neteen other innocent men and women were put
to death. The place of execution was a high hill on the 25
outskirts of Salem; so that many of the sufferers, as they
stood beneath the gallows, could discern their habitations
in the town.

The killing of these guiltless persons served only to
increase the madness. The afflicted now grew bolder in 30
their accusations. Many people of rank and wealth were
either thrown into prison or compelled to flee for their
lives. Among these were two sons of old Simon Bradstreet,
the last of the Puritan governors. Mr. Willard, a pious
minister of Boston, was cried out upon as a wizard in open
court. Mrs. Hale, the wife of the minister of Beverly,
was likewise accused. Philip English, a rich merchant of 5
Salem, found it necessary to take flight, leaving his property
and business in confusion. But a short time afterward
the Salem people were glad to invite him back.

The boldest thing the accusers did was to cry out against
the Governor's own beloved wife. Yes, the lady of Sir 10
William Phips was accused of being a witch and of flying
through the air to attend witch meetings. When the
Governor heard this, he probably trembled.

Our forefathers soon became convinced that they had
been led into a terrible delusion. All the prisoners on 15
account of witchcraft were set free. But the innocent
dead could not be restored to life, and the hill where they
were executed will always remind people of the saddest
and most humiliating passage in our history.

--_Grandfather's Chair._

1. Find a biography of Hawthorne and report to the
class on one of the following topics: his youth and
education; his early manhood; his writings. In
place of either of these subjects you may
substitute the retelling of another story of
Hawthorne's you have read.

2. Briefly, what is the history of witchcraft in
New England?

3. How do you account for people as level-headed as
the New England settlers believing in witches?

TEA PARTIES IN OLD NEW YORK

BY WASHINGTON IRVING

This extract portrays social life among the early
Dutch settlers on the island of Manhattan. It is
written in Irving's deliciously humorous style.

In th