The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-02-17


see, and into his ears, so that it sent a cold
SILVER all through hm-there was one par
ticularly cold and penetrating drop that made
him shake his head, as it went on it's voyage
of discovery into the inner cavities of his ear
and all this time that brute Of horse was
lodging, first on one side and then on the
other, and the very hedgerows, as well as he
could see them in the darkness, seemed,
blown as they were with the wind, to be set
ting to one another in a ghostly fashion, and
it was altogether, the most uncomfortable
drive that Mr.. Soper had ever had. But the
only thing to be done was to whip his horse
and keep him in as straight a line rs posi-
bic.
''Tom Soper?"
He pulled up suddenly, all in a tremble,
and looked over his shoulder, expecting to
find some one in the seat of his gig, for the
! voice that called him seemed close to his ear
but no one was there and then he peered
into the darkness, right and left, and then
with an angry shake Of his shoulders NUT
tered, BAH twas only fancy. What q
fool ami Get on, old horse" And, with a
lash Of his whip. away he went slashing
through the mud
Tom Soper p
There was no mistake this time, yet, though
he turned round very sharply, he could see
no one; and then his hair fairly stood on end
except that portion that was held down by
the handkerchief.
'Who's that ?" said he
You can't see me-" said the mysterious
voice, $50 it's no use looking.n
"Who are you ?" asked Tom Sopcr.
"1he Ghost of the last Will and Testament
Of Lady Dudgeon'
Good Lord :" exclaimed the unhappy
man, and sat plump down on the wet cush-
on for he had stood up, you must remem-
Der, when he looked round.
eyes, Tom, It's all true what the professor
said; you can't destroy anything. You
thought you had destroyed me, didn't you
when you threw me on the fire, and watched
the smoke go curling up the chimney? but
you didn't destroy me, you only killed me-
My body, the black cinder, was buried in the
dust-bin; my spirit, that smoke that you
watched, went up the chimney and Joined
the clouds. Rather mixed company up there,
| Tom, | can assure YOU all sorts of forgeries
and lics-so that I am glad to get down
again and now atthis present moment, Tom,
| am snugly ensconced, in the shape of
drop of water, in your right ear-no it's no
use, you can't get at me with your finger
and there | mean to remain until [ evapor-
| izen
'IIeaven defend me,' said Tom, ''for I'm
an old man, and very repentant."
| 'Ah, Tom! Tom how could you do such
! u thing? Robbing that poor girl of her
money, not to mention the $500 left to the
clergyman in the codieil. How could you
| find ii within your conscience to rob that good
man and that innocent girl, eh?'
II had no conscience them said Tom,
whimpering, but it has grown upon me
since, and am very sorry for it now and I
will build another literary and scientific in
stitution if you will leave Off haunting
me-"
Literary and scientific institutions Rub
.'rll leave ali my money to the poor when
die
1t wont do, Tom. You must make the
wrong right"
''Give up the money ~ said Tom, in great
fear
''Nell might ask you to do that with per-
feet Justice, and to pay interest for that time
you have had it; but l wont do that for /.
reason best known to myself"
"You don't mean that have not long to
live?-hc was more frightened now than
ever.
Never mind what mean,n said the voice
''only when people have come to your age
they shouldn't get wet through II you had
not burnt that will, you would not have had
the money; and if you had not the money,
you would not have built the literary and
SEMITIC institution; and if you had not built
the literary and scientific institution, you
would not have been here tonight; YOU
would not have got wet through; and if you
had not got wet through, you would not
have-ahcml"
''What shall do? oh, what shall l do?'
said Tom, II am so very sorry"
''You must do this said the ghost, ''and
| must make hast and tell you, for | am
evaporizing very fast. You must make your
will at once-the very first thing tomorrow
morning"
so pressing rs that?" murmured Tom.
and in the first place. you must leave
that five hundred pounds to the clergyman
he has sixteen children already, and will be
very glad of the money!
Yes, yes" said Tom; I'll do that, 'and
leave the rest to Fanny Champion.'
mo such thing! Leave half to Fanny and
the other half to Jerry Simpson,
Jerry Simpson and what has he done ?''
"When Fanny was living with the old lady
Jerry fell in love with her. but was too proud
Or too modest, or too something or other
you would think too foolish-to say anything
to her, as she was then looked upon as an
heiress. But since the altered state of cir
culnSIaHceS, gerry HIS II ohcl Jul, ttiiu tlleg
have got themselves engaged to one another,
but cannot marry Just yet, for want of means.
Now, if you leave all the money to Fanny,
Jcrry's spirit will be up in arms again, and
no one can say what will follow; but you
leave it between them, and it will make
things right
II will! I will! But would it be honest
to depart from the terms of the-tha-''
The burnt will? Bah! how can you talk
of honesty and the burnt will in the same
breath Do as bid you, and if you do not,
so much the worse. But us | can't stay,
Pm going f:lst''-here the voice became very
faint Pm evaporating, Tom, Or I'd stay
with great deal of pleasure, Goodbye,
and mind you do as bid You. Goodbye,
for the present"
And so the voice died away.
Tom Soper never knew how he got home;
but the servant who opened the door to him
always declared that be got home in a wet
bundle in the bottom of the gig, perfectly in
sensible and in that state he was put to bed
and doctor sent for; and in the morning,
morej omnous than the dreaded tick of the
fatal death watch, came 4 lawyer; and Tom
Soper made his will, and such reparation as
lay in his power for the wrong he had done.
In less than Il fortnight that will had to be
read, and people declared it was the most
incOmprehensiblc will that was ever penned: