The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-12-10
lLUME EBENsBURG.

1OA1e h Aee Il Ii " AO
The first speaker, giving him dark,
fierce look, said:
"Young man, speak not SO lightly of
things above your comprehension"
"Do you mean to imply that there are
such things as ghosts 2"
perhaps there are, if you had the cour-
age to look at them"
"That taunt should cost you dear, Il it
were not such q foolish one"
"a foolish onep' exclaimed the mer-
chant, throwing on the table a heavy
leathern purse.
"There are fifty guineas. I am content
to lose them, if, before the hour is ended,
do not succeed in showing you, who are
SO obstinately prejudiced, the form of any
one of your deceased friends and if, after
you have recognized him, you viii allow
him to kiss your lips"
We ali looked at each other; but my
young neighbor, still in the same mooking
manner, replied:
"You will do that, will you ?"
EYES," said the other, 81 will stake
these fifty guineas, on condition that you
will pay similar sum if you lose"
After short pause the young man said;
gaily:
"Fifty gulneas, my worthy sorcerer, are
more than poor college sizar ever pos
sesseG but here are five, which, if you
are satisfied, I shall be most willing TO
wager"
The othgzaak up his purse, saying in
a contemp1 fone:
81 draw b imed the student.
DWELL, if [ aeas, you should
seeewhether + raw back y
"Here," SAID f,"are four guineas which
l will stake on your wager"
No sooner had l made this proposition
than the rest of the company, attracted by
the singularity OF the affair, came forward
to lay down the money and In a 1oiRu.e
Or two the fifty guineas were sub Rbea.s
The merchant appeared so osure of winniue
that he placed all the money in the stu
dents hands, and prepared for his expert
mens. We selected for the purpose
small summer house in the garden, per-
fectly isolated, and having no means of
exit but a window and a door, which
were carefully fastened, after placing the
young man within. We put writing
materials on small table in the summer
house, aud took away the candles. We
remained outside, with the peddler among
us. In a low, solemn voice be began to
chant the following lines:
"What riseth slow from the ocean caves
And the stormy surf?
The phantom pale sets his blackened foot
On the fresh green turf"
Then raising his voice he said
"You asked to see your friend, Francis
Villiers, who was drowned three years ago
of the coast of South America what do
you see E>
81 see," replied the student, ga white
light arising near the window 5ut it has
no form it is ike an uncertain cloud"
We-the pectators-remained pro-
foundly silent.
care you afraid p asked the merchant,
in loud voice.
81 am not replied the student firmly
After moments silence, the peddler
stamped three times on the ground, and
sang:
"And TIE phantom white whose clay cold face
Was once so fair,
Dries with his shroud his clinging veil
anu MS Sed-tOSSeu Dafr.
Once more the solemn question:
"You, who would sec revealed the mys-
teries of the tomb-what do you sec now 2"
The student answered in calm voice,
but like that of man describing things
as they passed before him.
Il see the cloud taking the form of a
phantom its head is covered. with long
veil-it stands still !"
care you afraid ~
ri am not -
We looked at each other in horror
stricken silence, while the merchant,
raising his arms above his head, chanted
in a sepulchral voice:
"And the phantom said, as he rose from the
wave,
He shall know me in sooth;
l will go to my friend, gay, smiling and fond,
AS in our first youth W
"What do you see ?" said he.
II see the phantom advance he lifts
his veil-'tis Francis Vil.iers ! he ap-
proaches the table he writes its his
signature
care you afraid 7"
A fearful moment of silence ensued !;
then the student replied, but in an altered
voice:
81 am not"
With strange and frantic gestures the
merchant then sang:
"And the phantom said to the mocking seer,
/ come from the South:
l.at thy hand my hand-thy heart on my