be done?" said Mr. Hamlin. "As matters stand the court
may find Mistress Swan guilty of witchcraft without any to say a word
on her behalf."
"Would they listen to me?" asked Mat. "I could tell them how mean and
cruel and hateful John Rowley and Mercy Booth and Susan Parsons are, and
what the rest of us at school think about them." He thought a minute.
"And as to that man, Jonathan Leek, I'd say that both Joe and I thought
him much like a snake."
"Jonathan Leek?" said Mr. Hamlin. "Tell me all you know about him, Mat."
Mat, aided by Joe, told what he had heard Mr. Leek say at the smithy,
and also what he had heard Mistress Swan say about him that afternoon.
Mr. Hamlin got paper and pen and made notes, and then they planned what
might be said in answer to the charges against Mistress Swan. "You bring
Master Appleton here after school to-morrow, Mat," said his father.
"Then we'll see what can be done to clear Mistress Ann's good name."
School met next morning, but there was more excitement than on the day
before, for all the boys and girls had heard how Susan Parsons and Mercy
Booth and John Rowley were telling the most remarkable stories about
being bewitched. The schoolmaster tried to teach the lessons, but it was
plain that he was worried, and that his thoughts were not on the work.
Just before the noon recess, Joe, who was reciting, saw Master Appleton
look up and then stare at the door at the farther end of the room. Joe
turned round to see what was the matter. In the doorway stood the town
clerk, with the same two men who had been at Mistress Swan's.
The clerk walked down the passageway between the benches, while all the
children stared. He went up to the master's desk, stepped up on the low
platform, and laid his hand on Master Appleton's shoulder. He was
smiling, as though he took a certain pleasure in the work on hand.
"Thomas Appleton," he said, "I arrest you in the name of the court of
Salem. You are charged with witchcraft."
The schoolmaster pulled his shoulder away from the clerk's hand. He
looked very proud and unconcerned at the charge, as though he were
defying all the officers of Salem. "Very good," said he. "You have
arrested better people than me for such hocus-pocus. I should feel
honored." He shut the school-book that lay open on his desk, and smiled
at the children on the front row of benches. "I suppose, Master Clerk,"
he said, "that you chose this hour, when you knew I would be busy with
my scholars, to come to arrest me, so that they might all see the
entertainment, and thus make my arrest as public as possible."
"It is some of your own scholars who bring part of the charges against
you," retorted the clerk.
"Aye, I know," said Master Appleton. "But they are not here now. Those
who are here know me better." He looked at the boys and girls, who were
watching intently. "I'm sorry to leave you," he said. "There will be no
school for several days, not until they can find another master to take
my place. They say I deal in witchcraft, that I take wounded animals and
cure them by sending their aches into children, that I can bewitch you
so that you do strange things you couldn't do otherwise. These are just
fairy tales, nonsense, the most absurd of stories. I know no more of
witches than any one of you. There are no such things as witches, there
is no such thing as the Evil Eye. But people in Massachusetts are
believing in them, men and women here in Salem are letting themselves
believe such nonsense. None can say what they will do next. Yet you boys
and girls know there are no such evil spirits; you must stand for the
right and the truth, and deny such falsehoods. You will, I know. You
must help to save Salem such disgrace."
The children were still for a moment, and then Mat spoke up. "Of course
there are no witches," he said. "We're old enough to know that." He
looked round the room. "All who think as the schoolmaster does, stand
up," he commanded.
Every boy and girl stood up.
"I knew it," said the schoolmaster. He turned, smiling, to the clerk.
"The children are wiser than their elders," he said. "There is some hope
for Salem."
"A very pretty scene," answered the clerk, sarcastically. "But the court
may take a different view of it; they might even think you had the
children bewitched so's they'd do exactly what you tell 'em to."
"Yes, they might," agreed Master Appleton. "They might use anything
against me. To some minds innocence is always the best proof of guilt.
Yet I didn't bewitch the children; I have only taught them their
lessons, as I was paid to do." He took his hat and cloak from the peg
behind his desk. "I am at your service."
Smiling at his scholars, Master Appleton walked down the aisle to the
door. As he passed Mat he said, "See to the dogs for me, will you? I
shouldn't like them to go hungry."
Mat bobbed his head.
The schoolmaster went out into the lane, with his three guards, while
the children crowded to the door and watched until he turned the corner.