Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-23
TIL Z W AG Err.

NONSENSE ~
"Oh very well. Its very easy to say non.
sense"
"Do you mean to say that you believe all
this stuff"
II mean to say that every night, at Il GER
tain hour, those three murderers return there
and hold converse under that gibbet."
al can not imagine how sensible man
like you can seriously talk SO
al tell you I've heard them. It's no mere
hearsay with me ; I've heard them. once
laughed at the idea, just as you do now. But
heard, and | laughed no more. Go you
now at any time this night, if you dare, aud
| bet anything you'll come back believing"
Done what'll you bet 2"
"I'll bet my horse against your pony"
Done. I'll take it."
"Done it is. Here, Brown, you'll do to
hold the stakes"
The above conversation took place in the
+" Red Lion Inn" at Camden little village
on the coast of Maine The first speaker
was fine, fresh-faced. broad-shouldered hon
est-looking fellow, who under rough clothing
bore the unmistakable signs of gentleman.
The other had the air of sea-foring man,
| though his dress was that of farmer Two
others were with him, both Of whom had very
much the same appearance Five or six 9TH
ers were present, all of whom took a deep n-
terest in the conversation, and gave hearty
assent to the bet.
As the bet was made the man Brown arose
aud proceeded to take charge of the stakes.
The two'm men who had made the bet also rose.
BY the air of the rest of the company il was
evident that they considered that tho bet was
already lost by the unbeliever They were
all inhabitants of the village The one who
had made the bet was n stranger; and local
pride was aroused even If there were no other
feeling to animate them
The man who had accepted the wager be-
gan to prepare for his departure He took a
flask of brandy only to encounter the SUPER
natural foes whom he was supposed to encoun-
ter, and laughingly departed.
"Well," said one of the spectators, after
he had departed he's gone the young lel-
ler's gone. He'll get enough of it,
THAT he will,n said another
"He'll be back as soon as he gets there
They've driven off better men than him" "
"The clanking of the chains is enough"
"Yes-let alone the voices
"The first time | heard it was struck
dumb"
"And | should have fallen dead if there
handn't been another man with me-"
"lt's nice pony the young feller will
have to give up, any way"
"Well, he ought to know better than to be
so free with his bets"
He's never been much in these parts be-
fore"
"No, of course not, Or he wouldn't have
been so free with his BETS
While these men were speaking the one
who had made the bet, with his two compan-
ions, had quietly departed Scarcely had
they left, when fierce gust of wind, coming
up the village street, set all the signs and
shutters creaking, and added to the supersti-
tious terror Of the company at the inn.
While they were engaged in various spec
ulations as to the result Of this experiment,
the young adyenturer was going on toward
the place.
II was on the summit Of wide, bleak, aud
desolate ridge, terminated by cliff, at the
base Of which the ocean surf beat. Here
some years before, a murder had been com.
mitted by gang of rufians. They had been
captured, and three Of the ring-leaders had
been hanged in chains upon a lofty gibbet on
the very spot where the crime had been COM
mitted.
As the adventurer neared the spot the
wind blew in gusts over the ridge. Themoon
occasionally shining out from behind a cloud
revealed the scene. 1t was gloomy indeed,
and might well have appalled, man even Of
strong nerves. The gloom of the nigat form
ed background, and in the foreground rose
a lofty three-armed gibbet, from each arm of
which there hung suspended the skeleton of
man in chains The rushing wind gave to
the scene additional elements Of terror. As
it drove past 1t swung the skeletons, making
them vibrate slowly to and fro, with all their
load of chains and fetters, so that they creak-