Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-11-04

! Hdu Suilh lIlO lHc dTulS Ol HIS hiIu utilfeT6T,
seep-and lay snoring, at full length, on the
floor behind the armchair His good natnred
master rejoced sincerely at this sight for he
was sorey afraid lest the spectre had carried
off the poor fellow.
The adventure of the night was soon known
to all the townsfoIk. The more sensible of
them laughed heartily at the landlords absurd
conduct, and called him a stupid, superStitous
chicken-hearted coward This language soon
reached his ears, and Yexed him to such de-
gree that he repaired Immediately to the bur-
gomaStcr of the town to make affidavit of the
particulars of the affair. At the same time,
| he requested the magistrate to take measures
for aScertaining the reality Of the apparaton :;
| for in no other way could he retrive his lost
honor in the estimation of the incredulous
public.
The magistrate complied with his request and
the town sergeant was sent for with four cour-
ageouS fellows, to pass the next night in the
haunted chamber. Whether the spirit deemed
its opponents, at this instance too formidable. or
whether it had actually decamped, so much is
certain, that it did not see fit to show itSels to
the party that was anxious for its appearance
The men repaired to their post the two succeed
ing nights, but the obstinate ghost was not to
! be seen
/ Robert had thus put himself to a useless ex-
pense and, if he had previously been the talk
of the whole town, he now became the butt of
general ridicule.
1t was not long before Sigismund n COM
pany with "a friend again passed through the
place. He was Informed that the spectre,
which had once given him such appalling evi-
dence of its existence, had since terrified the
landlord and Peter almost out of their lives and
resolved not to sleep any more at his kins-
mans house. The courteous solicitation of the
fair ROsina, however, had greater influence
! over him !; he could not refuse her invitation,
and Ventured once more to lodge under the
same roof with her {: but only on the express
condition that he should not lie in the haunted
chamber
His friend and fellow traveller was of q diff
ferent way of thinking. DESTROYS of an inter
view with ghost, he insisted on having bed
prepared for him in the very room which the
spirit had been accustomed to visit The
landlord was not a little gratifed to think
that he had at last met with person will
ing to avenge, as he termed it, the honor of
! his house.
SigiSmund'S friend took his measures with
cooIneSs and deliberation He placed or the
table by his bed, brace of loaded pistols, pro-
vided himself with couple of candles, in ad-
| tion the night lamp, went to bed unconceraed,
| slept sonndly, and awoke the next morning
without hearing or seeing anything of spirit.
He did not fail to impress upon the miEd
of his companion the Stiffness of the fear of
apparations and begged Of him, as a friend, to
bear him company the following night, that he
| rrhf ,,pto ,,l 81,
r, sina.
Sigismund, sensible that his friends exhorta-
tionS were well meant plucked up a spirit, aud
repaired with him, at bed time, to his former
chamber All the inmates of the house had
retired to rest, and not a sound disturbed the
midnight silence. All at once, faint steps were
heard ascending the stairs and slowly approach
ing nearer and nearer to the room. The same
pale spectre, dressed in white, which had ter
rifed him once before, again made its appear
ance. Sgsmund, overwhelmed with horror,
never thought of the pistols which lay near
the bed, but again sought safety in fight,
leaving his friend to cope, by himself, with the
ghost.
His fellow traveller, though not little star
tied closely watched the apparatiOn. 1t ap-
preached him; and he could not help Sbudder-
ing when he saw it prepare to get into bed
to him, he sprung ont, and had good mind
not only to quit that but, like Sigismund, to
abandon the field also. On second thoughts, :,
however, he mustered courage, seized pistol
in one hand and a candle in the other, drew
back o little, and thus awaited what was to
happen.
The ghost seemed to take no notice of its
armed antagonist, but SO much the more closely
did he watch the apparation. He approached
nearer to the bed on which the unwelcOme
visitor lay most quietly, and scrutinized It's
features His terror gradually subdued, and
ceased to bewder his senses Heavens how
agreeahly he was surprised, to recognize in the
slumbering figure the lovely Rosina For fear
of disturbing the fair night walker, he durSt
not, though strongly tempted steal single kiss,
, but softly quilted the room to call her parents
and his friend
None of them however, were in any hurry to
obey the summons. The jocoSe and confident
manner in which their guest spoke of his dis
covery, and word which he whispered in the
ear of the landlady induced the latter to follow
him alone TO the haunted chamber, for the pur.
pose of aSccrtainng the nature of the noctur
nal apparation.
} Ashamed to be surpassed in courage by q
woman, Robert and Sgismund could not, there
, fore, stay behind. They sneaked after the ad
vance guard, and before they ventured to &C
into the chamber, cautiously peeped in at the
door, while the mothers eyes had been for some
f time fondly fixed on her darling. She knew
from former experience that Rosina had pre-
disposition to walking in her sleepand she wa
too thoroughly convinced of her virtue and in
: nocence to attribute her being in such stna
D tion TO any other cause than that singular dis
+ order
? 1t was long before her timid spouse woul,
trust either the assurances Of his better half O.
t his own senses till at last Rosina herself fur
e nShed evidence too strong to he resisted. Sh
IL. L IL hon IL, Al