The new era., 1860-07-05

h.fe s aftF "a
than did those ten strokes from that ter
| riblel clock, For that clock had com.
to appear to Us like great ogre, and i
fascinated our gaze like, spirit. Eve.
ry object in the room assumed double
| size. The window curtains, moved te
4 and fro, as iftouched bvE invisible fin.
I gers. The mirror ref lcted objects thai
4 appeared appalling deformities. Every
tenant of the bookcase was assuming
the form and spirit OF its author, prepar.
atory to descent for play upon oul
terrors : The doors were about to fiy
open, the ceiling to fall. the floor to
give way-and above all, every tick OF
the clock was stab to every heart
beat. Summoning courage, we sough
to drive away the spell, by THROWN g
ourselt upon the bed and burying our
face in the pillow. 1t wouldn't do
Old hobgoblIn stories returned to haunt
US at that moment. The frightful pee
ters that appeared TO the ssChildren Of
the Abbey" and the"Three Spaniards, !"
were not yet laid; and the s'iron hand"
that grasped th't of Melissa in the de-
serted castle chilled ours on that fear
full night. Suddenly, imaginary terrors.
gave way to real ones. Where was
Fred' Why did he not come? Had The
Indians waylaid him, or had compa-
ny at the bar-room induced him, con-
trary to all his former experience, to
"take glass too much ~ At any 9TH
ther time such an idea would not even
have presented itself; but now there
was not even the remotest improbabili-
ty, which fancy would not pIausibly sug-
gcst. 1t was now near the midnight.
We opened the door and gazed out into
the night. 1t was utterly dark. The
wind sighed mournfuIIy. Could we find
the way, we wondered, if we should
venture out, alone. Perhaps in going
along we might stumble against Fred S
body; life might still be left and we
might save him-shouh we go-but the
road was, a part ofthe way, impossible
on account of the recent rains; we sho d
have to turn out into the bushes-a
the wolves were bowling. We shut the
door, determined to wait awhile. But
the moments were longer than before
Anything was preferable to this intoler
able inactivity and suspense. We put
on our bonnet and opened the door
again. With not particle Of fear, we
walked out into the moonless and star
less darkness. We had courage
then that would have carried us through
fire and water All the ghosts in the
world, and all the wolves in the west
would have been insufficient and by no
means formidable in diverting US from
our path. There was presntiment oil
evil that had banished all fear. We
came to where the water was over the
shoe. Our dress was caught aud torn
upon the scraggy bushes
We knocked at Mr.. B. s, though there
was no light. Fred had not been there.
We were kindly invited to come in and
remain, while Mr. B. should go on to
Mr.. RS and inquire. But no, we
could not wait-and hurried on. The
moon was now just rising, and cast faint
tinges Of light. Arrived at within
few feet of Mr.. RS, when the Post
office door opened--a tall man appeared.
He approached, said "good evening""
and was passing on-when oure xclam-
alton caused him to become little more
familiar. 'Why, Minnie" said he,
"what sent you here" 1t was weary
walk home-the excitement was gone
and Fred had been waitng-for Tie moon
10 rise Wouldn't you have quit him
right on the spot gaasscr tss s-s.,a r..
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Work FOR MOTHERS AND FOR FAMI-
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This is a new work 'son a plan new,
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Gus remedies" and should be in the
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By sending ISL 25 to j., B. Lippincott
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GoDEY's LADY's Book, for July, is
full Of attractiveness, as usual Its
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