Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-28
CLEARFIELD WEDNESDAY, MAY 2S 1856

! '-SldLN WITH us
dain, but yet when Kitty was gone, the girl
began, "just for fun,'' to try the nuts in the
old fashioned manner. True, no names wer,
mentioned aloud, but that did not preven
each maiden from designating her nuts as sh,
! pleased-and certainly the most intense inter
est was manifested in the glow on each youth
full face it watched the antic maneuvers OF
the mimic lovers in the symbolical pantomime
Kitty returned to find them engaged in this
inconsistent amusement, but like wise dam
sci she took no note of tri1ing discrepancies
She on the contrary, proposed that as they
were trying Ave games, they should at later
hour, before going to bed, try the famous old
one of sowing hemp-seed by moonlight.
'What is it how do you do it 20 cried the
sisters, and Kitty went on to explain, how that
the girl who would look into the future as to
her fate, must go by night, alone, and beyond
the hearing Of her friends, and scattering
hemp-seed in the moonlight, must say,
"Hemp-seed I SOW,
Hemp-seed must grow,
whoever will be my truelove. .ccme after and NOV y
And then on looking over her right should
er, she would see the man she was TO marry,
com ing after her with great scythe moving
and who would most surely overtake her and
cut her heels off with the weapon, if she paus-
ed too long to look.
"You forgot. Kitty, we are never going TO
have any husbands" remarked Sophie, when
Kitty paused in her explanations.
''Och, well, then, no harm DONE" was the
response-':if yees to have no husbands, no
husbands will come and yen no risk your
heels.'
The sisters were in 4 humor for frolic, and
would have ventured a trial the spot, but
the all important Kitty stopped them.
'sWhat a times this for such a thing, it's
no yet eight O'Clock, and the mune's no up
the earliest hour liver l seen it tried was ten o.
clock, and the midnight hour is better STILL"
The girls consented to wait more propi-
tious hour, and returned to their fireside chat.
Kitty retired to the kitchen, where she whis-
percd long tale in Thomas ear. The latter
listened, nodded his head sagaciously-took
up his hat and went out.
Ten o'clock at length struck, and the sisters
as eager as ever for frolic, called Kitty. She
appeared after a little delay, bringing with her
three baskets of hemp-seed, one of which she
gave to each fair adyenturer, with renewed in
structions. Miss Margaret was desired to is
sue from the front door, Rose from the back
and Sophie from the side. They were about
to set off, when Thomas, who stood silently OBJ
serving all, said gruffly,
ssThat's wrong, Kitty-Miss Rose is to go by
the side, and Miss Sophie from the back
''Thrue for yez, Thomas, and my hearts in
my very mouth Of fright at the plunther."
'sWhy, Kitty, what difference can it possibly
make ''' inquired the girls.
Kitty made no Ineligible answer-but she
mumbled something like,
:'Gae the right gate, and yen mate the right
guist,' as the three girlish figures fitted away
in the darkness.
Five-ten minutes elapsed, and Margaret
rushed breathless into the sitting room an in
slant more, and Rose and Sophie Joined her.
They all looked very much excited and fright
ened.
Each looked at the other inquiringly and
Margaret began
81 have really seen something very extraor-
strange. / do not know what TO
think of it. 1t could not have been a spirit
how frightened am, will tell you
all about it. had scattered my hemp-seed
and repeated my rhyme as Kitty directed,
when looking behind me 1 saw, actually f.
gure in white, advancing towards me with a
scythe, just as had been predicted. l was so
taken by surprise, and so frightened-for of
course did not believe Kitty's nonsense, that
[ had no power to run. l stood motionless
with terror, while the figure approached nearer
and nearer. 1t advanced step by step, as 4
man does in moving, and yet had no power
to stir. At last it was behind me-close-I
felt its touch and its breath on my cheek-and
q voice whispered in my ear:
s'Beware how you cast from you the love
and devotion of a faithful heart. Young Al
derthorn truly loves you-make him and your
self happy"
The sisters were silent. Margaret added
''what makes it stranger is, that / knew well
the voice that spoke-it was young Alder
1 know we'll that none but a spr-
it could initiate those tones so as to deceive
me. But tell us Sophie-what happened to
you! You are looking as pale as lily
Sophie held up her hand, on the third finger
of which glttered an opal ring, which she had
never worn before.
sListen," said she, al did just as you did
Margaret; and looking over my shoulder as
directed, l saw vision. 1t was not moving
as that you described, but it held scythe in
It's hand, and when first saw it, it was alrea-
dy by my side. Itwas clad in some kind of
white mantle: and its features were quite visi-
bic IN the moonlight. Sisters it was tho face
OF Lieutenant Morton He or it-took my