Connecticut western news., 1875-01-08

God IS good, &c., welcome we Seventy-five,
 THE GHOSTS of FETHERSTONE HALL. l, John Addison, curate of St. Mark s Church, Bethnal Green, had worked very hard through the winter months of the year l8-. My vicar having been ill and confined to his house, and my fellow helper having left for another curacy, our usual staff of clergy had been reduced to one-myself. There had been also a great deal of distress in the parish, which 1 had thrown much extra work on me ; and altogether quite agreed with the verdict Of my friend the doctor, when he told me to take holiday for month or six weeks if did not wish to be ill. >The two obstacles to this holiday, the expense of trip from home, and the difficulty in leaving my charge, vanished at the same time. My vicar, who had sufficiently recovered his health to take some share in the duties, was fortunate enough to secure the services of another curate and l received an invitation from my cousin, who lived in one of the 1 northern counties, and who had heard that I was out of health, to come and spend my holiday with him, which in- vitation l gladly accepted. My cousin, Robert Fetherstone, was differently placed to myself with regard to money matters; he was wealthy man, aRd his estate was one of the most pleasantly situated in the north, being far removed from the coal and iron dis tricts.
 Fetherstone Grange was almost a modern house, having been built by my cousins father, when the old Hall had i fallen into such @ state of dilapidation that 1t was considered cheaper and more sensible to build 8 new house than to attempt to repair it. The grandfather of my cousin had shut the Hall LID, and lived on the Continent many years be- fore his death, refusing to let it, or to be restored or moddled with in any way, which was the reason why this, the old family-seat, had gone to such decay and, as have stated, his son, my cousin s father, had been advised not to attempt its restoration. It stood, fine old ruin, as l afterwards saw it, in the valley close to the banks of the river which flowed ! through the estate, the Grange being l built about half mile from it, and more pleasantly situatedbn an elevation, which commanded a fine view of the country for some distance round.
 The conversation turned upon the old Hall after dinner, the second day of my visit to the north. I had been most kindly and hospitably received by nay cousin and his wife upon my arrival and, being wearied by my long journey, had not risen till somewhat late hour the next morning. I had then declined to ride with my cousin, who was going on magisterial business to the county town. preferring to stroll about and lazily to enjoy the warm spring morning, and the fresh country air, which seemed so de- hghtful to me after my long residence in dismal quarter of London. In my rambles l had strolled down to the old Hall and now, as we sat round the fire after dinner, my cousin and I enjoying & cigar, while his wife occupied herself with some fancy work, mentioned how picturesque I thought the ruin appeared, and my intention of visiting it again. My cousin laughed. G Yes, '' he said, Git is a fine old ruin, but, like most old ruins, seen better at night than in the day time. If you would view fair Melrose aright. Isn't that what Scott says?" he added
 "Noy," said, ''I doubt moonlight adding much to the beauty.''
 My dear fellow," said Robert Fether- stone, II wasn't thinking of the beauty of the place at all I was considering the ghosts"
 "Ghosts '" I repeated "is the place haunted, then"
 Robert will insist that it is," said Mrs. Fetherstone. "ButI don't believe word of it; think it is only village gossip"
 "Don't deprecate the dignity of our ghosts," laughed her husband. evil lage gossip! Why, you know that the l reputation of Fetherstone Hall has ex- 1 tended through the whole county. There | isn't man, woman or child within twen- ty miles who dare go near the place after | dark '
 "Do you believe in ghosts?" asked Mrs. Fetherstone, turning to me.
 ." If you mean by your question, do I believe in the ghosts that one reads about, l said, "who are supposed, for no reason at all, to drag rusty chains about houses at night, and to frighten people to no purpose, l can't say that 1 3o.''
 "John believes firmly in his family ! ghosts, and no others," said my cousin laughing. "Go on," he continued "I know all their histories. D
 "I believe this much," I continued i; "that God, for His own wise purposes, sometimes allows the spirits of those who have departed this life to revisit the earth-not unless there is some real ob- ject ill view, and that then they are not allowed to do more than to execute their mission"
 (Which means,' said Robert Fether- stone, ",that you do believe in real ghosts, and don't believe in sham ones think I have expressed your sentiments concisely. Well," he added, "take my advice, and don't visit the old Hall by night if your nerves are not tolerably strong"
 "You don't mean to say, I exclaimed, "that you seriously believe it to be haunted !"
 "Robert is only trying to frighten you," said tho wife Che does not be- ieve any thing of the sort. It was only the other day I heard him laughing at old Mrs. Foster in the village, who thought she had seen ghost at the Hall. :"
 A few weeks passed, and my holiday had come to close ; my health was restored, r lo,1 4-,J 1,