Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-05-17

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ell been born and some Of Them had died
Old Paul wss indeed brute, end he was
well. matched with one who, under such
circumstances, could think Of such pallry
fresh.
But three short weeks bad passed. and
heard that old Paul's wife was sick-nexl
day, worse-and the third day, dead. And
she had 10 pass over the same road, drawn
by the same richly-csparisoned horse, in
The same much dreaded carriage, to be laid
in the grave by old Psul's side.
One day. chanced to TAX. walk down
by old Psul's house. The spring wac in
its glory. The forest covering the bills
were clad in their riches. vendure. The
apple trees were in full bloom, snd filled
the air with fragrance, while the bees, feed.
ing upon their blossoms, filed it with @
dreamy murmur. The corn was just peep
ing from the ground, and the rye-fieIds were
beginning 10 wave in the passing breezes.
The meadows were vocal with
| ssThe bobolink's clear, thrilling strain
| OF liquid sweet"
fences, and The robbins in the trees that O.
ver-hung the road. As ] approached the
house, noticed horses tied by the posts;
and groups of men standing about the doors,
and heaps Of old furniture scattered here
and there, which reminded me that it was
''auclion-dsy." II was large old-fashion-
ed house, with two ancient elms slending
before it, spreading their G iganlic branches
far and wide. 10 their thick, damp shade
the moss had been accumualing, year after
yeer; until the whole from, bad grown quite
green. There was general air of diIapi-
da,ion and neglect On all sides. hanging
boards, broken, rag.suffed windows, ricke-
ty fences, and fallen gates proclaimed the
hsbilsiou Of the drunkard. On oking a.
bou, The premises. ! found every thing in
conformity with The view from the road
Fields half-cultiva,ed, fruil-lrees unpruned,
fences that seemed TO have caught The hab-
its of their master, and bad fallen down or
were staggering to their fall gates hanging
by one hinge, or leaning agains, their posts,
as if in drunken meditation; ploughs with
broken handles, and carts with broken
wheels, exposed 10 The weather manure in
.'f ,.,eh...s -.i.a- ap.-Iaoi. Lush
lus,y," suffered TO accumulate abou, The
barns as filthy nuisance ; The barns them
selves ventilated bv the loss of here and
there board :; in the shed, old Paul's rick
ely wagon, and harness ie,hered with strings.
and reins pieced ou, with bits Of rope; and
tied to post, bis poor old horse, apparent
Iy looking mournfuIv forward to his future
pr poets in the hands Of the jockey VIII"
had Jus, bough b, him for five dollars, on spec
ulaion.
"Going-going at ten cents % heard, in
a hosrse, husky voice, as entered the house;
sail ,his lot Of pens, once the pride Of Aunt
PolIy's hesrl-bran new only twenty years
ago! Gentlemen, will you allow property
to be sacrificed in this way Going at ten
cents! Gentlemen, are you all done y
Going-going- TO Patrick Nc
Murphy for ten cens!' Ten cents. then.
was the public valuation of wha, had occu-
pied The thoughts Of old Paul's wife to the
| exclusion of all The memories Of fifty wears.
The aulioneeer next came 10 old PanFs
wardrobe: "Here gentlemen" said he, his
red face lit up by sero,comIc look, "nere
we have something nice"-holding up the
old white sur,out bad seen so many times
-.iust The thing for one out late a, nj : h,
WArT6nleO wafer proc
"How do you know that :" said Uncle
Billy. his face radiant with rum end good.
humnr.
"How do know !" retoried the quick.
whi,ed auctloneer: "wby hasn't il held
j barrels Of Deacon Smooth faces rum ant
don'i you remember how the water in tha
froze and burs, your bottle one night, while
you was stopping to warm your feet BY
the light of the moon, over on Rabbit
Hill -
! A, length the house was all cleared ex
cept one room. This room old Paul bar
kept locked for twenty-five years, neve
suffering any one to enter it hu, himseIf.-
During ,ha, time, strange mystery had gath
cred abou. it A jury Of neighboring Cos
sips had more than once had The case unde
consideration, and, after due deiberaion
aided by large imb,bings of green-lea, ha,
brought in a unanimous verdict of Ssirang
; and very mysterious" As no one knew
any thing abou, 1t, every one felt at perfec
liberty to say whatever her busy fancy
!, nigh, suggest. Some said !. was haunted
and one cadaverous old maid, who had drie'
> up 10 single blessedness until there was bu
, little lef. save Unsuitable inquisilveness On,
malicious envy, more than once cast ou
dark hints about pedder who had mys,e
riously disappeared.
: The children caught the infection, end,
possible. avoided passing old Paul's ia III
/. dark :; or, it a, any time benigh,ed, Zee
; would add wings to their feet; and eyes I,
J their imaginations; SO that . ghost.s.or,
f was almos. sure 10 be the result, especalI
if old Paul's white horse chanced TO b
, feeding under the windows. This room
, also seemed 10 possess strange power owe
= old Paul himself. He seldom visited il