The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-04-29

Z VOL. Nv. NO. 33.


|, mind, and the wind got its way. Mr.. Soper
had put down his. whip, and. elapped his
hand upon this coveted property, and had
he kept it there the victory had been his;
but the wind was not to be bafied like that;
it made feigned attack on the apron,
which was well buttoned down, and would
have resisted all efforts at dislodgement
but Mr.. Soper, forgetting this, fell into the
: snare, and left his hat unguarded for mo-
4. ment, only for one moment, but that was
. enough. With scream of triumph, the
wind caught it and whisked it of into the
darkness. and there he Bat, bareheaded to
the beating of the pitiless rain. There was
no help for 1t. that he knew st once, for the
hat must be miles away by this time, so he
, tied his andkerchief over his head, though
p it was very soon wet through, and drove
doooedly n. The rain got down his neck,
and through the handkerchief, and under
the handkerchief, and his eyes, 80 that he
lcould scarcely see. and into his ears, so
that it sent q cold shiver all through him
there was one particular cold and penetrat-
, ing drop that made him shake his head, as
it went on its voyage of discovery INTO the
linner cavities of his ear and all this time
that brute of horse was dodg1ng, hrst on
i side and then on the other, and the very
lin the darkness, seemed, blown as they
were with the wind, TO be setting to one
another in q ghostly fashion; and 1t was
altogether the most uncomfortable drive
1 that MIR. Soper- had ever had. But the
only thing to be done was to whip his morse
and keep him In as straight line as pos
sible. p s--r
ssTom SoperI'
He pulled up suddenly, all in tremble,
and looked over his shonlder, expecting to
find some one in the spare 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, muttered, ts.Bahi twas only fam
cy. What-a fool ami Get on, old horse. ."
And, with slash Of his whip, away he went
again, splashing through the mud.
, tom SoperI"
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. -
8 who's that?" said he.
= "fou can't see me" said the mysterious
voice, $50 its no use looking.
''Who are your asked Tom Soper.
r. seThe Ghost of the Last Will and Testa-
ment of Lady Dudgeon. Il
= "Good Eordr exclaimed the unhappy |
man, and sat plump down on the wet cush-
ion; for he had stood up, you must under
stand, when he looked arounds
''Yes, Tom, It's all true what the Profess |
sor said; you can't destroy anything. You |
thought you had destroyed me, didn't you, |
when you threw me on the fire, and watch
ed the smoke go curling up the chimney
But you didn't destroy me, you only killed |
me. My body, the black cinder, was bur- |
led in the dust-bin; my spirit, that smoke |
you watched, went up the chimney and |
joined the clouds. Rather mixed company |
MP there, Tom, can assure you-all sorts !
Of low forgeries and hes-sO that am glad |
to get down again; and now, at this pres
ent moment, Tom, I am snugly ensconed, |
In the shapesof q drop of water, in your |
right ear-nol it's no use, you can't get at !
me with your hnger-and there mean to
remain until evaporise"
''Shal you be long evaporsing, sir?" ask
ed Tom, humbly.
eyes, some time! I am such big drop,
yeu see. But, don't you make any mis-
take, you have not got rid of me when 1 |
do. mean to take RodgiRgs there so that
can run up-ors should say, run down
Whenever like, and find myselfat home.
I mean to haunt you, Tom"
Good hOrdls said Tom, for the second
times -twas ever man haunted with the /
ghost of last will and testament before?"
perhaps not. And, what's more, there
isthe ghost of the codicil somewhere about.
III take lodgings in your other ear for him,
for j shall be sure to meet him. In, my ram
bIingsabroad-
s'Heaven defend mel said Tom, ..for I
am an old man, and very repentant.
''Ah, Tom, Toni how could you do such
8 sthing2 -Robbingthst poor girl of her
money, not to.mention the five hundred
pounds Left to the clergyman in the, ,codicil.
How could you find it in your conscience
to rob that good man and that tinnecent girl,
eh?" 8. s7s-=
81 had no conscience then," said Tom,
whimpering afbutit' has grown npon me
since, and I'm very sorry; and. I'll build
another literary and scientific institution
ifyouu leavesof haunting me-"
Literary ndscientifc Institution! Rub
bishI'
.a'Tlls leave all my money. to the poor
when de- 1sf1f .aaF L
sit won't do, Tom, itwon't do. You must
set the wrong right. i
''Give up the money!" sain Tom, in great
Z I4WeH. 1 might ask you to do that with
perfect justice, and to paw interest for the
time you have had it; but l won't do that,
for reason best known to myself
''You don't mean that have not long to
iye2"- He vas more frightened now than
ever. 81 tSA[ sAaEaA 30 =
'.Never mind what 1 mean," said the /
voice, ''only when people have come to
your age they shouldn't get wet through. |
Ifyou had not burnt the will you would
not have had the'money; and if you had
not had the money; you would not have
built the literary and scientific institution;
and if you had not built the literary and !
scientific institution, you would not have
been here tonight; and if you had not
been here tonight, you would not have
got wet through ;lsnd ifsyo1 had not got.
vet through, you would not have -
ahemF /
'fWhat shall I dol oh, what shall doP' /
said Tom. 'I am so very sorry"
'.You must dothis," said the ghost, ''and
1 must make haste and tell yon, for am
evaporising very fast You must make
your will at once-the very first thing to-
morrow morning"
$50 pressing as that2Y nlurmured Tom
Snoer - = IF7 ~ 9 ft 1EE- r
land, 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" az
eyes, 5es,'' said Tom, Soper; ''In do
that, and leave the rest to Fanny Cham
pion."
'eNo such thingI Leave half to Fanny
Champion, and the other half to Jerry
Simpson."t y - - i
'tMr. Jerry Simpson, and what has he
done2 .7aaIF = wasFuE /
g'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-yoH would think too foolish-to
say anything 70 her, as shewas then look
ed upon as an heiress. But since the alter
ed state of circumstances, Jerry has spoken
out, and they have got themselves engaged I
to one another, but cannot marry just yet /
for want of means. Now, if you leave all |
the money to Fanny, Jery'sspirit will be !
up in arms again, and nc one can say what
will follow; but you leave il between them,
and it will make things right"
'I viii Twill But would it be hon
est to depart from the terms OF the
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