SUPERSTITIONS AND HAUNTINGS 275 



wise woman and dreading her visitation to his 

 well lay out at night to watch it. About four 

 o'clock when the night was growing old and grey 

 they saw her coming. The bucket was taken 

 away and she was told she could not steal a drop 

 of water. 



Then she stood mumbling at them, then flop 

 she went into the well and took enough water on 

 her clothes. The well was dry in a week. 



There is no necessity to give money to a beggar, 

 but you must not let them leave hungry if they 

 will take bread, or you may shortly want it your- 

 self. 



I have often heard my father speak of the 

 Whisperer, Sullivan, who was a power in the 

 horsy world many years ago. Horses were 

 roughly broken in those days and consequently 

 many were vicious. To them the Whisperer 

 would come. 



The wickedest and worst of beasts would come 

 out of their stables in a lather of sweat, but quiet, 

 and quiet for the rest of their lives. 



My father remembered when he was a boy, a 

 brown mare which could not be ridden or groomed, 

 a beautiful animal but a fiend. She would burst 

 her girths, lie down, roll on her rider, and in the 

 end she was left in her stable unconquered. 

 The Whisperer was somewhat reluctantly sent 

 for. 



No one ever saw his process. He shut the doors 



