Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-12-05


of his rivals 10 take up another. How. /
ever, he soon experienced relief, at least
for The presont--lor the young .Esculap-
an had professional visit 10 make.
which compelled him to aear himself
away from The company. That DR.. GRAY
son should have u professional visit 10
make, was something wonderful, Her.
man had now an opportunity TO enjoy
Clara s company, aud came to the conclu.
sion that she had not entirely forgotten
him. | will not describe 10 my readers
the rustic games with nuts the naming OF
applesecds, and other innocent trsling of
the evening. They have all seen and
taken part in the like. The cheer was
good--al were delighted, and the compa.
ny broke up at a late hour; the boaux
waiting on the young ladies' to their res
pectve homes.
But II was Halloween, and more was
10 be done before sleeping and Il was
therefore resolved that the gentlemen, nc
| cordlng TO the good old custom, should
try their sweethearts by dipping the right
sleeve of their shirts in south-runninp
water, --snd then placing them by the
fire, see or dream what lady was TO come
and turn them. But where was there a
| south-runnng stream No such stream
could be found, except one that burst out,
in a long suhterranean cavern, near the
village. A beautiful spot j, was--fit res
dence for natdd--two apartments, with
sides and ceiling Of moss grown rock, with
narrow opening like door, connecting
them. But Professor iardigan did not
like TO study its geology by night--much
less on llaloween--,he holy-day Of witch
es and warlocls. Nevertheless, so much
had Clara interested him, Notwithstanding
her quzzing him, that he determined TO
perform the ablution, il another would on
| ~ enter and do so before him.
Some thirty yards from the mouth OF
the cavern, they stood debating who should
enter first. AT length one volunteered ;
aud, leaving the band Of his comrades,
boldly entered the cavern and returned
having performed the ablution. The Pro-
lessons courage was now put to test and
IN truth, he proceeded yalian,ly, that he
might not be ouidonc by his predecessor
filled with witches, aud continued his
walk, cautiously feeling his way along the
rocky sides, towards the spot where ht
heard the gurglng of the waters. Al
length he reached them, and had stopped
down 10 perform the rite, when he hearo
the rafting of chains and, on looking
up, saw IN the passage between the CIV,
erns, a horrld looking ficnd, robed in 0
mantle oil fire, with eyes lambent with
flame, and blazing horns! During the
reign Of terror" within the cavern,
there was terror without: for n most I'm.
earthly looking being passed by the group
that the Professor had left, striking fear
into the hearts az the most hardy. Nor
! tai it could not be witch it might have
been, had II been hcstriding broom, or
had il glided noiselessIy by. But lis
tread was like the football of giant, with
the clank of tho heaviest clogs that ever
shod the foot of an lrlshwoman.
Professor Hardignn was spell. bound in
the cavern ;---but, recovering his strength,
he rushed from the dread being, who rat
! tied his chains, and came driving on to
poke him through with his long horns /.
but, in running from one fend he encoun
tered another more frghtiul, at the mouth
OF the cave, for it addressed him" Och !!
tlinry Hardigan We rogue We! Is il firm
your wife and three childer We hive rim
away, to try swathearts in lmnerca
Och hone! but III see We hanged vii
Shame on We Hi" bat Henry FIar-
dlgin heard no more, for he had reached
the open air, and was running with n
speed which Jupiter Stator himself could
not have arrested. Need | inform my
readers that DR.. Grayson had paid pro-
| tcssiunal visit TO ---- the cavern, cover.
ed over with luminous coat Of olive oil,
and phosphorus, and a respectable pair Of
horns, 10 personate his Satanic majesty
and that the wife Of Professor Hardigan
had come over from England to claim her
fghtlu lord, who had absconded from her
bed and board.
Tho village ofBloomingvile had lost
IFS brightest ornament--lor their philoso-
pher, astronomer, and Professor, had de
camped, and was never heard Of after.
Parents were taken in, for they had paid
in advance Tor quarter, only part of
which had been put in. The landlord
had received nothing as yet for board,-|
but he considered himself safe, as the Pro-
fessor's apparatus would more than pay
his demand. Accordingly, he levied on
his telescope, his chest ofphllosophlcal IN
struments, and the boa ofinstruments Fl ON
Albany. The telescope was not of great
value for it was a PLAIN one, oil easy
construction, being the handle of an old
warming pan, with glasses neither convex
nor concave, but plano on both sides,
sncb &c 10 uenaralIv uaad IN windows