Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-06-07

dies sight Charles Pelton being ac-
cepted into The good graces OF Nellie,
and Hubert Nelson standing foremost
in the affections Of Dollie Warren.
There were no engagements" exist
ING, but that the two couples would
some day ''stcp off, was accepted au-
thori'y.
Through some misunderstanding,
they were slighted by not being invit'
ed to masquerade ball, to be held out
few miles from Briarville so to re-
venge themselves on the ones who
had managed the invitations, they de-
telmined to render them ridiculous 10y
frightening them as they were return
ing to BriarviIle, by playing ghost in
the graveyard.
Two cloaked figures met back Of
the church, and two hearts beat treer
than they had for the past twenty
minutes.
1t was nearly II o'clock, and the
two pc, sons, Nell Dalton and Dollie
Warrep, wended their slow and eau
tious way to the churchyard, both try
ing to keep up their spirits, yet half
repenting of their midnight masquer-
ade. How still everything was How
sombre and solemn the marble head
stones looked in the night, seeming
more like real spooks than imaginary
ones which they saw continually !
At length they selected the spot in
which they were to wait for the re-
turning Of the masqueraders. 1t was
/. near the new made grave of Moses
Briarly, Sitting down behind large
| gravestonc, they arranged their ghost
" habiIiments, and tried to make time
pass pleasantly by telling comica]
t "reminiscences, which would continual
ly turn to remarks, quite naturally
, brought, about the Inhabitants of the
graveyard.
clark well, what is that q
Some one getting over the fence
: w nat can any On. ~""o $780,
night? Draw your stool closer, DOL
or they may see you"
: Silently the two girls waited, thel'
, hearts beating wildly. What was
b, their surprise when the two persons,
: after CROPPING around moment, came
t to the grave of Moses Briarly, an(
{; one of them remarked in the low ye
! well-known tones of Hubert Nelson
i. 'Herc's where the old fellow wa
i planted, Rog."
d "IIush Nelson" said the other
h mo talking, You know" and he lai'
Il down a pair of shovels upon the fresI
II mound of earth.
n The two young fellows took o
IS their coats and prepared for a har
/ Job, occasionally exchanging a los
IS muttered word or two, hardly under
1t stood by Nell and Dollie, yet enoug
h being picked up by them to let ther
- know that the two persons We're abor
|. TO do one of the most tiendish jot
mortal man can be guilty OF.
y As the two young men were abol
e to shovel up the loose packed cart
:, the rumble of carriage wheels W.
ID heard upon the road, and as the wa!
a on drove up just opposite the gray
a. yard, it was stopped, and, thoug
d. nothing was said, the four anxio'
a listeners knew that some one had g
)r out of the wagon. An instant att'
in the bars of the fence were heard
rattle slightly, and the listeners kne
that somebody had brought a wage
- to the graveyard, and was afraid
l. leave it upon the public road.
II The wagon was driven up by Il
,o side of the graveyard fence, two pc
. sons alighted, the horse was turn'
=. with its head toward the main roa
, and then tied to the fence. The ne
-, moment two persons were hea
climbing the fence.
Roger and Hubert hastily gather'
nc up their clothing and tools, and ea'
lodged behind a gravestone to aw'
IT. the end of the midnight visit to t
I" graveyard
The two persons, talkingin cau'io
1t, tones, came quite rapidly through t
I'D gloom, and soon stood by the side
he the grave which seemed destined
have no rest.
)? The four persons In the graveya
'er recognized Charles Pelton and LeR
Denton.
ho The two medical students said
~ tie, but worked hard, their spades {
ed casionally making an unpleasant sou
ch as they came in contact with ca
ey other or bits of rock