Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-30

could have counted them; though now,
from the same spot, ! feel sure I could
hardly hear steps, however heavy. Yes.
up the belfry stairs they cam, and now q
streak of yellow light crossed the belfiy,
from wall to wall My eyes--wide open
and almost bursting with eagerness-
strained into the dark corners, waiting and
ready for what the light should reveal
there. I never looked who was coming
through the door; all thought of my re-
lease now seemed swallowed up in the
hungry desire to see what had been with
me IN the darkness. The fitful light from
two lanterns danced up and down the
gloomy place, but / had seen nothing
Voices began talking in low tones; then,
though my aching eyes never turned from
their search, listened. II guess we'll
find him just as we left him, eh." heard,
in mans amused whisper; x expect no
other, the drunken rascal; and yet I could
almost have sworn / heard the bell" With
q sudden flash of the lanterns on the wall,
close to where sat, came little laugh
In all my life, no laugh ever sounded like
that to me-. Was it 9 relief or was 1t the
last touch Of the unnaturalness that sur
rounded me! /. shiyered, as if it ran
through me with the wild answering laugh
Of the wind outside. With a sickenine
fear that consciousness was leaving me
once more, ard that if it did they might
not find me, pulled myself up by The
bell; and as it rang Its weird note, the
light of lantern was thrown upon me,
standing there-a strange figure TO meet
any human gaze, with the fixed stare in
my eyes / heard q queer kind of cry
from some one one lantern fell, and was
smashed to atoms heard feet running to
the door; but / felt, too, strong arm
round me heard q mans rough voice
than which no other voice, though, ever
sounded sweeter in my ears-telling me it
was all right" Then, once more, all
around me was lost in mental darkness.
awoke on the settle in q small firelit
kitchen where two or three men sat round
the fire silently. When they saw that 1
was watching them, one said-and l recog-
nized the kindly voice-"Are you feeling
all right again, sir! the cold gave me a
shock up there" I rose and eat among
them, half bcwildered still, and tried to
warm my hands, which were of a pale
green color.
Sid you hear me toll the bells" 1
asked. - Al
Eyes, sir, surely !. and these burly COM
rades Of mine thought you was a sperit,
and took to their hells as if sperits was
any more likely to be up there than in this
very kitchen-less likely, I should think,
all things" 'aA' -
What should do? Should tell them
what l knew, ormust the horrible secret
live and die with me?
q" You didn't happen to see no sperits
yerself now, sir, s'pose?" he said and |
actually think saw the fellow wink.
~ saw-at least I elt---something," I
faltered, trying TO look at them all as if it
was Just what had expected to do. rt,
Ibid We, now? Would we mind, sir,
Just giving us yer experience? ghost
story is just the thing for this time of the
morning, with that pleasant little breeze
ALLOWING outside and shivering all the
winders in its frolic"
But could not tell them; not that it
seemed unnatural and dream like in the
warm glow and companionship, but be-
cause 1t was such certainty that dreaded
to bring the ghastly reality among them
"Did you see any things :" added, SIM
ply TO gain little time.
The laugh was general.
ain course we did sir, we saw what we
went for TO see, and that was TOpin'
Jerry"
"What on earth is TOPPING Jerrys"
"You may we'll say what sir, for at
this blessed mint he don't look 'uman
enough for to speak Of as who Topin'
Jerry, sir, is the topingest rascal in all the
parish, and moreover, besides, he's one of
St. Marks ringers, the drsnkest and dis
orderlyest fellow as ever pulled a rope"
"Yes, yes, l see and he was in the
belfry last nightYa t5 .1Hs.ll.
"Well, I'll tell you how it was, sir, and
how he did come to be there a-letting In
the new year in a new way He's been 80
often q few over the score lately that,
though we wouldn't any of us peach on
him, we can't 'elp jest wishing the parson
would ketch him at it. He came to ring
in the Christmas last week in sech state
as we were all ashamed on, and, to cap it
up, he brought bottle with him to renoo
his failing strength. In course he couldn't
ring, he scould only set himself into q
corner agin the wall and sleep. So we
told hinrif he did 1t agin we would hang
him then, and there He was fuddlipg
away yesterday evenin', forgettin the late
service-it surely was rather late, We see,
sir, for man vs. is fond of a few cups So
ciAl in the evenin' - 80 We kn0w what was
comm, and another fellow (him by you,
sir) came to ring instead, and we took a
Jerry Win his chm down in his shir.
collar, and his legs looking like some
body else's; out coma the bottle, and we
let him bave his swing at itl then, when
we was comm down, we tied him to two
staples in the wall, straight up on his feet
agin it, with the intentiOu of shown him,
when he walked seSerer,N that there he
was, hanged by the neck TIL he was dead
While brought you hene. sir, these here
comrades of mine. Witnessed the jolliest
sight. Topin' Jerry woke hisself grad
welly, and twisted and gyoaned hisself into
blue con*uls;ons, While they was hid,
with the lsnsera dark And, he shrieked
out that he wonldn't never do it agin, if
he could be forgiven this wunst, all TO no
body, siS, but thes spetits, al Ne Thought
was there. They'll tell ye all that joke,
So they did, jovial, hearty fellows as
they were, and every riager. in the parish
drank my health 81 at hight in hot and
strouk. Every arf1ger, et least, except
TOPPING Jerry, whom I have never seen
since-I mean whom have never seen at
ALI onlyfelss - s. -
"A TELEaRAPapc RoasIBIL,rIBs. - The