Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-09-01

a pitiful expression. He moved towar
the door, and seemed praying in great agon,
of spirit Then glided out of the room.
Berthold became calm at last, and hi
eyelids grew heavy. Midnight passed th'
small hours of night wore on, and repos
seemed extending its reign even to that un
quiet spot. He was awakened from ligh
slumber by a deep breathing above hin
that moistened his cheek. He opened hi
eyes. and saw, bending over him, the hairy
face of the little old man.
"Fine jewels you have here" said The
dwarf, laying his hand on the portmantear
:" but can show you where there are finer.
| " Where ?" exclaimed the merchant, hi:
eagerness for riches rising above his fears
'Come and see But first let me get my
mantle"
The dwarf left the room.
Presently the door few open, and a
great phantom stalked into the room, wear
ing a mantle of crimson.
Come" said the terrible visitor, " let
us 90 into the forest"
q Into the forest with you ?" cried the
merchant in terror. " Who are you? ?''
, Look" said the phantom, raising the
crimson mantle.
Berthold fixed his eyes upon him, and
recognized the features of the little old
man.
You and L are kindred spirits" said
the phantom. You are a man of the
world and of passion. ou let your passion
expand tonight. Then l grelo And now
| can grow and grow until | reach the stars
q" You see," he continued, &" what shriv-
eled creature had become. The singing
and praying of these collier people had re-
duced me from a once mighty spectre to a
mere dwarf, and would have rendered me
invisible ere long. But now 1 am free
as free as the air.
He laughed wild laugh, and stretched
out his hand toward the merchant as if to
seize him. The merchant discharged his
pistol In moment the household were
astir, and the phantom was gone.
"I In the name of God,'' said the collier,
rushing into the room, "what has happen
ed between you and our houSe-spirit j.? Un-
holy thoughts and feelings have passed
under this roof tonight. L just saw him,
and he had grOlcn"
And we must live these dreadful
years over again" said his wife weeping.
What do you mean ?" asked Berthold,
almost discrediting his senses.
When we came to live here" said the
collier, the house was haunted by
great phantom who wore mantle of erim-
'on. He greatly distressed us for time,
out told my family that if we relied on
iod and lived pure and holy lives, we had
nothing to fear. 1t proved even so. Ev-
sry prayer that we offered lessened the size
If the phantom, and every hymn that we
Jung made him less terrible in appearance.
BY years of watchfulness over the purity of
'ur motives and of devotion to God, we re-
Iuced him in stature until he became a
inoffensive little creature, who
owed the influence of devout conversation
nd prayer and praise. Had nothing un-
oily passed under this roof he must ere /
ong. have dwindled to a mere object. and .
ave vanished away. But we will so live
q the future that we will bind him again by .
oily influences and render him as harmless |
S before"
Years passed, and the flowing locks of
he merchant were sprinkled with silver,
,ut the remembrance of the night passed
he forest with the collier family faded rot
rom his mind.
The collier family were still there, hoy
md happy. At the hour of prayer they
ung the fine, old hymn,
'Now the woods reposing
A subdued radiance passed through the
,oom, and melody arose like that which
lolds the senses with delight when fingers
ouch the musical glasses. 1t was the Spir-
t.
o ye whose hearts and homes are dis
iuieted with phantoms, remember the Col
ier Family