Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-09-15

be supposed that his spectreshIp was vlsl-
bic to common eyes every night IN the
year-far from tit was never known to
appear unless the sky was perfectly cloud
less, and the moon (being in its first quar-
ter,) had gained certain position IN the
western horizon; therefore it may easily
be imagined that very few Of those who
dreaded had had the honor of beholdlng
the sad visitant, who had for forty long
years presented himself, in the vain hope,
as it was supposed, that some generous
being would overcome his fears so tar as
to draw near and make the usual demand
in those cases" What seekest thou fair
ghost
John Hageman. as observed before,
was one of the bravest, as well as one OF
the gayest all the youths of the village,
and as fond of listening to good story on
Sunday Evening as any one, but not be-
Ing possessed of the credulous organ, he
would not believe one jot or title OF the
terrible apparaton Of the wood.
"You may swear" said he one day to
old Joe Haywood, who was way-ialrlng
man, and torlorn, and used as often to
seek his bed, at the hedge side upon the
moss-covered sod, as ask from the human
family a cold granted shelter from the
dews of night. You may swear till you
are black In the face, Joe,'' said he, 'l'll
not give credence to your tale until see
the thing with my own eyes, and not then
if Eve been drinking, which you do SO Of
ten that you see double, and then it is no
wonder that you should conJure up
thousand things equally strange and fancI-
full. and fear that YOU will die some day
of drunken fit
GOOD, now, friend John; that puts
me in mind of the epitaph have been
making"
"E Pitaph, for whom, Joe 2"
"For myself, 20 be sure-who else
would do me tha. kindness, think you?
Whv not creature, from the king to the
beggar, who have shakenh hands with hon
est joe in the day when his eyes stood
out with fatness, and his cheeks were rosy
with the juice of Newtown pippins. No,
no, Master John, not stone nor a bush
will mark the spot where the ldler is laid.
Therefore have written mine own cpl
taph-a mere impromtu, but nevertheless
true.
Here lies one !-Whe do you think
'Tis old Joe Haywood-give him some drink.
Drink for dead man! The reason why
When living, he Was always dry
"Go, get to your cellar, Joe, with
1agon. Now, what good Falstaf that
fellow would make, if he were degree
more drunken, or less brave;" and John
Hageman mounted his gray pony and can
tered off to pay his accustomed visit to the
girl of his heart, it being Sunday evening
When he reached the haunted spot in
the wood The moon is in its first quar-
ter" though John, land the night prom
ises fair.-Now an determined on know
ing two things this night before | Sleep
Firstly, whether Mary, the idol of my fan
cy, will marry me, or nO-and secondly,
who the spirit can be that plays his gam
bols hercabouts I'll find him out, or he
is cleycrer ghost than take him TO be j;
and Mary must make up her mind before
the moon goes down. On It's curved horn
one might hang halter, forsooth- fair
promise for hay-making season." And
John was soon seated by the side of Mary,
where we lett him few periods since,
listening In brealhless silence for her final
response to bis startling proposal.
You must indeed Mary" he said in a
voice scarcely audible.
The maiden gazed in earnest attention
at the splendid crescent as its pearly light
gave a less distinct view of objects around
the nearer it approached the western hor-
izon.
9" can wait no longer" cried John,
and he pressed the hand of Mary as it were
for the last time.
" am thine, John Hageman,' uttered
the maid in her sweet tone, and she laid
her beautiful face III the bosom of her low.
er, who imprinted a kiss upon her fair
temple.
"Adieu, my own Mary" he said "one
week more, and ! will not have 10 pro-
nounce that hated word which now sepa-
rates US for season. And John had
reached the wood eie the sound Of bis
l. 4 I IL. II