Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-12-02

snOW-sprlnkled. Drown grass. Fortunately
| was unhurt.
CATER ascertaining this important fact, [
gathered up my merchandise and turned to
remOunt TrOtter; but the old horse had been
less favored than [. and | soon found that he
was too lame TO proceed further. Here was
a situation | stood IN mute perpexlty.
thinking, | remember, how often had heard
that Hall0w eve was an ill-omened time, and
that mishaps Of all kinds were sure to betall
the unluckv wight who was abr ad after
dark upon that dav. While | ruminated
cast nv eve toward the window Of the old
farm house. TIE light Of a lamp just kin
died fell through the panes upon the snow
which lined the sill-a woman S shadow fit-
ted to and fro. What a cosy picture it was T!
| thought OF home-of tea and dough-nuts,
wa.m biscuit and crisp bacon, mince pie
warmed % the capaciou, oven, and felt dismal
beyond expression as the moisture Of my gar
ments chilled me through and through
Suddenly a clear voice startled me with
the words Is anything the matter with
your horse, stranger? and, turning, | be
held Young man, or rather boy, mounted
on "a handsome horse, who had approached
without my knowledge over the soft snow
| forgot what / answered, but at all events
the conversation resulted in an invitation to
enter the house near by and rest until morn
ing Uncle and aunt will be very happy
to entertain you, am sure, continued the
boy, 'and YOU know it is impossible to pro-
ceed tonight
- The fact was sell evident, and | gladly
accepted the invitation, and was ushered into
the dwelling forthwith My companion
was warmly greeted by an old lady and gen
tleman, both evidently Scotch people, who
sprang from their seats by the fire as he en-
tered, and hailed him by the name of Jamie;
and my reception was kind in the extreme.
A seat was placed for me; the old gentleman
sent servant lad to care for my horse and
the old lady insisted upon my exchanging
my wet coat for one of the old gentleman's 5,
in which, as he was very stout and | very
slender, doubtless cut a singular figure
/ Meanwhile, super was served by a buxom,
middle aged servant woman, and we all took
our places at the board, and after grace was
said, fell t. with astonishing vig0r-at least
can answer for myself.
| During the course of the meal, the fact
that it was Hallow E en- was casually men
| toned. and as a natural consequence, the old
! lady launched INTO an account Of numerous
charms, projects and adventures which had
! taken place within her knowledge. and
! NOuiiu "a y Nlil lut ICLldIk lildL We Young
men should both try some charm that night
! for the purpose of discovering who our
sweethearts were to be. The old lady was
50 earnest IN this whim that it was impossi-
bic to deny her and accordingly we pro
ceeded under her directions to prepare the
following charm: Each scooped the yolk from
three hard boiled eggs, filled the cavity with
salt, and devoured them-salt and all; then,
without taking drink o. water, we pro-
ceeded straight to our apartments, with
strict inlunctIons to tie our shoesuings in
hari knots, and 20 to bed backwards And
as sure as ye do So, 81 / the old lady, the
lass yer to marry will c me to ye and kiss ye
when the clock strikes twelve.
The room which had been devoted to me
was long and wide, with gloomy corners and
tall, gh0stly cupboards here and there. 4
looking glass in a black frame hung oppo-
site the bed, and beneath it stood table of
small Dimensions. Laughing at myself all
the while, tied my sh0e-srings IN three
knots, and blowing out the light, absolutely
did get into bed backwards; and. being
weary and tired, fell asleep almost immedl-
ately.
All such a sleep! and such dreams [
was riding upon old Trotter against a snow
storm, with paunior upon pannier loaded
with eggs piled upon his back and weighing
him down. Then | was selling eggs, and
the customers were indignant-for where
should have been yolk they found nothing
but salt; they were all beautiful Young
women, and they threw the eggs at my head
in their anger; and as they broke, scattering
a shower of salt over my face, they shouted
"Hallow t en- ,'' at the top Of their voices.
Then | was big egg myself, and people
would lay me on the edges of precipices and
throw their eggs at me, until at length |
awoke with a start, stretching my arms to
keep myself from falling, as one often does
in sleep. Once more the tai presses, the
little mirror, the white curtans-ali glim- |
mering in the cold moonlight which fell /
through the window-greeted nv Eyes. | /
was wide awake. | knew that the storm /
must have passed away. was perfectly /
the window, and suddenly was startled bv |
a faint crimson light which flushed the wall |
and curtain. ''Can the sun be -risng?" | /
thought No, it was not the sun the light |
was within my room. | turned my face to-
wards the other end Of the room, and there, |
as truly as live, | saw figure, white and 4
straight, advancing towards my bed, holding |
a light IN its hand. Ny heart stood still, |
but gazed eagerly on the appantion. 1t |
was very fair 20 Look upon golden curls fell |
to its waist. blue eyes smiled from beneath |
delicate brows. a dimple in the chin, tiny |
mole upon the cheek, teeth like pearls, and |
a neck whittier than alabaster, these were the /
chief traits; vet trembled and grew faint. |
| closed my eyes, and assumed slumber. The /
form advanced, bent over me, and pressed It's |
lips 10 mine. I fel; two terrible |
unearthy kisses, and, unable 10 control my |
self longer, sprang from the bed in a agony |
of terror. La moment tb, light vanished, /
heard something like a muf1ed scream, /
and, staggering to the bed, swOoned away. 4
The next morning awoke feyered and ILL., /
bade farewell to my hospitable entertainer, /
and went home. | never mentioned my Wis 4
ipn 10 any one, but either the shock or the /
salt eggs almost finished my existence. For /
three weeks lay at the point OF death, and /
all the while, so they told me, | raved of /
dlmple in the chin, mole upon the cheek |
and curls like molten moonlight recover /
ed at last, and IN the course Of a year depart
ed for New York to enter into business with /
my uncle. who was a merchant.
"By a curious coincidence it was once more
All-Hallow Fen when | reached New York;
and as the cab in which had ensconced nv
self at the landing rolled along Broadway,
while my eyes rested upon
the brilliantly lighted and gaily beiecked
stores and the busting crowd which thronged
fhe broad sidewalks-of the quiet farm house
chamber, the dark OAK presses, tue ebon
framed mirror, and the white apparati5n
stealing fr1m the shadows slowly softly,
terribly. but, oh 20 beautifully Shall
ever meet hern mdrmured. Were those
spectral kisses the foretaste OF warm, delici-
Gus, living caresses, fresh from the ruby lips
of an earthly maiden?' As l spoke, the
carriage stopped at my uncles door.
Here Uncle Oliver paused for a moment,
and gazed around him. The older girls
were blushlng violently-the younger ones
were IN a state of awful seriousness edifvinr
to behold, and no one spoke single word
Uncle Oli7er gave us peculiar quizzical
glance, and proceeded: