True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-03-12

ither.P .oy --m.sure ani, seari If
"Why, Kitty, what difference can it pos
sibly muke!" inquired the girls. ..,
Kitty made no ineligible answer-but
something she mumbled like,
"Gae the right gait, and yell meet the
right guist," as the three girlish figures
fitted away in the durkness.. :
Five-ten minutes elapsed and Margaret
rushe breathless into the sitting-room; all
instant more, and Rose and Sophie joined
her. They all looked excited, and fright
ened. -E,.., t........t ..,..t, s..
Each looked at the other inquiringly,
and Margaret began, ...t..~ . ..i ps...
81 have really seen something, very ex-
traordinary-very strange. ! do not know
what to think. 1t could not have been
spirit-but-oh. how | am |! ] will tell
you all about it. had scattered my hemp
seed and repeated the rhyme as Kitty d.
rected, when looking behind me I saw ac-
tuully a figure in white, advancing toward
ME with o scythe, just as had been predic-
ted. l was SO taken by surprise, and so
frightened-for, of course, / didnot believe
4 Kitty's nonsense, that had no power to
run or move. stood motionless with ter
ror, while the figure approached nearer
and nearer. 1t advanced, step by step, as
a 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 voice whispered in my ear,
"'Beware how you cast from you the
love and devotion ofa faithful heart. Young
Alderthorn truly loves you-make him and
yourself happy" .. -.. .a
The sisters were silent. Margaret added,
"Wbat makes it stranger is, that l know
well the voice that spoke-it was Alder
thorn's-and know none but spirit could
initiate those tones so as to DECEIVE me
But tell us, Sophy-wbat happened to you!
You are as pale as a lily"
Sophie held up her hand on the third fin
ger of which glttered an opal ring which
she had never worn before. ,'a# .'.'
"Listen y snid she. II didqjust as you
did, Margaret; and looking over my shoul-
der as directed, too saw vision. 1t was
not moving as that you describe; but it
held a scythe in its hand, and when first
saw it, it was already by my side. 1t was
clad in some kind of white mantle, and
its features were quite visible in the moon
light. Sisters, it was the face of Lieuten-
ant Morton! He-or it--took my hand,
and putthis ring on my finger, saying SOL
emnly, ashe did so, .,l'8gg ..i''n.r .5'o .
lh 49, "With this ring wed thee, ezra
... In death or in life, yJ.
This token doth bind thee '
'F' Forever my wife," tf'f va. ".nu' :
Margaret shuddered. What if her sis
ter were welded to a demon! She had
heard of such fearful thngs-and did not
her own experience, forbid her to be incred-
ulous! With q sckening sensation of su-
perstitious horror and apprehension, she
turned toward little Rose, What had be-
fallen that poor child!
"l too have seen ghost" Rose began;
Margaret clasped her hands and closed her
eyes. Her pale face grew even whiter
than before. Rose continued, r>ta 1@
81 had sown my hemp-seed. as you did
: sisters, and when I looked behind me,
saw the reaper coming after me with great
strides. / Istarted to run, but in my fright
stumbled and fell and the ghost instantly
sprang forward and raised me up--and-
: and"
"And what, Rose!'' asked Sophie and
Margaret, eugerly.
'"And it was Robert Bloomley," said
Rose, abruptly. 4" {'anI "i" -" ''
""How do you know? what makes you
think so!" asked the sisters. : t5a}a.u .
HBecause he kissed mel" cried Rose, has
tily, Then overwhelmed by her own blum
dering speech she hid her blushing face in
her hands. ..,.,.. ..... .>
Margaret and Sophie were aghast. Here
was discovery "
Rose tried, awkwardly enough, to profit
by the silence to amend her error. ' @,h
"Ghosts don't kiss, you know" she tim
idly remarked. r3e "a ysf 'r 10 d'n''
"And Robert Bloomley does p cried So
phie, laughing. "Oh, Rose, Rose, you lit
tie traitor, who would have expected this
from you?" n, ,,a4 MA .t,a, .,.
She looked keenly at Margaret as she
: spoke, Margaret met her glance with a
J look at once conscious and suspicious.
!, A light was beginning to break in rpon
, them. They began to see that Rose was
, not the only traitor in the camp. They
began also to suspect Kitty and see through
her devices 9sF
D At last Sophie broke into merry laugh,
''The fGct'is," she said "tiat that mis-.
ehieEOIs Kitty hss, been playing usatricA
? ! very saucy, but very clever. underaihRi