The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-08-10

ping on the rod made her open her eyes.
AT the foot of the bed between the half
opened Curtains, stood an old man i'm
long, white flannel gown, with graz hair
streaming over his shoulders. He immedi
ately spoke to her. saying that if she would
obey his directions she would be rich and
independent for life. On the left hand of
the fire place, in the second row of stones,
she would find one that had the cori,er
broken off. This she must iaise. and keep
what she found beneath. Here lie ceased,
and passed out of sight, closing the cur
tains. She was half dead with fright, aud
shut her eyes in dread to see him again
After some time she succeeded in persuad-
ing hei self that she had been asleep, and
this was only cream, At which it was
very silly to toe alarmed. So she reasoned
herself into calmness and unbelief land was
JUST sinking quietly to sleep Mhen the noise
of the brass rings reused her to new terror.
She opened her eyes, and there the old
man again this time with reproacbful ex-
preston. He upbraided her for not follow
ing his directions, which he repeated with
great minuteness, adding that if she ne-
elected them, she would repent it all her
life. This time she could not reason her.
self into composure. She shut her eyes
tightly. drew the cover over her face, and
lay there till the farmers wife came to
rouse her for the early starting OF the travel
D. y h.
rapidly by a single candle, but before she
left the room she took the light toward the
fireplace, and there, on the left side in the
second row, was a stone with the corner
broken off. The sight oui upset hei, and
she hurried from the room, but said not a
word of her strange visitaut 10 the hos ess.
The remainder of her jotfrney was pros
porous and without incident. She reached
Montreal in safety, place d the childleh az
I'D; har huShanf,S p,HarS aud
turned alone to New York.
''On her way home she stopped, accord
ing to promise, at the farm house where
she had her strange adventure. The far-
mer's wife, delighted to see her, said she
siiuuld again have the best room. Not for
worlds = was the exclamation that broke
from her, and naturally provoked all ex-
planation. When 1t was made the hostess
was quite overcome. saying more than once,
WHY did YOU not tell us? Oh, If we had
only known, But now it Is too late On
being pressed for the meaning of her evi-
dent Distress she said that few nights
after the departure of my mothel-in-law It
large number of belated travellers had
asked for shelter, which was given them.
They we're no sooner III bed than gentle
man rode up and begged to be allowed to
remain till the next day, when he would
pursue his journey. The house was al
ready full except what [ must call the
haunted chamber, and though this was re-
served for special occasions, the hospitablc
farmer determined to give 1t to him, Ac-
cordingly lie retired rest here. saying ne
did nos wish 10 be called i'll the morning,
but iesised to sleep of his weariness.
''At 4, or about daybreak, the travellers
de parted, leaving the solitary hoiseman
asleep, as it was supposed. Hours passed
on, and the day was now SO far advanced
that the farmer determiue6t 10 knock at the
door. No answer was returned. AT last
they forced the door open aud found tiie
room empty, The beG had evidently been
slept in; but what excited their wonder
was that the stones Of the fire place had
beeu removed, IA great hole was visible un-
der tie hearth, and just ill front of it stood
a huge eartlIen po with the cover lying be-
side IT. 1t was empty, and there was moth
ing to Indicate where il had come from or
what had been its use. The mystery of
the displaced hearth stones was great, but
there was ue cue to solve it. On going to
the st able his horse had disappeared, and "A
faim-servant, who slept there, said the
traveller had come down about 3 o'clock,
saGde6 his horse in silence and rode rapid
ly away.
1T was now evident that this horseman
had seen the vision. and, not being over
powered by fear, had pr,'iited by the knowl-
edge of 80 large fortune. AT any rate he
was u DfaCtlCdI t1aD, anu IuOu2nG uUtuiiiR
would be lost by looking if there really
were money under the stones. The far
mer aud hisywife were loud in their ex-
uressons Of distress and disappointment,
aud my motherin law fulfilled the old man 5
prophecy by never ceasing to regret that
her fears had gotten the better of her curl
osity. Nothing further was ever head of
the horseman."
"a strange thing happened to a cousin
-.
since we have entered upon family revela-
tions, you shall have it, madam, As a com
panion to your story.
This gentleman was at an opera ball in
Paris. Towards the close of the enter: ain
| meut he went into an almost deserted sa-
loon and was standing alone in the centre
Of it when he felt heavy blow on his
shoulder. Not having heard any one ap-
proach he TUNED suddenly, balf i'll won
der, half in diSpleasure, to see If The blow
came from friend or foe. There was no
one near he stood absolutely alone!and an
uncomfortable feeling crept over him.
When he went home his valet asked him
how he had been hunt, pointing on. on his
domino the mark of bloody hand just
where lie had felt ,he mysterious blow. A
few weeks later that arm was carried away
, at the shoulder i'm the bat lie of Borodino.'
81 have no ghost story to tell. said the
elder American lady /; but a circumstance
that happened To my ymother-in law is worth
hearing. Living in Mogador, where her
husband was Consul-General, she was at
tackled with the African fever and, tn all
appearance, died. The Christian cemetery
is outside the walls, and size was wrapped
in linen, according to the custom of the
country, aud carried 10y Arabs 10 the grave.
Arrived there, her husband, who was de
votedly attached to her, bade the bearers
set down their precious burden that he
might once more gaze on those beloved
features. They obeyed him the wrap
pings were removed and The Gnen lifted
from her face. 1t was so lfe-like, the
, faint color still lingering in her cheeks,
that sudden conviction smute him and he
| declared she was not dead, but should be
carried back to Mogador. The Arab. and
Christian bystanders demonstrated and had
almost succeeded in persuading him that
his fond fancy deluded him, when sine