The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-10

Flve-ten minutes elapsed and Margare
rushed breathless into the sitting room; an in
slant more, and Rose and Sophie Joined her
They all looked excited and frightened
Each looked at the other inquiringly, anc
Margaret began:
Il have really seen something very extra or
dinary--very strange. l do not know what tc
think. 1t could not have been spirit-but oh
how frightened am! will tell you all about
it. | had scattered my hempseed and repea
ted the rhyme as Kitty directed, when, looking
behind me, l saw actually a figure in white
advancing towards me with scythe, Just as
had been predicted. | was so taken by sur
prise, and so frightened-for, of course, did
not believe Kitty's nonsense-that [ had no
power to run or move. | stood motionless with
terror, while the figure approached nearer and
nearer. 1t advanced step by step. as man
does in moving, and yet had no power to stir.
At lastit was behind me-close--I felt its touch
and its breath on ny cheek--and a voice whis-
pered in my ear:
"'Beware how you cast from you the love
and devotion of 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 | know well
the voice that spoke-lt was Alderthorn sand
| know none but spirit could initiate those
toDss so as to deceive me. But tell us, Sophie,
what happened to you? you are as pale as a liy.''
Sophie held up her hand, on the third finger
of which glittered an opal ring, which she had
never worn before.
''Listen!" said she. Il did just.ss you did,
Margaret; and looking over my shoulder as d.
rected, | too saw vision. 1t was not moving
as that you describe; but it held /, scythe in its
hand, and when first saw it, it was already
by my side. 1t was clad in some kind of a
white mantle, and its features were quite visi-
bic in the moonlight. Sisters, it was the face
of lieutenant Morton! He-or it-took my
hand, and put this ring on my. finger, saying
solemnly, as he did so:
"'With this ring I wed thee,
In death or in life,
This token doth bind thee
Forever my wife
Margaret shuddered. What if her sister were
welded to demon? She had heard of such
fearful things-and did not her own experience
forbid her to be incredulous? With a sicken-
ing sensation of a superstilious horror and ap-
prehension, she turned towards little Rose
What had befallen that poor child?
Il too have seen ghost" Rose began.--
Margaret clasped her hands, and closed her
eyes. Her pale face grew even whiter than
before. Rose contfnued-'I had sown my
hempseed, as you did, sisters, and when look
ed behind me saw the reaper coming after
me with great strides. | started to rum but in
my fright l stumbled and fell-and the ghost
instantly sprang forward and raised me up,
and-and-'
And what, Rose?" asked Sophie and Mar
garet, eagerly.
'And It was Robert Boomley," said Rose,
abruptly.
''How do you know? what makes you think
so?" asked the sisters.
"Because he kissed me- cried Rose hastily
Then, overwhelmed by her own blunderine
speech, she hid her blushing face in her hands
Margaret and Sophie were aghast. Here was
a discovery.
Rose tried, awkwardly enough, to profit by
the silence to amend her error
"Ghosts don't kiss, you know she timidIy
remarked.
'And Robert BIoomley does," cried Sophie
laughing. "Oh, Rose, you little traitor, who
would have expected this from you?'
She looked keenlv at Margaret as she spoke
Margaret met her glance with look al once
conscious and suspicious.
A light was beginning to break in upon them
They began to see that Rose was not the only
traitor in the camp. They began also to sus-
pect Kitty and see throug 1er devices. (.
At last Sophie broke into merry laugh
"The fact is,'' she said, "that mischievous Kit
ty has been playing us trick, very saucy, but
very clever. | understand it all now and she
has evidently understood US all this long time
How say you, Margaret? Are we justified in
keeping our VOWS, when three ghosts come from
their graves to bid US break them?'
Margaret turned aside hep stately head, with
blush and smile, and made no explicit an
swer But I fancy she, as well as the Other
sisters, were more satisfactory in their replies
the next day to ''three ghosts who appeared
in propria persona to plead their suits.
l need scarcely say that as Sophie had sug-
gested, Kitty was at the bottom Of these simple
mysteries. Having, with her usual shrewd-
ness, discovered the secret of each sister, she
had despatched Thomas to summon the lovers
in time topay the ghostly parts assigned them.
Finally, ! would merely remark, that that
"quare, headstrong, auld body" Thomas pre-
diction came perfectly true. All three sisters
were married within the year.
Margaret entered with her husband into pos
session Of a noble estate in the neighborbood
Sophie accompanied lieutenant Morton to dis
tant lands Butt Rose, with her honest-eyed
farmer, settled down in the dear old homestead
Kitty, now more important and more indulg-
ed than ever, and faithful old Thomas, OF
course remained with her.
Once year, as often as it is within the bounds
of possibility, the sisters meet under the old
roof-tree. Every Haow Eve they assemble,
AS Of old, round the cheerful wood fire, not per-
haps roasting chesnuts, and talking girlish non
sense, but recalling scenes of past pleasures,
and speaking of present happiness, and future
prospects.
This is the season when colds are more liza
bic TO be caught than in almost any other
The atmosphere out of doors is damp, without
being very cold which tempts people to dress
less warm than they should. Moreover, when
heated with walking persons very frequently sit
down in a chilly parlor Or sitting room. for
houses generally have lower temperature