The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-10-24


from the kitchen, but through another apart
ment at the side OF the house. Your falhe
walked in with his gun, thinking, | suppose
mat cat for cats, you know, are attracted
oy dead bodies might have broken in through
tie window. He had crossed the floor o
The side apartment, and had his hand on tn,
latch ofthe east room door, when there came
announcer dreadful moaning noise, much more
distinct and heightened than either of III,
others. II makes my blood -un cold ever
now TO think of it,
we chung with all our might TO William
Ddy Your father paused an instant, and
NC could see that the light for a moment
ennoied 10 his hand. But suddenly he flung
me door wide open and walked steadily inc
.ue DARK room, saying with voice that made
the house shake,
IN Gods name. Era One, depart p
Immediately, while he walked around the
coinn: we heard noise as Of rushing wind
gong swiftly about the outside oflhe house.
william Day opened the kitchen door and
we went with him and stood upon the door,
stone. Your father, seeing that there was
nohlng In tine east room, joined us with
lhe iight, and we all stood there together
and listened, expecting we knew not what.
| Ihree times that mysterio Us sound SEEM
ca 10 encIrcle the house, each time more
iaIni' I'LL hnally it appeared TO depart, and
Gie away. As II came the second time your
ialher walked out little distance from the
house. bearing the candle in his hand. The
night was pitch dark, and so perfectly calm
that the flame the candle was as steady as
1t was within doors. Yet we all heard the
sound, and when we came to talk of il after
wards, we found itappeared precisely the
same 10 each of us-a singular mysterious
Whisper, something like prolonged mourn
inl gust oil wind, that went three times round
The house against the sun, and then died a.
way.
~ We listened some time after il had ceased.
I'LL your father came with the light, and then
we all went in. He and William Day then
walked into the east room and examined the
doors and windows carefully, without find
ing that anything had been moved however.
except that the napkin which covered the
lace OF the corpse had been turned down.
William was positive that this was not SO
before but your father was not sure that
nc had not done il himself when he went in
alone. The face OF the dead was IN
changed, and both the men said the sweet
look oil 1t was enough 10 frighten away the
worst spirit that ever walked upon The
earth.
lou may suppose none of US slept much
that night but though one and another OF
US would often fancy noises coming from the
east room like those we had heard, there
was no time when we could all agree that
we actually heard any. We SAT up and talk
ed OF 1t I'LL day break; your father said i;
might after all have been our imagination, or
IL might have been caused by an earthquake,
or something that learned men might know
about; for the sake of poor Charity he
thought, and so did all, that it had better be
kept a secret.
80 they made me, who was the Youngest.
promise very strictly not to tell of it. We
have all kept our words so we'll that none of
US, so far as | know, ever mentioned it again. !
though William Day (who afterwards mar
RED Esther) might have talked of it with his |
wife; they are both now in their graves. Your
father and are the only ones left; and the |
very names Of the persons concerned are al |
most fOrgotten-so think there's no harm in |
telling it.
'Dr. Garfield arrived soon altar day-break |
n the morning, having ridden all night from |
Boston. He inquired if any one had passed |
he night at the house except ourselves, and |
aid that in coming through Dodge's woods a.
1out three miles back, he met an old man in a
hree-cornered hat and black stockings. with
! long staff in his hand the woods were dark
md the morning fog obscured the twilight, so
hat he could not see distinctly, yetit appear
ID to him, oddly enough that the old man
ooked and walked precisely like daddy aIan-
Charity's father, who died A.
bout four months after her marriage. He
aid that the old man, whoever he was, walked
asst, in the middle of the road, and must have
'een almost blind, or in brown study. for
lis horse would have gone directly over him
lad he not suddenly jerked him aside.
4 observed your fathers face change as he
aid this, but was so young at the time could
lot understand it. When grew up, howev-
IT, and came to know what fathers-yes, and
mothers, are capable of doing to their chill
lren, then saw that he must have connect
d this account OF the doctors with what had
in the night, and suspected in his
mind that the awful groans we had heard were
he sorrow of tyrannical parents unquiet
pirit over the dead body of his heart broken
hid. And for my part, foolish as it may seem,
have never been able 10 account for the mys-
cry in any other way
The groans might have been only the creak-
ng Of door, said Daniel Ford, and as for
he rushing sound out Of doors, thai might
AVE been cattle breathing. Anything will
eceive us when we begin to be scared. /
emember once when was boy they sent
ne one evening in haying-time to Rounds
avern, which was two miles from our place,
Or half gallon of rum. liked the journey
Fell enough till came to what we used to
all the Cedar Swamp, which bordered on the
Dad each side for more than half mile. This
ooked very black, can tell you however,
lad some 'spunk,' and l thought would 90
through it like brave soldier, singing son
he road to Boston with all my might, and
marching in time. But when l got in where
was completely dark, my voice echoed less
oudly among the old trees, and grew so faint
nd strange that it frightened me no less than
he darkness. 1 stopped an instant and listen
d, then walked on timidy. Being barefooted
nv movements made no noise.
But every step took now heard some
hing stepping behind
i walked faster-the creature, or devil, :
Talked faster too not daring to look back,