Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-12-22
From the Star spangled Banner.
THE WINDOW IN THE FOREST.
BY GEO. L. AIuEN

r.
| THE WINDOW IN THE FOREST.
| BY GEO. L. ALIEN.
The inmates of the little hostelleire ga
thered without the door, awaiting the ap-
proach of horseman, the distant sound
of his horses tread having apprised them
of his coming.
He rides rapidly up and springs lightly
from his saddle, giving his horse in
charge of the hostler, who, after receiving
his instructions, leads him away to the
stable.
The new conner observed the looks of
wonder cast upon him, and was at a loss
to account for the curiosity he excited
He was man about 35 years of age, of
medium height, well formed, and tolera-
BILE good looking. He was attired in the
uniform of dragoon, in the German ser
vice.
'sWell, my good people," he exclaim-
ed at length. 'fwhat do you see in my ap-
pearance so surprising. that it makes you
gaze upon me with open mouths?'
els it possible that you are alive?''
The astonishment of the host caused
this somewhat singular interrogation to
escape from him.
" Faith, to the best of my belief am
so," replied the dragon pleasantly
's Do l look like dead man ?''
"No-no-I meant not that" said the
host, as he seemed to be revolving some
matter in his mind, which puzzled him.
ou came by the forest road 81
's Certainly, and gloomy enough it is
to,c lonely path to traverse, when a
man has no companion but his own
thoughts.
Better have your thoughts than the
fearful companion some have met IN the
forest"
sIndeedt what sort of a person is hep
"We know not. None who have seen
him have lived to tell of their encoun-
ter"
''This is strange affair you arc telling
me.'
Did you see nothing on your way
through the forest?''
Nothing; yet stay-now l bethink, l
do remember noticing in the forest, a
short distance from the road small cot
tage window
.t All window?'
eyes, I thought it singular that a cot
tage should be situated in such pecu-
liar and lonely neighborhoad-"
ssYou did not approach it?"
ttNo-I should not have obserued it but
for the glimmering light of a taper which
BETRAYED it to my eyes. was too hun
CRY to stop and examine it; L knew OF
the locality of your inn, and hurried on as
l wished to pass the night here"
'tAh! l remember you now-ls it not
Captain Ernest?''
'sThe same"
ttYou stopped here on your way to
join the army for the last campaign?"
ss Yes ; the war is over now. the Empe-
ror has concluded peace, and am now
on my way home 'SBut come, serve me
up something in the shape of a repast, and
while satisfy the cravings of nature, you
shall narrate to me the particulars of this
strange story. What little have heard
has greatly excited my curiosity
The host led the way into the principal
apartment of the inn. A hasty meal was
soon spread upon a small table, and
Captain Ernest commenced a vigorous at
tack.
You must know" said the host, see
ing that his guest was prepared to lis
ten, sit is now nearly a year since that
window was first seem
''Then presume the cottage was built
about that time" interrupted Captain Err
nest.
Cottage there is no cottagef'
"What, no Cottage? Oh, but my
good fellow, saw the window of it my
self"
tTrue, yet still there is no cottage"
t.Well, have heard of houses without
windows, but never before heard of a
window without house."
ssYet it is a fact. Traverse the road by
daylight-carefully examine every por-
ton of it-penetrate short distance into
the forest on either side, and you will
find no vestige of any human habitation."
'tThere is some mystery In this"
"Aye, and a deep one too, for as soon
as the shades of evening begin to fall, the
traveller beholds the light shining with a
sickly lusture amid the dense foliage
around"
e.Ah, 1 have it, this is nothing more nor
less than Jack O. lantern, a Will-o'-the-
wisp.''
You are wrong the window has been
seen-the very number of panes counted;
there are six; my boy Heinrich there, has
seen it,
The host pointed to a stout lad of 49,.
who had been attending to the strangers
wants.
"Ahl that alters the case, though l
must say that this light in the window is
rather a dark affair. But how chanced
it that he could approach so near this dan
gerous object and not be the worse for 1t,
when understood you to say, all others
have perished?''
+" You shall hear: It must have been
through the mercy of Providence. One
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