Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-09-29

er was man of very singular habits, anc
eccentric character, and his silence abou
his departure, instead of creating any sur
prise, was declared To be exactly like him
About six months after Fishers disap.
pearance, an old man called Ben Weir
who had a small farm near Penrilh, and whc
always drove his own cart TO market. was
returning from Sydney, one night, when he
beheld, seated on a rail which bounded the
road, Fisher. The night was very dark.
aud the distance of the fence from the mid.
die Of the road was at least twelve yards
Weir, nevertheless, saw Fishers fgure
seated on the rail lie pulled his old mare
up, aud called out,
Fisher, is that youl
No answer was returned, but there, still
on the rail, sat the fsrsH Of the maa with
whom he had been on the most intimate
terms. Welr--who was not drunk, though
he had taken several glasses on the road -
jumped off his cart and approached the
rail. To his surprise the form vanished
Well, exclaimed old Weir, that is We
~ curious, anyhow aud, breaking several
branches of a sapiIug, so as to mark the
exact spot, he re-mounied his cart. put his
old mare into jog-lrot, and soon reached
his home.
Ben was not likely to keep his vision
a secret from his old woman. All that he
had seen he faithfully related TO her.
Hold your nonsense, Ben = was old Bet
tvs reply. You know you have been
drinking aud disturbing OF your imagina-
ton. Aunt Fisher a gone 10 England ?
And if he had a come back, do you think
we shouldn't heard on it,
Ay, Betty SAID old Ben, but he'd a
cruel cash in his forehead, and the blood
was all lresh-hke, Fauh, It makes me
shudder to think ont. 1t we're his
ghost
How can you talk SO foolish, Ben 2
said the old woman You must be drunk
surely, 10 get on about ghosleses'
tell thee | am not drunk. reioined old
Ben, augrly. There's been foul play,
Betty, I'm sure ont There sal Fisher on
the rail, not more than matter OF two
miles from this. Egad, Il were on his own
fence THAI he sat. There he was, ia his
SHIRT sleeves, with his arm, folded Just
rs he used to sit when he was waiting for
anybody coming up the road. Bless YOU,
Betty, | seed i'm till was as close to hun
a | am to thee, when, all on sudden, he
vanished like smoke
Nonsense, Ben, don't talk of H. said old
Betty, or the neiehOors will only laugh at
YOU Come to bed, aud you'll forget all
about 1t before tomorrow morning
Old Ben went to bed bat he did not
next morning forget all about wha, he had
seen on the previous night on the contra
rs he was more positive than before. How
ever, at the earnest aud oi,ea Sepeatsh re-
quest ct the old woman, he promised not to
mention having seen Fishers ghost, for
fear that II might expose him to rdicule
Ga the following Thursday night, when
old Ben was returning from market-agaln
IN his cattle saw, seated upon the same
rail- the identical apparnion lie had pur-
poseiy abstained from drunk that day, and
was ~ tie foil possession of all bis seuses.
On this occasion old Ben was 100 much
alarmed 10 stop lie urged his old mare
on aud got home AS speedily as possible.
4 soon as lie had embarrassed and fed The
mare, aud taken his purchases out of the
cart, he entered has outage, lighted his
pipe, sat over the fire with his better half,
aud gave her an account of how he had dis
posed o! his produce, aud what he had
brought back from Sydney in return. Al
ter ilis he SAID to her
Well, Betty, I'm not drunk tonight,
anyhow, am ?
No. said Betty. You are quite sober,
seuslble-like tonight, Ben; aud therefore
YOU have come home without any ghost IN
your head, Ghosts! Don't believe there
is such things
Well, you're satisfied am not drunk
but perfectly sober, said the old man.
Yes, Ben, said Betty.
Well then said Ben, tell thee what,
Betty, | saw Fisher Tonight, again
Stuff cried old Beuy.
You may sfaf,' SAID the old farmer
but I'll tell you what saw hIm as PLAIN
ly as | did last Thursday night. Smith IS
a bad 'un! Do you think Fisher would ey-
er have left this country without coming To
bid me and you good byel
lis all fancy ~ SAID old Betty Now
drink your grog, and smoke your pipe, and
think No more about the ghost lwon't
hear ont
I'm as fond of my grog and my pipe, as
most men, said old Ben, but Pm not 90
ing To drink anything Tonight. 1t may be
ali fancy as you call 1t, but lm now going
TO tell Mr., Grafton all | saw, aud what |
think : and with these words he got up and
left the house.
MIR Grafton was a gentleman who lived
about a mile from old Welr's farm. lie
had formerly been Lieutenant IN the Ma
w, but was now on halt,pay, and was set
tier in the new colony he was, moreover,
in the commission of the peace.
When old Ben arrived al MIR. Grafton
house, Mr.. Grafton was about To retire to
bed but he requested old Ben might be
shown in. He desired the farmer To take a
seat by tie FIRE, aud then inquired what
was the latest news at sydney.
The news in Sydney. SIR, is very small,
said old Ben, wheat is falling, but maize
still keeps It's prlce--seven aud sx-pence a
bushel. But want to tell you, sir, some
timing that will astonish YOU
What is IT, Ben ? inquired Mr. Graf
ton.
why, SIR resumed old Ben, you know
am not a weak minded mar, nor a fool,
exactly for was born aud bred in York
shire