Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-03-22

hOhiCo III ouCn q tCtfipCct. IldIN III
sons were of our party, and suggested that
we should find shelter in the house. One
of them entered through back window,
and opened the door to the party. Album
dant fuel was at hand, and we kindled a
fire, while the horses were led to the sta
bles. Our quarters were soon comfortable.
Dry walnut sticks blazed, cracked and fell
asunder in the middle, while smoking Goals
fell out upon the hearth. But as outward
comfort increased, our inner consciousness
awoke TO keener sense of our peculiar
situation. When the minds free, the
bOdy's delicate rice rersd.
ave discussed the singularity of our
position most of us with growing uneasi-
ness, while two or three treated the affair
humorously. Will Ashley became alb
stracted gazing now into the fire, and
anon starting and peering into the corners
of the room, or looking at the doors as if
he expected them to open. He was think
ing of Margaret Rivers, and anticipating
some ghostly visitation for his momentary
perfidy The unearthly owl he had seen
on the chimney top of this same house,
while yet the course of love ran smoothly,
was bird of evil omen the falling of the
great tree which had stopped our way,
boded sorrow TO some one, and Will doubt
ed not that he himself was the Balaam on
whose account some unseen spirit had
barred the road. Suddenly we all started
to our feet
"what was that p asked Anna Frank
lin, looking terrified
"'Did YOU not hear bell?' said another
1t certainly was a bell. Dear me, am
frightened to DEATH ..f
az What is the Natter cried Dick Lee
What did you all jump up for? Thought
the old one himself was coming. Don't
you know any bettor than 10 scare a fellow
out of his senses?'
"Tinkle; tinkle, tinkle, went the bell
again
"' Who on earth can be ringing dinner
bell this time of night 2 continued Dick.
Well, must give in; but he won't hurt
me I; he and have had too many good
times together He will be calling the roll
soon, so prepare We must answer our
names, as once heard the Irish alderman
at a meeting of the board, when was in
Cork in ship: Will Ashley J" " Ere,
sir +" "Dick Lee?" {" Ere, yer honori"
And so he went through the whole com
pany.'
90 Oh for heavens sake, do stop, Dickp
cried Mary Moore How can YOU make
light of such things? / am almost dead
with fright M
For some moments the bell was silent,
but terror was impressed on every counte-
nance save that of Dick Lee, who appeared
resolved to brave it out.
"'Come Will Ashley said he cheer up,
man | know what you are thinking Of
you have had little flare up with those
blue eyes down the road yonder. That's
the reason Margaret is not with us SO you
expect the devil to carry you off as he ought
to. Hark | will sing You ballad for the
occasion
His rich voice added greatly to the
mOurnful power OF the lines, as to our con-
sternation he sung that dear old English
ballad, which, however beautiful, is not
precisely the thing that one loves TO hear
in haunted house.
Twas in the silent solemn hour 10.
When night and morning meet
In gided Margarets grimly ghost,
-. And stood at Williams feet
Ere the SINGING ended, the bell ringing
wasagain heard, together with other sounds,
apparently approaching the cellar stairs.
Dick looked startled, but resolutely con-
tinued his singh g-the rest of us standing
in silent terror.
This is the dark and fearful hour
winch iuJu " kuosts Cou1pidiL-
G Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle.-' tramp, tramp,
tramp'-louder and nearer-but Dick was
stout hearted, and went on):
when dreary graves give up their dead,
To haunt the faithless swain
"But at this moment, the cellar door
swung wide open. Dick looked over his
shoulder, uttered a yell and rushed head.
long from the room. All save Will Ashley
and myself followed him out into the storm.
Will, who had been scarcely less terrified
by the ballad than the unaccountable
sounds, imagining that restitution for his
faithlessness was now at hand, and perhaps
asking his own heart, like the Moore, why
should honor outlive honesty?-let it go
ALL sank powerless upon the floor Why
l did not fly with the others, cannot tell.
| Perhaps the reason exists in some law of
metaphysics which | do not understand.
My eyes were fixed in unspeakable amaze
| ment upon the spectacle that rose before
me. Through the shadowy passage to the
cellar, rose a black, frightfal face, crowned
with horns that curled all around the head.
Back of this apparition were others, all
with long, wistful faces, apparently half
human and half brute, and with eyes like
great pieces of brass. Utter silence pre-
vailed in the room, save 50 far as broken
by the raging storm without. There 4
stood, confronting / knew not what, and
feeling as if in a trance. Presently VIII
Ashley spoke. lrct w
90, Mr.. Devil, said he, ! did not mean
i'll did not mean to quarrel with Margie
Let me off this once, and will go right
back and tell her how sorry am?
"'Em-b a- ali ! said the spectre, and came
Gathering right out on the kitchen floor,
while bell under his neck tinkled furi-
ously. The other heads crowded fast after
| him, the cloven feet Gathering as they
leaped from the upper stair into the room.
looked at viii, and Will at me- There
was a queer expression upon his face-a
shadow of lingering terror blended with an
exceedingly foolish look of modification.
Still the strange visitors increased in mum
| Der, stamping and bleating, and apparently
looking for something to eat. I7es
| Then Will laughed wildly like an insane
man, exclaiming:
40, the fool that l have been! IT'S
Mr. Marvin's flock of sheep, heard a
day or two ago that they were lost, and
somehow they must have, got into the
CELLAR
81, too, had heard that three days before
| Mr.. Marvin had missed his entire flock.
The same day there happened a fall OF
snow, SO hat he could not track them. Our
terror was now entirely gone, and Will,
rendered by the reaction more courageous
than ever before in his life, volunteered to
GO into the cellar and examine Twas sur
prised, for he seemed as bold as lion; but
this suppose was consistent with so incon-
sistent thing as human nature was a
farmers daughter and not afraid of sheep,
so he left me with them while he went
down with blazing brand At the back
of the house he found that portion of the
cellar wall had fallen. Through the aper-
ture thus opened, the old leader must some
how have stumbled, followed, of course,