Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-02-26

pleasure. "And how did it come therel-
What have you been doing to the tablet"
do you see this crackl'' repeated I, in
tensely.
"Yes, yes," said Julia; "tha, was wha
frightened me so; it looks So like witch
work"
"Spiritsl spiri,s!" cried Anna.
"SilenceI" said my wife go on, sil
and tell US what you know of the crack"
"Wife and daughters" said /, solemnly
"out of that crack. or hole, while was sit
ting all alone here last night. wonder
full"
Here, involuntarily, paused, fascinate
by the expectant attitudes and bursting eye
of Julia and Anna.
"What, whatl" cried Julia.
ga bug, Julia"
"a bugi" cried my wife "a bug com,
on, of this table. And what did you do witt
it!"
"CIapped il under tumbler.''
"Biddy! Biddy" cried my wife. going tt
the door. "Did you see tumbler here OF
this table when you swept the room!"
"Sure l did, marm, and 'bomnaSle bug
under it.''
sand what did you do With it," demanded
I.
"Put the bug in the fire, sir, and rinset
out the tumbler ever so many times, marm.'
"Where is that tumbler" cried Anna
81 hope you scratched it-marked it some
way. I'll never drink out of that tumbleri
never put it before me, Biddy. A bugs
bug! Oh, Julia! Oh, mamma! / feel it
crawling all ever me, even now. Haunted
table!''
"Spirits! spirits!'' cried Julia.
"My daughters" said their mother, with
authority in her eyes, "go to your chamber
till you can behave more like reasonable
creatures. Is it bug-a bug that can
lrighten you out OF what little wits you
ever had. Leave the room. lam astonish.
ed. am panied by such childish conduct. ~
snow tell me-" she said addressing me-
as soon as they had Withdrawn, "now tell
my truly, did bug really come out OF this
crack in the tabIet'
"Wife, it is even so.''
'Did on see il come out!''
81 did,"
She looked earnestly at the crack, leaning
over it.
"Are you sure!" said she. looking u2, but
still bent over.
"Sure, sure''
She was silent. began to think that
the mystery OF the thing began to tell even
upon her. Yes, thought |, shall presently
see my wife shaking and shuddering, and,
who rows, calling in some old dominic to
exercise the table, and drive cut the spirits.
'l'ii tell you what we'll do" said she
suddenly, and not without excitement.
"What, wife!" said |, all oagerness, ex-
pecting some mystical proposiiion; ''what,
wife!"
I'VE will rub this table all over with that
celebrated roach powder I've heard Of"
"Good gracious! Then you don't think
h's spirits" "---=.-.-.--..,ss-ar. -s,.-~=-
"Spritsi"
The emphasis of scornful incredulity was
worthy of Democritus himself.
But this ticking-this ticking!" said |.
"I'll whip that oct of it."
"Come, come, wife," said ], you are going
too far the other way, now. Neither roach
powder nor whipping will cure this table.
It's queer table, wife; there's no blinking
it.''
"I'll have it rubbed, though" she replied,
swell RUBBED" and calling Biddy, she bade
her get wax and brush, and give the table
q vigorous manipulation. That done, the
cloth was again laid, and we sat down to
our morning meal; but my daughters did
not make their appearance. Julia and ANA
took no breakfast that day.
When the cloth was removed, in o busi-
ness-ike way, my wife went to work with
a dark colored cement, and hermetically
closed the litte hole in the table.
My daughters looking pale. insisted
upon taking them out for walk tina, morn
ing, when the following conversation en-
sued:
"My worst presentinents about that table
are being verified, papa" said Julia; "not
for nothing was that intimation of the clo-
ven foot on my shoulder"
"Nonserse," said l. "Let US go into
Mrs Browns, and have an ice cream"
The spirit OF Democritus was stronger
on me now. By curious coincidence, it
strengthened with the strength Of the sun
light.
"But is it not miraculous" said Anna,-
show Dug should come out of tablet"
Mot at all, my daughter. 1t is a very
common thing 70. bugs to come out of wood.
You yourself must have seen them coming
cut OF the ends of the biIlets on the hearth"
"Ah, but that wood is almost fresh from
the woodland. Blu, the table is at least
hundred years old.''
"Wbat of that!" said !, gayly. "Have
not live toads been found in the hearts of
dead rocks, as old as creatinnI"
"Say what you will, papa, feel it is
spirit said Julia. "Do. do now, my dear
the house, =.
Nonsense" said |.
BY another curious coincidence, the more
they felt frightened, the more felt brave.
Evening came.
"This ticking" said my wife; "do you
think that another bug will come of this
continued ticking!"
Curiousy enough, that had not occurred
to me before. | had not thought of there
being twins 0. bugs But now, who knew;
there might be even triples.
resolved to take precautions, and, if
there was to be second bug, infallibly Sc
cure it. During the evening. the ticking
was again heard. About ten O'Clock clap
ped tumbler over the spot, as near as
could judge of it by nv ear. Then we all
retired, and locking the door of the cedar
parlor, put the key in my pocket.
In The morning, nothing was TO be seen,
but the ticking was heard. The trepidation
of my daughters returned. They wanted
to call in the neighbors. But to this my
wife was vigorously opposed. We should
be the laughlng-stock of the whole town.--
So it was agreed that Dothng should be
disclosed. Biddy received strict charges;