The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-09-04
NM, CoYENTRY's TALR.

when was quite child, there was
a very old woman living In our village,
that used TO frIghten me with her cog
gle eyes, and mutterInE. She passed
for witch, l think; and when she died
Il was eight years old then--Old PEG.
pie put their heads together, and told
strange stories about her early life. 1t
seems that this Molly Slater was away
In service at Bollington, q village hall.
way between our place and Hillsbor-
ouRh, aud her fellow-serYants used 10
quiz her because she had no sweet.
heart. AT last, she told them to walt
Till next Hillsboro' fair, and they
should see. And, Just before The fair,
she reminded them OF their sueers,
and said she would not come home
without sweetheart, though she
took the Evil one himself. For all
that, she did leave the fair alone. But,
as she lrudged, homo In the dark, a
man overlook her, and made acquain.
lance with her. He WIS pleasant fel.
low, and told her his name was William
Easton. or course she could not see
hts face very well, but he had q wonder.
fully sweet voice. After that night, he
used 10 court her, and sing to her, but
always In the dark. He never would
face candle, though he was challenged
TO more than once. One night there
was terrible noise heArd-it Ia describ.
ed aB II number Of men were thresh.
Ing out corn upon the rooi-and Molly
Slater was found wedged In between
the bed and the wall, In place where
there was scarcely room 10 put your
hand. Several men tried 10 extrlcate
her by force: but both the bed and the
womarl's body resisted 80 strangely
that, at last, they thought It best to
send for the pHrson. He was q, great
scholar, and himself under some suspI.
clon OF knowing more than 1t would be
good for any less pious person 10 know.
Well, the parson came, and took
candle that was burning, and held II 10
the place where poor Molly was Impri-
soned, and moaning and they say he
turned pale, and shivered, for all his
learning. forget what he said or did
next; but by.and>by there was "A coll
loquy In whisper between him and
some person unseen ; and they say that
this unseen whisper was very sweet,
and something like the chords Of a
harp, only low and very articulate.
The parson whispered, God gives a
sinner iime.' The sweet voice answer.
ed, He can afford to; he Ii the stronger
Then the parson adjured the unseen
one to walt q year and day. But he
refused. still In the gent1est voice.
Then the parson said these words: by
all we love and fear, by all you fear
and hate, ] adJ1re you 10 loose her, or
walt TIL next Christmas EVe.' y
i suppose the evil spirit saw some
trap In that proposal, for he 10 said 10
have laughed most unsteady. He
answered, by all fear and hate, I'll
loose her never; but, bat I'll walt for
her-till" the candles burnt out:' and
he chuckled most muslcally again.
''Then walt to all eternity the parS
son roared; and blew the candle out dI.
rectly, and held II, With his hands cross.
ed over - ..-...-.--.
,, Grace Gardens eyes sparkled Ia the
freight. go on, she cried, eycItedly.
THE girl was loosed easily enough
after that but she was found 10 be In a
swoon; and not the least bruised,
though ten villagers had been pulling
at her one alter another. ..
( And what became OF her allerwatdf
. she lived to be nineLysslx, and died
In my time. i think she had money
len her, But she never married; and,
when she was old, she wandered about
the lanes, mutt0rlng, and frightening
little boys, myself among the number,
But now my little story follows another
actor OF the tale, " q II " = II
'S'0h, Tn 20 glad n n not oyer,'