Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-11-20

IuelIy party We WoI6' no hlou uil 1uo
projects we could think of, even to bob
bing for apples in basin of water. As
it grew later we grew quieter. 1t was
dismal night the wind howled and
moaned as though all the spirits of the
air were abroad. The old trees around
the house tossed their branches in the
wild air, and moaned with loud COM
planning. Our table was most tempting
lv set forth with many dainty. We
looked at it with longing eyes, and it
had certainly been arranged more to the
substantial tastes of us mortals than the
airy sort of fare that we are taught to
believe specters prefer. should think
the poor, cold, half starved things would
be glad of any excuse to get good
solid meal.
The house sat rather high, with a
long terraced walk to the front gate.
1t was an old-fashioned brick, with a
wide hall running through the entire
center and large rooms on each side.
On one side was the family sitting
room, with the dining-room directly
back. Here we held our court.
AS the time wore on, our talk grew
strongly tinctured with the supernatural.
All the ghost stories we had ever heard
or read were aired, to the shivering de-
light Of the greater number, although
some of the braver ones did pooh-pooh
them, and say, "stuff and nonsense. 4"
We knew they only did it to appear
brave. And oh, goodness ! how the
courage was slowly but surely oozing
out at our fnger-ends
The household were all wrapped in
the slumbers of the just. AS the night
wore on, everything grew so still, all
sounds of life seemed to have ceased.
Nothing to be heard but the sobbing
and sighing of the wind through the
trees around the house, and occasionally
a louder shrek that sent little shivers of
fear creeping over us. But we only
huddled the closer together, feeling
there was comfort in numbers and near
uess. We began to grow exceedingly
nervous and very quiet, for the "witch-
ing hour" was almost come.
Directly the old clock in the hall
peeled out, the twelve strokes falling
with clear ring that cut on the still
air. think we all held our breaths till
the last faint echo died, when one of the
girls convulsively grasped my hand,
saying: What's that Listen"
And we did listen. 1 know that no
more strained, solemn silence was ever
kept. Sharp upon the midnight air
came the steady tramp, tramp of foot
steps. Through the gate, up the walk,
and slowly around the house they went
Another time steadily around, and yet
another. The mystic circle of three is
then complete, and as we listened with
blanched faces and dilated eyes, the
steps came upon the front porch, the
hall door flew open with crash, and
tramp came the feet toward the dining
room. The door was flung wide, and,
may never gaze on such a hideous
band again! Two or three of the girls
had quietly gone off in gentle little
faint in one corner. If the rest of us
don't faint, it was simply because we
couldn't, for it would be the easiest way
to shut out the horrid vision.
This band of demons, specters, COB
Inns, or anything else you please, filed
slowly around the table, led by one who
had something like the head of horse
with the body of man. There were
CHASTITY grinning skulls and sheeted
dead, and every horror one could think
Of. That we We're not all turned to
idiots by fright was mercy. Some Of
the girls were in Mysteries, some scream,
ing, some shivering with fear. The
fainters had decidedly the best of it, as
they were blissfully unconscious of the
whole scene.
This band of brothers paid little atten.
tion to the uproar of the frightened girls,
but chose their seats, and deliberately
began an attack upon what we had ex
pected and rather hoped would fall tc
our lot.
The first to recover herself was Belle
81 say, girls, these ghosts eat uncom
monty like men, and seem to have very
F.; human appetites. Stop that awful noise
over there" said Belle to some of tn,
3 screamers, "and help me attack thes'
l creatures, and see whether they are no
q genuine flesh and blood, after all. !"
D Belle, with most praiseworthy courage
4 made for the individual demon who hat
selected her card. She threw consider
1 able more strength than elegance int,
. the manner in which she relieved tina
q particular goblin of his outer wrappings
: and, lol he stood revealed, a mos
s promising young doctor of the town
g The sight of SO well known face CAV
e some of the rest courage, and the gen
Il tlemen soon stood shorn of their ghostl
: toggery, and proved to be set of youn
d fellows whom we had always considere
o nice, quiet young men.
d By this time, having taken muc
If longer to write than to occur, the fain
IT ers consented to sit up, look interesting
Ie ly pale, and altogether do the willie
N lily business. I'm not sure we didn
.e all look pale, but would not like to /
'e positive about the interesting part. ]
vain we besought the youths to tell l
g. how they learned of our frolic. Tortur,