WITCH OF THE CUMBERLANDS

by Mary Jo Stephens ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 8, 1974

It doesn't take the new doctor's children long to learn the facts of life in the Cumberlands, including the poverty of the ""holler"" children and the destruction done by strip mining -- or to get used to Birdie, the housekeeper, and her wonderful cooking and herbal remedies. In fact, they even accept the threat posed by the mysterious, vandalizing prowler Broughton with surprising calm, though when Birdie decides that they are young enough to still have their second sight and the fortune-telling herbs predict the death of a friend, both cautious Susan and gregarious Betsy remember the mountain saying, ""Take aid from a spirit, take heed of the price."" Broughton's reasons for terrorizing Birdie are still a bit unclear even after his guilty involvement in a mine disaster 40 years before is explained, but his menace is real enough -- and Birdie is highly satisfactory, as both a wise mountain woman and a revenging witch.

Pub Date: May 8, 1974

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 224

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1974

Categories: FICTION