The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-08-03

: sroRY wiucn PROVED 70 ~ THur,
About fourand thirty years ago ! was tray
-,lins through Denbigshiro upon o mission
which needed despatch, | had, in fact, in
my charge some papers which were required
for the legal prcliminarics 10 a marriage
which was to take place in family of contid-
craliou, upon the borders of that country.
The season was winter but the weather de-
lighuul-that Is 10 say, clear aud frosty; aud
even without foliage The country through
which posted was beautiful, The subject
ofmy journey was pleasant one. antici-
patcd AN agreeable visit aud cordial wei
cumci and the weather and scenery were pre-
ci-cy of the ssrt Ia second the cheerful n.so.
cintions with which my pXcur.ion had, been
undertaken. Let no one, therefore, suggest
that | was prcd-po-cd for the reception of
gloomy or horrible impressions When the
sun sci W. had q splendid moon, at once solt
and brilliantand pleased myscfwith watch
-ire t4e altered aI4d- II pas.!Ll, iiag.s i,,ii-
iul effects of the scenery through which We
were smoothly rolling, | was to put .up for
night at the little town of ----: and ON
reaching ihe Hill over which the approach
Ca il l. conducted about n short mile from its
quaint little street; ! di-mounicl x directing
the pu,tillion Ia walk hi. iadod horses leisure
' ly mp the winding road, trod ON before him
air. \ little hy path led directly up the stcrp
accliyity, while the carriage rode moro rrnd-
uallN assembled los a wide sWcrp ili. lttlr
path, Leaning through G"lds r,T L..I,., r,,v.
| followed, intending to anticipate the arrival
of my conveyance NJ the summit Of the hill
had not proceeded very far when ! found
myself close toa pretty old church, whose iyicd
tower aud countless diamond window plucs
we're rliuorng in the moonlight high, ir-
regular hedge, ovcrtoppcd by tall and am
cicnt trees enclosed it--aud rows of funeral
ycws showed black and mournhl among the
wan array of hcadstoncs that kept watch over
the village dead ! was so struck with the
rlimpsr- had caught of the old church yard
that could not lorboar mounting the little
stilc that commanded IT, no scene could hc
imngincd moro stil and solitary, Not n hui
man habiLtlon was urar ryrry -iSii Hii't
sound of life was rcvcrcntly remote; and this
old church. Nth It's silcut congregation of
the dead; marshalrd under its walls, seemed
td have spread round it, circle of siillpcss
aud dcsolation that pleased while it thrilled
me.
No sound was here audible but the soften
cd rush of waters, and that sweet note of
dome aud safety the distant baying uf the
watchdog, now and then broken 10y thcshar-
per rattle of the carriage wheels upon the dry
road But while looked upon the sal and
solemn scene lNIOIf me- lntNtsHAiiulliltaN
interrupted by one which startled, and, in
decd, for moment, frozc me with horror
The sound was n cry, or rather howl OF dcs-
rairing terror, such rs | have never hVarl
before or since uttered by human voice. II
broke from the stiffness OF the church yard;
but | saw no figure from which il proceeded
though this circumstance, indeed, was scarce
" wonderful, as the broken ground, the trees,
tall weeds and tomb stones afforded abundant
-rnxer for any person who might have sought
concealmcnt The cry of unspcakabIc ago
nv was succeeded by a silence. and l-cuntvss
NV heart throhbcd strangely when the same
voice articuatcd; in the same tone of agony
"Why will YOU trouble the dead Who
can torment us before the time? | will come
to Won in my flesh though after my skin worms
destroy this body--and YOU shall speak TO me
face to face
This strange address was followed 10y an
,othrr cry of despair, which died away as sud
denly rs il was raised
4 never could tell why il was i was not
r,uorc horror stricken than | really was 10y
.his mysterious, and, all things considcrpd,cv-
,,,n tdrffbte iutrrpoation. IL wH- not -tlRtil
,thc silence had again returned, and the faint
-rrrStiint, ef the frosty breeze among the crisp
weeds crcpt toward me like the stcathy APP
proach of somc uncarthly influence. that |
iclt a suncrstitious terror gradually inspire
me which hurried me at an accelerated pace
from the place 4 few minutes, and heard
y the friendly voice of my chRriotecr hallooing
to me from the summit of the hill.
Rcassurcd, as ! approached him, 1 abated
my speed. .,!
II saw YOU standing on the stilc, sir, by the
church yard" hc said MS he drew near, and
| ask your pardon for not giving YOU the hint
before, but they say it il not luclE aud /
called to YOU loud and lusty 10 come away,
rir; but see you are nothing the worse OF
IT,"
'.Why, what IS there 10 be afraid of there,
my good fellow ?" asked, d,ailccnng 80 much
Indifference rs was able
."Why, sir" said the man throwing an un-
easy look in the direction, "thcydn say there's
bad spirit haunts it; and nobody IN these
parts would go near it after dark Tor the fore'
OF money"
'3fauntcdl" | rcpcaIcd ''and how does the
SPIRIT show himsclf?" | asked.
80 lawk, sir, in all sorts of shapes some
Tunes like aR-ali. Nnlnan almost doubled IN
two with years. he answered, sometimes like
little child going along full foot high above
the grass OF the graves and sometimes like
hIg black RAM 4stI-uiting an his hind tcgS, and
with pair of eyes like live Goals; and some
have seen him in the shape of a man with his
'm raised up toward the sky, and his head