Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-01-04

sands, and swept along in low, shud-
dering cries, dying away sad and pite-
! Gus as before. With the last faint
sound, the light leape6 up for one
second into intense brilliancy and dis
appeared. 5re
"O!" cried Nellie, fearfully. "What
is it, Jean?''
"I don't know" I replied, feeling
of unaccountable dread and horror tax
ing hold of me. The very demon OF
fear seemed to possess my senses; an
icy grasp of terror laid hold of my
| heart.
The air outside seemed to have be-
come suddenly clamny and cold; a
chilly, eerie wind crept in at the win
dow. The very darkness seemed filled
with shapes, hideous and impalpable,
at which I. dare not look, lest they
should take form before my eyes.
"There it is again. shuddered Mel
lie. ..4...- .5... ...s H.
And with nnutterable dread we saw
the brilliant, star-like light again float
ing toward us, this time from the right
hand. =.
1t came on swiftly, with the impal-
it, and, when exactly opposite, van
ished.
We sat paralyzed with terror, not
daring TO move, horrible, benumbing
terror seizing our hearts.
This phenomenon happened several
times, the light alternately appearing
from the right and left, ana always
vanishing when exactly opposite to us,
and always accompanied by the moan
ing voice.
Again the low wailing sounds from
the sands, profoundly melancholy, in
expressibly mournful, like nothing akin
TO humanity. No words were uttered,
but the agony of the tones was like a
voice from the grave.
''Jean, Jean; here it is again" !" cried
Nellie, covering in my arms.
And once more the brilliant phantom
light appeared. This time it came on
more slowly, glancing to and fro un-
steadily, while the s6adowy form be-
hind it seemed more grotesque and
misty than ever.
"Oh, Jean, if it is true! If it comes
to foretell some loss, some trouble!''
sobbed Nellie, in tears.
Hush, hush, dear!' I tried to say
reassuringly. at can not be. Sorrow
may come to us if God wills it, but not
through -''
81 say, old fellow" shouted a voice
down below in the darkness. you'll
frjgnten somebody into fits with that
lantern dodge of yours. You and your
confounded bicycle look like some horri-
ole ghostiy specter, tiitting along in the
dark. You gave me precious start, |
can tell ,ou."
Nellie and | jumped to our feet and
gazed incredulously out of the window.
Down below, in the road, yard or
two to the right, the phantom light
stood stationary at last. In the glare
while behind loomed the fantastic, ,mys-
terious shadow, robbed of all its terrors
in a moment.
"Isn't it a stunning dodge?n said
the shadow, in most unghostly slang.
You see, Jack, this asphalt's irst-rate
to practice on; but a fellow has no
chance in the daytime for these con-
founded carriages; so l rugged out this
dark-lantern, and fastened it to my
bicycle, and 1 can spin along iu peace
now"
"Take care you don't spin away the
wits of all the old maids on the prom
enade," returned the other. s'You
look most horribly like some goblin
from the lower regions, with your dark
lantern flashing in front, those noise
less Wheels, and your long legs and
arms spread out like great wings be-
hindu
The other laughed.
"The old maids are all fast asleep
long ago, bless their old eyes!" he re-
turned, irreverently. " But say, Jack,
| the match for the four oars will have
an awful storm. Listen! How the
wind sighs and means among the
girders of the pierl 1t sounds for al
the world like some one calling out il
distress, and it's a,sure sign of rough
weather. What rage Gregory viii
be in if" .@ga r-F
The two old maids had heard quite
enough. Nelly and | looked at each
other rather sheepishly, it must be con
feSsed, and then burst into u hearty
laugh.-London Society. ..