Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-12-29
{ swered. .-Crouch down in the recess

/ lying my WnltG DanQkGrOa1eI over nef
head az / spoke
Don't let me rob you, Willis.
I'm sure you want it more than / do. ]
have my shawl"
"Never mind me, Polly. I'm more
used to this sort of thing thanyou are. +"
"Used to being locked up in belfries
all nights she inquired, laughing for
the first time since our imprisonment.
mot exactly" l answered But
listen. Don't you hear voicessn
cot course do" she said, jumping
up. ooh, how fortunate for US It's
the bell-ringers Don't you know it's
the custom at Merton to ring the bells
on Christmas Eve2"
"Thank goodness then we shall
soon be delivered from our captivity"
| said.
AsI spoke, the bells began to swing
slowly backwards and forwards-ding,
dong ding clash clang ding
dong / could hear the voices of the
bellringers beneath, 80 / ran down the
steps, and shouted loudly for assist
ance; but the bells destroyed the
sound.
"Hallo, therel halo Giles Stub
bins Halo there
Stubbins / knew to be the senior bell
ringers name.
"Mussy Oh us wa-at be that :" l
heard the old man ask his companion.
Didn't We hear zoomat }"
"Noa, I heerd nought," was the re-
ply; and again ! shouted and ratified
at the door.
Didn't ye hear nought then,
David 2" asked Stebbins.
"Aye did 1 heerd a screechin'
loike, and raatlin' o'erhead Giles
Giles TAX my word for 'un, it be q
| ghoast Ar,n't ye meier heerd tell as
how this plaice be haunted. Coon
AWAY, man, COON AWAY :"
"IIord preserve us all F." returned
Giles, aye make all my teeth chat
ter in my head"
"Eh, Giles! Giles COON AWAY
man, COON away! I've seen 'un-l'Ve
seen 'uu
"Seen whatY
"Why, the ghoast l seed 'nn put
'un's head out o belfry window, just
now, all whoite loike ! Inever seed
nought so horrible aforel 1t looked
for a. the world loike skeleton in
whoite sheet, wi sparks o fire flashing
from 'un's eyes aye, they wor' real
sparks, too. There be one on 'em now !"
This was one Of the fuzees: and he
had evidently seen Poor Polly in her
white dress, with my handkerchief
over her head.
"Doan't run AWAY, David, wi'out
me! Doant leave me here alone, ye
coward l--doantl" cried Giles and
away trotted the two old men towards
the village, leaving their lanterns be
hind them, ana shouting loudly, ga
ghoast ghoastl u ghoast
"Wehe in worse mess now than
ever, dear Polly l said, rs returned
to her "Those two old idiots have
taken you for ghost, and they'll raise
the village"
ooh, dearl What viii become of
usl What are we to dos" che an
swered.
"Faoe it oct bravely,n l said, rs
selling rope, | began to mig one
Of the bells Ding, dong! ding, dong!
ding, dong
Whatever are You doing, Willisa :"
Sounding the tocsin, Polly-ring
ing the alarm bell. Go back into that
recess, and mufle yourself up as well
as YOU cam" Ding, dong ding, dong!
1.-The garrison is waking, see Ding
dong ding And, looking through
the loophole, | saw lanterns fitting
about in the garden of the Grange, and
| could hear voices shouting at dis
lance.
"In few minutes achievements
will arrive the citadel Will be stormed,
and we shall be restored to olr anX-
ions friends"
"Oh, Willis, what disturbance we
| are malingl And what viii papa say =
| This adventure will be the talk Of the
village for years, and | shall be asham-
ed to show my face in it again"
"Uncle George viii ouly laugh at
the Joke" l reioined " and as to being
ashamed to show your face in the vii
lage, come to London with me, and be
nv own dear little wife And L
flung myself on my knees on that
cold stone floor Of the abominabIe bel
fry. "Polly / adore you, Polly
| am your devoted slave One little
word from you will make me the hap
piest of men,"
"Sir, I am ashamed Of you. This Is
not the time for such nonsense"
"Polly, do you consider my love
| nonsense1 Listen to me for moment.
Refuse me and I'll do something des-
perate I'll throw up the law, and en-
list as common soldier Tn-Tu-"
! "Hark +" she cried.
There was roar of many voices be-
meath, and, looking down, | saw a
crowd of villagers armed with rakes,
hoes, shovels, spades and pitchforks.
Presently | heard the voice of Uncle
Cyeorpa say