Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-01-14

There was, no mistake about the faih
il was that dpgged, downright ursini that
evidently means to make night OF. II,
and yet was not Of that steady description /
that may be circumvented by an umbrella, |
or particular inclination of the body. I
No! il was in league with the wind, which |
was huwifng with the force OF forty luna |
tic. .ssylums let loose, and blown hither and |
thither in a wild disorderly manner there |
was no guarding against; and then the
horse, instead Of running straight ahead, |
as horse should do in the experienced !
hands of Mr.. Soper, insisted on a zig gag
course, as though with the idea thatif he
could bun make flank march, he would
get behind the wind and be all right.
There it was decided at last. 1t had
been matter Of contention, all along be-
tween Mr.. Soper and the wind, as to
which should have his hat; he naturally
thought that he had a right to his own
property, but the wind seemedto be of a.
| different mind, and the wind got its way.
Mr.. Soper had put down his whip and
clapped his hand upon this coveted prop,
erty, and had be kept it there the victory
] had been his (; but the wind wss not to be
| baffled like that it made a feigned attack
on the apron, which was well buttoped
down, and would have resisted all efforts
at dislodgment but Mr.. Soper, for
| getting this, fell into the snare, and len
| his hat unguarded for a moment; only for
one moment, but that was enough. With
| a scream of triumph the wind caught 1t,
and whisked it off into the darkness, and
| there he sat, bareheaded to the beating of
the pitiless rain. There was no help for
it, that he knew at once, for the hat must
be miles away by this time, so he tied
his handkerchief over his head, though it
was very soon wet through, and drove
doggedly on. The rain got down his neck,
| and through the handkerchief, and under
| the handkerchief, and into his eyes, so chat
he could scarcely see, and into his ears, so
that it sent a cold shiver all through him
there was one particularly cold and pen
etrating drop that made him shake his
head, as it went on.its voyage of discovery
| into the inner cavities of his ear-and all
this time that brute of horse was dodging,
| 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
setting to one another in ghostly fashion;
and it was altogether the most uncomtort-
able 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 as possible.
"Tom Soperp
He pulled up suddenly, all in tremble,
aud looked over his shoulder, 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, "Bahl twas only
fancy. What fool l am! Get on, old
horse" And, with lash of his whip,
away he went again, splashing through
the mud.
"Tom Soper"
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? ?" saiG he.
"You can't see me" said the mysterious
voice, I" so it's no use looking"
"Who are YOU =" asked Tom Soper.
"The Ghost of the Last Willard Testa.
ment of Lady Dudgeon."
"Good Lord !" exclaimed the unhappy
man, and sat plump down on the wet
cushion; for he had stood up, you must
understand, when he looked around.
"Yes, Tom, It's all true what the pro.
fessor said you can't destroy anything
You thought you had destroyed me, didn't
w
watched the smoke go curling up the
chimney but you didn't destroy me, you
! only killed me. My body, the black Gin
der, 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, l can as
sure you-all sorts of low forgeries and
lies-so that am glad to get down again
and now, at this present moment, Tom,
am snugly ensconced, in the shape of 8
drop of water, in your right ear-no! iti
no use, you can't get at me with your fin
ger-and there mean to remain until
evaporiZe."
, "Shall you be long evaporizing, sir ?
} asked Tom, humbly.
"Yes, some time am such a big drop
} you see. But don't you make any mis-
! take, you have not got rid of me when
do. mean to take lodgings there, so tina
/ l can run up-or, should say, run dowI
whenever like, and find myself a
7 home. l mean to haunt you, Tom"
9 "Good Lord I" said Tom, for the scconC
time, twas ever man haunted with th'
/. ghost of last win and testament be
d fore?"
"Perhaps not And, what is more, ther,
4 is the ghost ofthe codicil somewhere about
F.; I'll take lodgings in your other ear fo
, him, for shall be sure to meet him in my
: ramblings abroad"
8 "HeaVen defend me ~ said Tom, "for
8 am an old man, and very repentant."
t "Ah Tom, Tom! how could you d.
: such thingS Robbing that poor girl o
Q her money, not to mention the five hun
Q dred pounds left to the clergyman in tn
|. codicil. How could you find it in you
f conscience to rob that good man and tina
: innocent girl, eh?"
< 81 had no conscience, then" said Tom
: whimpering, "but it has grown upon m
n since, and I'm very sorry; and I'll bull
:. another literary and scientific institution
e if you'll leave off haunting me-"
e " Literary and scientific institution
e Rubbish |"
"Tll leave all my money to the poo
o when die"
d at won't do, TEN, it won't do. .Yo
must set the wrong right"
r "Giys up the money!" said Tons !
d great fear. (
IS "Well might ask You to do that wit
It perfect justice, and to pay interest for tn
time you have had it but won't do this
e for reason best known TO myself"
It "You don't mean that have not Ion
e to eS"-he was more frightened no.
, than ever.
"Never mind what mean," said tn
r. voice "only when people have come I
d your age they shouldn't get wet througl
u If you had not burnt the will, you woul
% not have had the money, you would NJ
II have built the literary and scientific inst
!. tuition; and if you had not built the lit
II rary and scientific institution, you woul
n not have been here tonight; and If yo
It had not been here tonight you would n,
p have got wet through; and If you had n
a got wet through, you would not have
rs aheml
"What shall do oh, what shall l do
A. said Tom, am 50 very sorry q -
r. "You must do this" said the ghos
T. "and l must make haste and tell you, f
of am eyaporizing very fast. You mu
lg make your win at once-the very fir
ie thing tomorrow morning, ~. =.
le SO pressing as that, murmured ToI
" "And, in the first place, you must lea'
II That fua huudnad f,onrdc a. kka I.laws.