The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-10-08
The Old Woman Of the Cliff.

near the mouth of the bay. The moon
light, bright and clear, kissed each wave
let as it rippled shorcwared, and cast
golden mantle over the broad shoulders
Of the rugged cliff. Thousands of vine!
cIambered up its jagged sides, suggesting
how, in life, the weak ones depend upon
the strong,
Two girls--Agnes and Maud-stoot
on the beach, looking seaward. They
were both tall and fair, with long masse;
OF dark brown hair-somtthing, by tAt
way, for which the Verners had alway.
been noted. With arms locked abou
eaeii7other' waist, they stood silent fol
4 moment; then Agnes who had turned
her head toward the cliff, which was no
,, very far distant, started, and said:
80 Maud! Look quick! There:
some one on the clif-just on the edge
! And it S q woman, toor' ....
Who can it be, Aggy? some strange
woman, for.I can see her.face plainly
it's all wrinkled, Just like an old woman s
She is no one that belongs here"
Lets walk up and tell her of her dan
ger" ...
No; it's risky to 90 up on the cliff
and I'm afraid Of the old woman, any
way she can see her danger"
I'm going" said Agnes, who was a
brave as her sister was timid.
"Well then, l suppose I'll have t.
come, or be left all alone. l wish was
back at the housew
"Now, Maud, don't be foolish
The two hurried along the beach, Ag
nes \ little in advance. just as the,
reached the base Of the cliff, they stop
ped and looked up; the old woman saw
them, and with cracked, owlish cackle
jumped far out from the cliff, struck th
water, and disappeared from sight; no
did she rise, although the girls waiteC
some little time to see if they coult
catch sight of her. . r.' ysa.
Returning to the kouse-which wa
pleasantly situated in the midst of
beautiful grove--Agnes and Maud, halt
frightened, told what they had seen. Mr.
and Mrs. Werner thought it must be
some delusion; but the two girls wer
so certain that they concluded to maxi
a search for the dead body ON the fol
lowing morning,
The sisters could not sleep for som
time after retiring that night, for the hag
gard, wrinkled face Of the old woman
looking so ghostly in the moenlight,an'
her mad leap into the sea, had been i'm
pressed so wildly upon them that the
still seemed to be upon the shore, an
hear the gurgle of the waters as the
closed over her head: but soon INA
tures sweet restorer, balmy Sleep" clos
ed their eyelids, and whether or no the,
wandered in the rosy realms Of dream
land, I do not pretend to say
The following morning dawned brigh
and clear, and, just as the sunheams be
gan to fall in cheqIers on the carpet c
their room, the. sisters arose, dresse
themselves, ,and stroled out into the ope
air-heavy with the perfume of thor
sand blossoms in each of whose heart
dew-drop nestled, while the welki
rang with melody made by tile little wal
blers on bush and fence and tree.
About an hour after breakfast, th
party of men who had been sent t
search the shore returned to the house
and one, drawing Mr. Werner aside, sal
to him.: :ra -. ,..- e.. ss:. h.1~ -;
"May it plaze ye, sir, but there's II
body at all upon the shore; but th
young leddies was right-they saw I'll
old woman Of the Cliff She's bee
here these ten years, and it's ghost
"A wbat?"
i ga ghost, t,sir-a spirrit-Ive seen ht
myself, before this, on that very san
cliff. and she jumped right'of,an' nothi
but SPIRIT could do that same and al
pear again" e.s.n. 'e
swell, Robert, you have some strang
ideas. I've heard of some such thin:
but never knew that it was anythin
more than an idle tale"
1T is true, .sir-every word Of it,"
"Well," he said, 81 am glad that yo
found no body, my men, for it prove
that Aggy and Maud were only lit
mistaken. That will do" ,.-
The men went out, and Mr. Verne
not wishing to alarm his wife and daugl
, tiers by the story of the "old woman {
the cliff" which Robert had, told hir
lonmbo5 opd co,1
"Well, Aggy, you and Maud mu
have fallen asleep on the beach, ar
dreamed that old Mother Goose lit @
the cliff, for rest from one of her lor
1 pilgrimages"
: "No, indeed. Why, y,father, how silly
I won't believe anything but that it VI
(, real live woman, for l heard h
: laugh
well, daughter, we will dismiss Il
subject for the present perhaps som
{ thing will turn up to explain it"
Weeks passed rapidly by, and the a
y venture Of that night had nearly fad
! from their memories Charley Ga
coigne. young man but lately arriv
from England,was expected by Mr.. VI
!, ner, and, as he was said to be handson
n smart and wealthy, the sisters.of cour:
were on the tip toe of expectation, so
y speak, and formed many drawings
J their minds Of how he would appear.
Agnes said, trough and manly Ma
thought-in fact wished-he might be
dear, sweet little fellow, with nice ST
. whiskers and kid gloves" )" to use h
= own words
p Gascoigne's father had been Mr.. VI
- ner S chum in Yale. and the two thong
i a great deal of each other thereto
$ when Mr.. Gascoigne wished to Sc
4 Charley to America, he Of course wrc
q to Mr. Werner, asking him to recei
: him at his house for few days and II
4 try and find him situation in some bs
king house in New York.
! Charley had an immense fortune !
l. him by his grandfather, which was
e come to him when be was twenty f
" years of age, and his father, wishing
Y. teach him good business habits, insist
on his entering banking house
p America, where he would, for the sp;
e Of two years, be obliged to rely entir,