The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-08-29
. MISCELLANY.
THE BoGLE OF ANNEsLIE.
-tEIKXIIEE~
From the Efonidn. !

An We Wilma believe i the Boyle q
said a pretty young Iassie TO her sweet
heart, as they set in the door of her
fathers cottage one fine Autumn even
ing -. Do you hear that, mither, An
drew III no believe i the Boyle p
'.Gude be wi US, Effie - exclaim-
ed Andrew slender and delicate
youth of about two-and-twenty,-..
bonny time wad haze OF, gin | we're
to heed every auld wife's clatter."
The words & auld wife" had a mani
fest effect on Efie, and she bit her lips
in silence. Her mother Immediately
opened battery upon the young mans
prejudices, narrating that on Annesiie
Heath, at ten O'Clock O. night, certain
apparition was wont to appear, in the
form of a maiden above the usual size,
with wide three-conered hat. Sum-
dry other particulars were mentioned,
but Andrew was still incredulous. "He'll
rue that, dearly will he rue't'' said
Ellie, as he departed.
Many days, however, passed away,
and Fife was evidently much disap-
pointed to find that the scepticism of
her lover gathered strength. Nay, he
had the audacity to insult, by jibes and
jests, the true believers, and to call up
on them for the reasons of their faith.
Fife was in a terrible passion.
At last, however, her prophecy was
fulfilled Andrew was passing over the
moor, while the clock struck ten; for it
was his usual practice to walk at that
hour, in order to mock the fears of his
future bride. He was just winding round
the thicket which opened TO him view
of the cottage where Fife dwelt, when
he heard light step behind him, and in
an instant his feet were tripped up, and
he was laid PROSTATE on the turf. Up
on looking up, he beheld a tall, muscu-
lar man standing oyer him, who, in no
courteous manner, desired to see the
contents Of his pocket. Dell be on
ye!'' exclaimed the young forester, +" /
haze but ae coin i the warld." THAT
coin, maun, I'll hae,' said his assailant.
"Faith Use show We play fort, then,"
said Andrew, and sprung upon his feet.
Andrew was esteemed the best cudg-
el-piayer for twenty miles round, so that
in brief space he cooled the ardour of
his antagonist, and dealt such visitations
upon ais skull as might have made a
maca firmer head ache for a fortnight
The man stepped back, and, pausing in
x.,,-nI he hr-I 80
head, and buried it among his dark
locks. 1t returned covered with blood.
Thou hast cracked my crown, he
said, but yet We sha' ma gang scathe-
less ? and, finging down his cudgel, he
flew on his young foe, and, grasping his
body before he was aware Of the attack,
whnled him to the earth with an appal-
ling impetus. "The Lord haze mercy
on me y said Andrew, "I'm a dead
man.
He was not far from it, for his rude
foe was preparing to put the finishing
stroke to his victory. Suddenly some
thing stirred in the bushes, and the con-
queror, turning away from his victim,
cried out, The boyle; the bogle!' and
fled precipitateiy. Andrew yentured to
look up. He saw the figure which had
been described to him approaching. 1t
came nearer and nearer. lis face was
very pale, and its step was not heard on
the grass. AT lat it stood by his side,
and looked down upon him. Andrew
buried bis face in his cloak: presently
the apparition spoke-indistincty in
deed, for its teeth seemed to chatter