Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-05-22

!
| eggs, corned beef and CARROTS, and stewed
| hare. ...... .... .... .,........... .t.....
The conversation naturally turned on
the mishaps occasioned by the storm, of
which every one seemed to have his foil
share. One had been thrown off his horse !;
another, driving in a gig, had been upset
into dyke; all had got thorough wet
ting, and agreed unanimously that it was
dreadful weather-a regular witches sab
bath ......
"Witches and ghosts prefer for their sab
bath fine moonlight night to such wea-
| thrr as this ~ .r..
These words were uttered in solemn
! tone and with strange emphasis, by one of
the company. He was tall dark looking
man, and had set him down in my own
mind as travelling merchant or pedlar.-
MY next neighbor was gay, well looking,
fashionabIy dressed young man, who, burst
ing into peal of laughter, said
"You must know the manners and Gus
toms OF ghosts very well, to be able to tell
that they dislike getting wet or muddy"
The first speaker giving him dark fierce
look, said: .....
"Young man speak not so lightly of
things above your comprehension"
"Do you mean TO imply that there are
such things as ghosts ~
"Perhaps there are, if you had courage
TO look at them"
The young man stood up, flushed with
anger But presently resuming bis seat, he
said, calmly:
"That taunt should cost you dear, if it
Were not SnCh foolish one"
GA foolish one :" exclaimed the mer-
chant throwing on the table heavy leath-
ern pursr. ''There are fifty guineaS. |
am content to lose them, if, before the hour
is ended, do not succeed in showing you,
who are so obstnately preiudiced, the form
Of any one of your deceased friends and
/ if, after YOU have recognised him, you al
low him 10 kiss your lips"
| We all looked at each other, but my
young neighhor, still in the same mocking
manner, replied: .
"You will DO that, will YOU ?" .. ....
eyes" said the other-'sI will stake
these fifty guineaS, on condition that you
will pay a similar sum, if you lose"
After short silence, the young man
said galy:
"Filty guneas, my worthy sorcerer, are
more than poor college Sizar ever posses
Sed but here are five, which, if YOU are
satisfied, shall be most willing to wager"
The other took up his purse, saying, in
contempuous tone: ..
sINpunrr want, vrieh 10 lro
back -
81 draw back :" exclaimed the student
"WeIl! if | had the fifty guineas, you
should see whether wish to draw back ="
"Here," said |, "are four guineas, which
| will stake on your wager"
No sooner had | MADE this proposition
than the rest Of the company, attracted by
the sngularity OF the affair, came forward
TO lay down their money aud in minute
or two the fifty guineaS were SUBSCRIBED
The merchant appeared so sure of winning,
that he placed all the stakes in the Students
hands and prepared for his experiment.
We selected for the purpose a summer
house in the garden, perfectly isolated, and
having no means OF exit but window and
placing the young man within.
We put writing materials on small la
BILE, in the summer-house, and took away
the candles. We remained outside, with
the pedlar amongst us. In low solemn
voice he began TO chaunt the following
lines:
'sWhat riseth slow from the ocean caves
| And the stormy SURF
! The phantom pale sets his blackened foot
.. On the fresh green turf
Then raising his voice solemnly, he said
''You asked to see your friend, Francis
Villers, who was drowned, three years
ago, of the coast of South America-what
do you see :" .......
81 see replied the student, "a white light
arising near the window; but it has no
form; it is like an uncertain cloud"
We--the pectaors--remaned pro-
foundly silent.
care you afraid ~ asked the merchant,
in a loud voice.
81 am not" replied the student, firmly.
After a moments silence, the pedlar
stamped three times on the ground, and
sang
"And the phantom white, whose clay cold face
Was fair,
Dries with the shroud his clinging vest
, And his sea-tossed hair"
Once more the solemn question:
"You, who would see revealed the mys.
teries of the tomb--what do you see now ?'
The student answered, in calm voice,
: but like that of a man describing things a.
: they pass before him: .......... ...-.
: "Isee the cloud taking the form mofa phan-
tom; its head is covered with long veil-i
stands stll." CO..
I "Are you afraid 2"
81 am not ~
3 We looked at each other in horror-sirick
e en- silence, while the merchant, raising hi
, arms above his head, chanted, in sepul
p chral voice
"And the phantom said as he rose from the wave,
'' lie shall know me III snoh + 'I IN --.
n viii go to my friend, gay smiling, and fond
e As in our first youth - .
: "What do you see ?" said he. .. AL
: 81 see the phantom advance; be lifts hi
: veil-'tis Francis Villiers! he approache
!, the table-he writes !-'tis his signiture 7
;, "Are you airaidp
V A fearful moment of silence enSued
! then the student replied, but in an altere
e voice: