Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-28

tnnit, demintid craythur that he IS, to take
sich an a crazy fancy"
"Crazy indeed 20 said Margaret, with dis
dain, but yet when Kitty was gone, the girls
began, 'just for fun,'' to try the nuts in the
old fashioned manner. True, no names were
mentioned aloud, but that did not prevent
each maiden from designating her nuts as she
pleased-and certainly the most intense inter-
est was manifested in the glow each youth
fal face as it watched the antic manuuvers 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 triling 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 70 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
hcmp-seed in the moonlight, must say,
.Hemp-seed l SOW.
lleup-seed must grow,
W hoover Will be my truelove come after and NOV
And then on looking over her right should
er, she would see the man she was to marry,
ming after her with a great scythc moving
and who would most surely overtabe 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.
s'0ch, well, then, no harm done,'' was the
response--s'if yees to have no husbands, no
husbands will come and yen no risk your
heels.'
The sisters were in humor for frolic, and
would have ventured trial on the spot, but
the all important Kitty stopped them.
"What an times this for such thing, it's
no yet eight o'clock, and the munc's no up
the earliest hour ivcr seen it tried was ten o.
clock, and the midnight hour is better STILL"
The girls consented to wait a more propi-
tious hour, and returned to their nreside chat.
Kitty retired to the kitchen, where she whis
Pered 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 little delay, bringing with her
three baskets of hemp-secd, one of which she
gave to each fair adventurer, 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 gruflly,
ID
the side, and Miss Sophie from the back"
"Thrue for ycz, Thomas, and my hearts in
my very mouth Of fright at the plunther.''
''Why, Kitty, what difference can it possibly
make ''' inquired the girls.
Kitty made no Ineligible answer-but she
mumbled something like,
:sGae the right gate, and yell mate the right
guist," as the three girlish figures fitted away
in the darkness.
Fige-ten minutes elapsed, and Margaret
rushed breathless into the sitting room an in
slant 4! ore, and Rose and Sophie joined her.
They all looked very much excited and fright
cned.
Each looked at the other inquiringly and
Margaret began:
81 have really seen something very extraor-
dinary-yery strange. l do not know what TO
think of it. 1t could not have been spirit
but-oh, how frightened am, viii tell you
all about il. ] had scattered my hemp-seed
and repeated my rhyme rs Kitty directed
when looking behind me I saw, actually fl
! cure in white, advancing towards me with .
scythc, just as had been predicted. | was SC
taken by surprise, and so frightened-for OF
| course l did rot believe Kitty's nonsense, that
I had no power to run. 1 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 last il was behind me--elose--l
felt its touch and its breath on my cheek-and
a voice whispered in my ear:
s.Beware how you cast from you the love
and devotion OF faithful heart. Young AL
self happy"
The sisters were silent. Margaret addeC
"what makes it stranger is, that | knew vel
the voice that spoke--it was young Alder
thorn's-and know well that none but spir
it could initiate those tones so as to deceiy'
me. But tell US Sophie-what happened Il
you! You are looking as pale as lily
Sophie held up her hand, on the third fngc
of which glitteyed opal ring, which she ha'
never worn before.
sListen," said she, 81 did just as you di'
Margaret and looking over my shoulder a
directed, 1 saw vision. 1t was not moyin
as that YOU described, but it held a scythe il
its hand, and when 1 first saw it, it was alrea
DIV nv nv side. twas clad in some kind @