The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-01-20

six; and you seem 10 take me for ba
by. a ghost! ah, ah, ah What rot
and rubbish! And then 10 find whole
school going mad after it! O, Tom.
Tom! ! wouldn't have thought this
Of you. Come, shake yourself. and he
a man. Come up with me, now"
Tom shook his head.
'WelI, said Jack, 'I'il have 10 go a.
lone, and sou must feel ashamed of
yourself. Come.
MOI said Tom, with a downcast
face.
%, Tom! Have you no pride? Will
you let me stand here, and dare you 10
follow me 81
Jack, it's Madness
Pooh y said Jack; aud, without an
other word, be left the room, and
walked along the halt TO where the
staircase ran up to the garret. Tom
looked after him, aud seemed, at one
time, gathering up his courage TO fol-
low. He even took one step forward;
but at that moment there came from
above a heavier sound, like a heavier,
firmer football, and long. sllriIl sigh
resounded through the whole hall. It
froZe the very blood in his veins. He
shrank back and instead of following
Jack, he ran down stairs in terror.
But no sooner had he reached the
lower floor than he felt a pang of in
toIerable shame. He had deserted his
friend and left him to encounter that
mysterious fate. Yet, what could he
do? He dared not go back But
something must be done. So he went
to some friends and told them what
Jack was doing.
The tidings created an immense SIN
sation. It spread from one TO the 9TH
er, till finally the whole school had
learned that the new boy had gone a.
lone 10 the garnet to face the ghost.
At first they gathered IN the lower
hall listening.
There was no sound.
Then some of the boiler ones ven
tured into the second story. The pres
ence Of the whole school stimulated
them to this unparalleled feat of har-
dihood.
Still there was no sound.
They waited some time, aud at last
Tom found courage enough to venture
up to the top of the stairs lealing to
the third story, in company with
three or four others, while all the rest
crowded into the staircase, listening
and watching.
At first they heard nothing but at
last, amid deathly stiffness, they heard
sliding noise, ofa mysterious charac-
ter, then a long, low sigh, which grew
louder and louder till it seemed to
come close to them, and die away in
sharp wall. Then, Immediately there
came that mutfied tread tramp-tramp
tramp; measured solemn, awful! and
their hearts stopped beating, while all
shrank back.
But suddenly there came another
sound.
1t was another football.
Tramp-tramp-t sounded,
and the step was firm. and solid, and
loud and it seemed as though the
footballs went side BY side; a. though
/ two were walking there, where only
one had walked before. Whatwas il?
, Who was it? What had become Of
Jack ? AS the second sound arose, a
rush of superstitious terror came over
them and they shrank back down the
stairway, back into the lower hall,
gathering into pale crowd, and lis
tening to the awful sounds.
But there suddenly came loud cry.
Tom! Hallo-o-o-o-o. Tom Finch
100000 .O-om Hallo-o-o-o.o-o
It was not the voice of a ghost. 1t
was not the cry of fear. 1t was the
strong, healthy, CHEEKY voice of Jack
Bobby himself.
Instantly the crowd gave stalt, al,
ter which they made wild rush for
ward, and up the stairs into the third
story, and up another stairway into
the garret. Tom was the first up, but
a great crowd vas following closely at
his heels
They saw Jack in the middle of the
garret with lamp in his hand, star
ing at them. AS he looked a smile
came over his face, which ended in a
merry peal of laughter.
/ Now at that very moment, there
sounded the ghosts football, and long
sigh, but somehow or other the sound
OF Jacks laugh and the sight of his
face took away all fear; and that which
moment before might have made
them almost die with horror, now be-
| gan to assume the character Of a thing
/ that might be Iudicrous.
/ What. you're all here said Jack.
That's right. I've found the ghost.
Come here, said he, and he led the
| way to the window at the end OF the
/ garret, which he had opened. Now
listen. There d0you hear it ? The foot
fall is the rap, rap, rap, of the lines O.
/ gainst the flagstaff, fastened ut the end
of the house, ust overhead: and I con-
fess it sounds exactly like some one
walking. As 10 the sigh, it is only the
wind in this long garnet.
/ All was plain. The ghost was laid
] aud Jact, gained no end of renown.--
! YOUTHS Companion.
snanaaanlE#sa=Hz-grsamzn
/ Mr.. Beecher's annual auction OF
! choice reserved seats in Plymouth