Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-11-04
ghe Hou. We on the Moor.

charity.
Yhe Hou We on the Moor.
There was a tumble down, deserted
look about the entire premises. Taken
altogether. it was the last place a hungry
and weary traveller would have stopped
at /; but night was coming on, and the
ky threatened a severe storm; 30 there
was no choice. Riding directly up 10 th'
door. disI1ounted, and entered without
ceremony. But ii the surroundings Were
uninviting and dismal, bow much more Il
all within.
An old woman sat in a broken chair on
one side at the fire place; another q
about bali her a.,e- probably thlriy-hVe
was seated in the other corner and two
children. a girl OF about twelve, ana a
boy of about ten wears of age, were bud
died together on the floor close 10 her who
was evidently their mother, all wearing q
pinched and squallid look, terrified air,
"a ii in mortal fear.
"Cin STAY here tonight y / asked.
Yes. yes, / fancy So" was the hesitat-
ing answer Of the younger woman, after
looking first at me, and then at the old
one, Yes. ! fancy SO. But tners Is 2
house three miles farther on, where you q
be better off
Three miles The storm Would catch
me before got half the distance. Hark
Y6u can hear the rain on the roof now.
II know'd it was going TO be terrible
Here -he stopped suddenly and in ap-
parent confusion.
would your little boy be kind enough
: .. 49, - -.iicEe 10 put my horse:
would not like to leave him out in the
rain
eco, Willie. and show the stranger"
u dursent, was the reply and the
Child crept still more closely TO bic
mother, and hid his face in her skirt.
''If ypu viii direct me, l will wait upon
myself"
There Is the stable, such as it H. she
answered. pointing 10 the shell had al
ready noticed, /" and if you look about you
Will find some hay and corn. i would 20
with You myself, but
And agsin she stopped in confusion.
"Thpre is no need Of that" replied.
That there was some mystery connect
Cd with the family / was certain. The
restrained, terrified manner of all in the
house aad the expression Of the little boy
were enough Go convince any one of that
Determined ~ be on the watch, i re
turned. and gladly accepted an invita-
tiou ~ tle supper which Lad been pre-
pared.
Il though. you'd be hungry, sir" said
the mother.
q Te-, long ride over your moor-
makes one So"
" We h.ven't mu h to offer you, but
ygu're welcome TO il, such as it il"
The frugal meal of bacon, eggs, and
brown bread was soon finished, and
took my place in the circle gathered
about the hcarthstone, and tried TO in iuce
conversation. All my attempts, however,
proved futile A very short answer was
al ! c5uld gain; and, as one and all were
cons, suily looking around as for the COM
ing OF some one whom they expected, yet
dreaded. | could not refrain from asking
Are you Looking for company tonight =
mo, no; but"
sill the tame confusion, and sudden
breaking of
r. Pcrlup. Your husband is
" Na-.oh no." and she shuddercd ter
ribly.
1T there i any one you fear" / con-
tinued, '' ! will protect YOU" And dis
played my pistol rather ostentatiously.
:" II isn't no mortal its spirits
Spirits Z" Pshaw, You are not afraid
OF spirits r
May be- you don't knew nothing about
them, sir =
had To comics. not only my own ig-
norance but disbelief, and wa. attempting
TO prove logically that such things could
not exist. when the storm that had been
long gathering burst in fury, shaking the
house to the very foundation.
There / told you sow whispered the
old woman, II knew he was coming"
He? Who is her"
/ was going to ask again for the father
of the children, but the pleading look OF
the poor woman restrained me. / could
not believe her guilty of any crime, and
so waited for further developments. And
come they did, with a vengeance.
First, the rocking, jarring of the house
was renewed, although the storm had
lulled for a moment; then dog appeared
to howl directly under the window then
the shutters were slammed and the doors
opened and shut violently; then there
was a hollow, hooking laugh in the Chin
ney, and then a humping directly be-
meath my chair, as if some one was
pounding there with a huge sledge.
Don't sit there, sir, for heavens sake,
don't !" gasped the poor mother, drawing
herself and her children away.
why not =
"It's always on that spot"
.1s there a cellar under the house,"
aNo."
could not understand this. / would
have sworn that heard dog. and that
the knocking was beneath the foor. But
even while was thinking of it my chair
was shaken 80 violently that I could
hardly keep my seat, hold ON ~ would.
Then pleadings, as if for mercy, and
sbrieks and groans followed each other in
quick succession, and brave Is supposed
myself to be, my nerves began TO tremble,
and cold sweat began to start upon my
forehead. In vain tried TO reason that
It could not be from supernatural causes
that the spirit Of the dead are not allowed
70 revisit the earth. There were the Of.
fects, whatever the csuse, and they were
entirely beyond my conpcshsnsioe.