The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-08-30

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lsDce that reigne6 around the premises
/ Somehow nice. comfortable looking house,
/ when deserted, always IrpTesses ne with :
/ feeling Of loneliness Tor which l cannot
! fully account
Last. but by DO means an Insignificant
I item. I had beard that the former engineer
/ Il the MI was lot expected 70 I've many
/ hours
what if his spirit sbould hover around
| the Old 81 stsmpfng ground -
Tbs tboHght kept passing through ny
/ mind as ! lay upon tbe bed and Fainly tried
I 10 sleep
"Wbat If be should 90 into the old MIL
/ so-night and look at the engine which lie
{ ODce took - much pride d What II be
1 should wander through he MIL al night
Somehow these thoughts occupaed ny
Z mind 10 the exclusion OF those every day
I o3es that - gently wait re into The land
I Of dreams
/ I've often been told thai nothing but the
I to0tbzcbe could ever keep ne from going
I ID sleep and nothing but tbuD6er could ever
( wake ne before broad daylight But OF
/ this particular night although / tried hard
1 70 20 70 sleep, I heard the clock strike
/ eleven without having been able - 1al even
[ into doze.
I DsspaiTing Of getting 10 sleep arose,
{ Heut 10 the window and looked cut 81 the
( Old mill L was 4 0reary looking cd
+ building just such q one, thought !, -
! ghost EOuld be likely % bzDt
As I stood looking 81 the old mill = light
T Suddenly appeared Al The window.
Il flashed up brightly for Al instant aBd
/ then quickly disappeared As ! stood
( watching the window I saw il again. and
I then ny resolution WAS fixed 10 20 down 70
] sbe Mil and see Ebat Il meant Opening
1 TIE door / peered into the 6arEBess- half
I afraid 10 venture out. Just then ! heard
I distinctly the snarling Of ; dog. and the
4 door closed with slam L might have
{ been : fIfal gust Of wind that closed Il 80
4 suddenly. or i might have been . nervous
E tSltca "A ny night arEl-
This WI never do thought I. and
/ getting ny trusty revolver proceeded TO
! ward the mill. Il Is astonishing what 2
( feeling q safety Is Inspired By the posses
( son OF IRE arms, even Of = dark night when
/ there are a hundred chances g one q per
s son VII not os able 70 use them n case Of
! need.
After getting vel away from the house,
I however, hundred exciting thoughts took
4 possession OF my mind Every leaf that
/ r1s1l66 II the WIND vas mad dog making
1 straight for ne; the E-uutIng OF a Pig
4 sounded Ike the deep low growing OF .
/ 6erce bulldog. and The noise Of a tom 81
( Il the distance reminded me Of wEat must
Z Be the waIIBE OF = lost spirit
As ! gaE6C a. The window and could see
4 10 more signs q 2 light. the thought 0c-
( Cured 70 ne hat he man Who had mur-
4 dered the nan found on the rz5lroad track
1 vas II the nil E.ih 2 dark lantern count
l l1E Els III EcLIe1 gains
I And then strange I hzdu-s thought of
, that before, ! reUeu bered of hearing many
1 times that tie NH was bzuused-
51t amid al these depressing thoughts
4 1he ldsa Il ret-eatiuE oeTsT entered ny
! head. ! had resolved 70 90 to,tbs Mill and
( investigate the mystery OF the light and
. h-T 7 = =
/ would have come 70 ne u the light uf =
! broken promise o. = sacred trust betrayed
! Though a singular idea i has always seem
( ID 70 ne thai promise made 10 myself Is
( IS sacred and binding zs one made 10 oh
f. eTs- and 50 soon found myself groping ID
f the dal k8ess Of the Old mil
1 had grcped into every nook and corner
near the window where ! had seen the
light al the while expecting u feel hard
/ grasp ny shou der. o. = cold blz6e enter
/ ny body when ! heard or thought !
I heard Light footsteps OF the fo1r over ny
/ te4d- Listening closely could hear them
{ distinctly and then the cold chiIls ran up
4 my back, extending u the roots Of ny
/ hair
Would I retrezt9 Noi - VII nee:
/ death, but not GisbCDoT = vas ny t5ouzbt
( while ascending the stairs J irving uE.7n
the main door CT the building I bsbeld
I figure II white
!
&C n tones meant 10 be those Of authority.
1 but which were II this respect = miserable
I failure.
There vas 10 reply.
speak O. III FIRE - were nv next
words StiI the figure was silent.
/ For moment was a. a Joss whst 70 do.
/ Bui observing that The figure was moving
I from me, and fearing i might be . criuj-
/ nal and night escape lo5ked steadily 81
L and fred Il feIl, and as i id 50 !
Z heard : shrek, not The shrek Of 3 man
! who might be z murderer q a thief but
I thai Of woman
rushed back 70 The house II an agony
Of suspense shouting as I entered thai
lad CON uitted a murder
w beu2 where exclaimed the aroused
inmates Of the house
Down II the mill = was ny reply.
SPEEDILY procuring a light they FASTENED
thltBeT and sooG bloagL Tie bleeding fora
10 lie house.
who ! it, I asked. half suspect5ne
even then, who the victim WAS
They looked 81 each other cari0usly and
tben a. me. IN al instant ! knew that il
was the uiller's dzughser- Ny head grew
dizzy and then came blank
They said rsved Ike madman thst
I wished had never been born, that the
earth might open and swallow T8e up IL 81
/ best Oh earth They sad bent over her
and tod her Of NY hopeless love that Il I
/ could only C5e for her i would be the rich
/ est boon l could ask Al this and = great
! deal more ! must have said from the tine
/ / lost Consciousness till seemed - have
awakened from I0Dg sleep. feeling very
I weak and beluleSs-
They tod me that mary days had elapsed
siDCs that sac occurrence aud that sls . as
quite vel, having, after al received only
= slight wound
As soon IS my strength would permit, !
went % see her. doubling somewhat - tC
the kind OF reception ! S0ald receive. The
family did Lot meet ne sIfb 3 scowl upon
their faces. a. had half exzeCss5. bat "a
: The contrary, received NE EI-h geBUins
hospitality and friendship.
; II u DOT difficult 70 guess that be miller
, daughter Vas = souD4nl 5E5lsl and ia
, / she finally CONSENTED 70 become NY wife
: As 10 TbE light il he W5D60W, which "a
the cause Il tbe uBfortuEsAie oceuTEeDce
! # uuf0Itaaste il may be c4lud1, .1st l.