The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-10-18

lost in the splendid fish captured by his
son. As for the brisk old lady herself
Mrs. Applebee, as she was called-after
Il very brief interview with her mistress,
she threw hersf at once into the heart Of
Office, winning easily the affection and
confidence of her fellow domestics, and
dcmeanng herself altogether as though
she had lived IN the family twenty years
She had an extraordinary flow of animal
spirits, which never seemed to flag, and
a pleasant, hearty voice, which constant
ly as it was hearl, never tired the ear.
Now, Richard Gauntrell. in touching
upon the ghost. had purposely avoided
describing the precise nature Of the dis
turbing mystery, curious to see in what
MANNER It would act upon the apparently
fearless intelligence about to be confront-
ed with it, But it had escaped his mem
ory to warn the servants to do likewise,
and hence, when sitting together after
supper, Mrs. Applebee suddenly betboL't
her of the ghost, and requesting particu-
ulars, Mr. Thlmas at onre gave them.
As he proceeded, to the extreme
amazcmcnt of all, the hitherto fearless
old lady turned deadly pale, and lay
back, as if gasping for breath, in her
chair.
IIow-how often does he come ? she
presently calculated.
Thomas did not notice the expression
he AMI only answered that the vista
ton might occur any night-perhaps,
/ then.
'Then, my dears, said Mrs Applebee,
presently rcgaining her looks and smiles,
you do this poor old lady this Kindness.
Moment you see him-the light, that is
coming. all of you bolt up stars like
frightened rabbits, and leave me here all
alone
Emma drew long breath
well, you are Il bold one, Mrs. APP
plcbee.'
'Mr. Greatleart led the way quoted
the old woman with confident smile.-
I'm afraid Of nothing lie sees fit 10 suffer
/ in the world
1t was remembered that while she was
yet speaking, the marvellous light began
10 steal into the room,. slowly, this time,
as the revealing of actual dawn.
All looked at Mrs Applebce-Thomas
raising his hand, as if 10 apprise her Of
what her less experienced eyes might not
yet hive detected. The old lady nodded.
She betrayed no trace OF fear, bat as the
! hight increased, her coun,enance seemed
10 put OF strange solcmnity.
Presently she signed 10 TIE door, when
the servants, remembering Ter request,
all three quilted the room.
Turning at the tip OF the stairs. Thum-
as. who went last observed that the
apartment was filled with radiance
brighter than amy they had yet bchcld.
For the next half hour the servants
waited quietly in their respective rooms.
At length Thomas, little uneasy, was
ON the point OF going down, when Mrs.
Applebce was heard TO come softly up
stairs, and retire TO bed
The next morning found her active and
cheerful as ever, but uncommunicAtive as
10 the ghost. Having got through the
greater portion oi her mornings work, she
asked permission 10 pay a visie 10 the lit
tie Nlllage-a mere cluster Of the hum
blcst cottages--close at hand, and, tying
on her neat bonnet, set forth
Near the the first cottage, she cncoun-
tered an old woodman, at work with his
hatchet upon the trunk of felled tree -
Upon this, looking, in her scarlet cloak
and straw bonnet. like bright old moth,
Mrs. Applebec alighlcd, and the follow
ing conversation enSued
After brief strangers greeting:
Folks very bad Off in this part, mas
terr inquired the old lady.
Us, in Dutfryn, couldn't hardly buy
the queen new crown, if the old 'un was
worn out, replied the woodman darkly.
Poor, are lhcyr
Cruel poor.
but you helps each o herr
% yes, we helps each other, replied
the old man dealing savage cut ut the
tree. lie seemed weak, and iii health,
and the gy of the action exhausted
him, fer he sunk the halchct wcariy,
and sat down upon a tree.
Isis anything the matter?' asked
the old lady.
'llunger' and DEATH said the man,
'notlln' more. Never you mind, missis.
Mrs. Applebce started up in mo-
mcnt
but | must mind she exclaimed
who's hungry! Who's dying! Tell
me. tell me
Before her earnestness the mans sulIen
mood gave way.
I'll tell you, missis, he said, 'but do
not put yourself out for us. You can't
do nothing.
Thereupon, he related to her, in plain,
frustic terms, a sad, but not strange his
tory. HIS daughter and only chid-the
beauty, as he called her, of the country
rouna-quitted her honest home several
years before, under the protection of a
young soldier, whose attention she had
attracted at neighboring fair At the
end of two years the girl came wandering
back, wretched, ragged, weary, carrying
a sickly child Her seducer had been
ordered on dangerous foreign service,
and, giving her what he could spare, bade
her farewell. Her mother had died in
the interval of her absence, and her faith
: er, falling into Indifferent health, was re-
duced to the last stage of poverty. The