The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-12-24
Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve.
Now, the bridge, sir,-now the bridge,
MN. Mind the bridge, if you please.
Sometimes its slippy."
"Tight to my arm, Louisa my dear" said
the curate, drawing his young wife closer
to him. "And don't be in such desper-
ate hurry, Joe, that's a good boy You
have been running before us, for the last
ten minutes, like Willie -the-wisp."
"Perhaps Joe is eager to get home," said
Mrs. Sandon.
"Some fun at home, Joe, eh9 Why
didn't you say 500 Iwould have had Mr..
Hopner's man to light us back. I never
hinder deserving lad of his sport, if can
help it. What is going on at your I'M
cle's2'
"Tain't that, sir, thank you"
"What is it, then, that makes you in such
haste ~
"Wanted to get out from these old ruins,
sir"
"Did you? What for2 Look at the
moon, Louisa, through the broken old Win
dow at the top. If the sketch-book had
not been dismissed in favor of baby
there would be bit for YOU Hold hard,
Joe, say"
at is indeed beautiful" said Mrs San
don. Look at the light on the trees, and
the deep shade below. You must take me
over those ruins, I am capital climber"
"By and by" said her husband, laugh
ing"
"And now, Joe, We'll go on; and now
just tell me why you wanted to get away
from this place
"You'll laugh at me, SIR"
"Most likely, but that won't hurt you
much, think. 1t does everybody good to
be laughed at sometimes. Now then"
swell, sir, there's spirits up there" said
Joe, keeping quite as close TO his master
and mistress as the rules of respectful be-
havior permitted.
Spirits-what, ghosts do you meann'
"Some of 'em's ghosts, and some spirits"
said the boy, shuddering.
"A mixed party, Ell ?" said the curate.
And they live up there, in love, like doves
in cave
"Only on Christmas Eve, sir"
"You seem to know all about them, joe
This is a scandal of my parish which new
er heard of before. Suppose you and go
up and have talk to them, while your
mistress waits here with the lantern"
.Joe's horror at this proposition was man
ifest in the quivering of the light in his
hand, and the good-natured Oxonian hast
ened to relieve his mind by affecting to
resign the motion. "But tell me all about
these spirits, Joe," he added, cor else l
really must go and ascertain it for myself.
Come, stand here by me, where we can see
the whole place. Not cold, Louisa, dear ?"
"Not in the least, Henry, if there is a
story to hear -
''Its not story, MN, any way l can't
tell it like q story. My grandmother
knows it much better than me, if you would
be 50 kind as to call and ask her about it,"
said the artful page, endeavoring to evade
his minstrel duty.
"But would rather hear it from you,
with the ruins before me-" said the lady.
"Well, MN, then, begging your pardon
for the wrong way shall tell it," said Joe,
"grandmother-say that some very wicked
people lived in that castle hundreds of
years ago. There was a lord and his seven
brothers, and all his servants, and lords
and ladies who came to see him. They
danced and played cards on Sundays; and
made mock preaching, and dressed up
monkeys like singing boys, and worship
ped goat, and"
"Never mind, joe" said the curate, II
can understand that they were a wicked
set Go on"
"Down in the glen, sir, near where the
broken gate is, there was cottage. There
were poor folk in it, but think they had
once been richer, and they had daughter,
a beautiful young lady, and charitable.
"Just like me, Henry" said Louisa San
don, in low voice. Her husband pressed
her arm, as if he had no disposition to de-
ny the fact
"The wicked lord fell in love with her,
sir, and wanted her to marry him, but she
would not hear of it, he being so bad and
than her. But one Christmas Eve he sent
his seven brothers to ask her to come to a
great supper, and her father and mother
thought she ought to go, as it looked neigh
borlike and Christian
Sensible people, but they should have
gone with her.
"The father was lame, sir, from wound
he had got in battle, and the mother al
ways nursed him. SO the young lady
dressed in her best, and went up to the cas-
tie. 1t was very fine then, and all them
rooms were full of gold and silver and shi-
ming lights, and there was music and dane
ing. When the young lady went in, all
the other ladies hated her, because she was
more beautiful than their painted faces and
fine dresses, but all the lords and gentle
men fell in love with her. But the old
lord, who was dreadful strong, fierce man,