The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-02

N~~~
worst at once.
"The hall was all in darkness; but
William found the matches on the table,
and was just going to strike light, when
Meyrick stumbled over something in the
hall. Hang it; dog!' he cried, and
dealt desperate kick at it. 1t was a
heavy blow, and was followed by sound
of crashing and breaking, and short
sharp cry. what have 1 done 2 cried
Meyrick. "A light quick2 The light
revealed the body of youth lying APP
parently lifeless on the floor. William
gave loud shrek. 1t is brother John 2
he cried. 'Meyrick, what have you
done2 You have killed him. 1t was
the white horse, you see, he would not
be denied.
Well, after moments speechless
horror, the two young men looked into
each others faces the same thing had
occurred to each. They were both on
bad terms with John. They had killed
him-they would be seized, condemned,
hung. In the furry of the moment they
did not see that the most sensible way
would be to give the alarm at once, and
explain things. They thought only of
concealment. Listening intently. they
found that no one was aroused. Then
they took up the body by the head and
feet, gently carried it to the wood-house,
and placing log against the body, as if
it had fallen down, they crept away
guilty toward the town, overpowered
with grief and terror. They had not,
however, got more than halfway back
before William stopped suddenly, and
clasping his hands to his temples, cried,
'Meyrick, my hat = His hat had blown
off when they were carrying poor John,
and in the excitement he had forgotten
all about it. There was nothing for it
but they must go back else they might
both suffer.
"They reached the house at last, and
crept cautiously around to the yard. The
tempest had abated now, and wan vel
low moon showed over the trees.
Williams hat lay full in the moonlight
in the middle of the yard. He had just
clutched it, when he heard noise from
the wood house, and looking up, saw a
ghastly figure, having the features of his
brother John, but clad all in white, in
the very habiliments of the grave. His
companion saw it at the same time, and
they both darted away at their utmost
speed. But the figure, whatever il was,
followed them, without sound or ap-
parent motion each felt that the touch
of the specter was upon him. They
reached the town at last. There was a
light in my surgery, and for it they
made like frightened deer. 1 must tell
you how il was that my surgery was
lighted up at that time of night.
"John, as I told you, had spent the
evening with me, and / was heartily
wishing could get rid of him, when, as
luck would have it, message came from
the quarry to which / am surgeon to call
me to see young man who had fallen
and broken some bones. The messenger
had come on horseback, and he went on
TO the Goat to order q car and horse TO
take me 70 the quarry, whilst l put up
my instruments and so on. Among
other things / took small bottle of
chloric ether, as stimulant, in case it
was required. ! couldn't leave John in
! the house, and so / took him with me-.
We reached the quarry, and / attended
TO the young man, leaving John in the
car, and, as il happened, the bottle of
ether too. II was cold night, and
John, seeing the little case-bottle,
thought it contained spirits, and, first
testing il with his nose, applied his
mouth to it, and took good pull at it.
"When i returned to the car, found
the bottle empty, and John lying at the
bottom of the car fast asleep. Fortu-
nately, as il seemed at the time, he had
not drank enough to do him serious
harm, but the effect was as if he were in-
toxicated, and il would be best for him
to sleep il off. But as we were driving
homewards il occurred TO me that j
would not like to have him at my house
any longer, and as il was not far out OF
my way to go round by the Plas, de-
termined to leave him there. When
reached the house every one was in bed,
and not TO be awakened. L made up 9
sort of nest for Master John, with mats
and rugs, upon the hall-foor, and drove
homewards through the avenue, the
white horse in the car showing conspicu-
ously against the dark background oi
the night, and frightening our friend
William and his companion as 1 have
told you. And that was how the acci
dent happened TO poor John. When ]
reached nome i had some medicine tc
make up, and hence the light in the sur.
gerry.
"Wel, not to keep you any longer il
suspense, may tell you that John was
not killed-not even seriously hurt, and
what happened to him in the wood
house he told me afterwards, and il
pleased me so much that will tell you
sdl about il.
He had not been long in the wood
house when the cold brought him to him
senses. He was under the impression al
first that be was still in the car, and that
some one was leaning heavily upon him.
That was the log, you remember, tha;
they had placed against him. Well, he
gave a violent push, the log fell to the
ground, and be rose to his feet quite be.
wildered as to where he was. Seeing,
however, the moonlight shining through
a chink in the door, he made toward II,
and tried to pull the door open. But
the log he had pushed off him had
jammed itself against the door, and was
immovable. Then il struck him that he
was in prison. This narrow confined
place, out of which il was impossible to
get, must be cell of the police lookup.
He had been riotous in his cups, DC
IL II