The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-09-17
BLOOMFIELD. PA, TUESDAY. sHPTEMBT1r H. 1878.
NO. 38.

but, ah, Mr.. Ronaldson, IL could tell
any one of half what sufIerl Oh, don't
listen to me. l am crazy to talk like
this to stranger"
But 1 am not a stranger, am very
much your friend and more, / have
become your family solicitor, so that
family secrets will be sure to get into
my possession. Pray tell me what ha-
rasses you SO, and very likely can be
of some use"
You are very good. / have told
you, partly. 1t was bad enough before
that Peter came, but now it is dreadful
Aunt has taken fancy to him. He as
sumes to be the heir, and she does not
contradict him. Whether it is for the
purpose of hanging terror over our
heads, or not, 1 do not know. He is
familiar, disagreeable, arrogant pre-
sumptuous. 1t is torture to live in the
house with him. Kate does not mind it
as 1 do; she is dreaming all the time of
Rick. My heart sinks every time they
meet, forI suspect they will plan an
elopement. Aunt Agatha's fury will
then descend on my head or, if go
with them, 1 shall be dependent on
Rick, and he is poor. never learned to
work. Oh, Mr.. Ronaldson, it's q life of
constant apprehension"
Just at that moment there was ter
rible cry, and Peter Gilbert's salmon
colored pantaloons leaped in at the win
dow.
Miss Gilbert" he shouted, " L saw a
man in the garden take off his head ~
Don't be fool, Peterl" cried Miss
Gilbert, forgetting politeness.
{" L did swear did. It's so. it's
50 ~ shouted the young man, greatly
excited. There was a tall man stand
ing right in the path. was looking at
him when he took off his hat, and then
took off his head |"
"Where did he go 20 asked some
one.
Do you suppose l stayed to see ? 1
was not such fool as to keep such COM
pany as that"
'Peter Gilbert ~ cried Miss Gilbert,
approaching him, and gesticulating for
cibly, how dare you raise such an in
famous tale about my house How
dare you set such disgraceful rumor
afloat among all these people?"
" 1t was so I'll give my right hand
If it wasn't" said Peter, doggedly.
The process of eating was entirely
suspended. CONSERVATION settled upon
the company. Miss Gilbert's eyes gilt
tered like two sparks as she heard the
whispers. AFQr s,l
"There never was such nonsense
given rise to before. There never was
whisper of such folly connected with
this place. 1 will have the garden
searched. Bessie, Kate, call the SER
wants." 3
Just after Peter's outcry Kate Staniels
had entered the room, and stood for a
moment quietly behind me. Then she
suddenly disappeared.
| Miss Gilbert sent two men into the
garden.
"Of course they will find nothing"
whispered the guests, with very pale
cheeks.
We stood about the doors and win
dows, when there was q scream of ter
ror from the shrubbery, and Pompey
came running towards the house.
" Oh, Miss Gilbert, L swear to de
Lord dat dere's white figger a-walking
down by the summer-house."
"Fool Fool You're fool too
You senseless wretch ~ cried Miss Gill
bert. g Peter Gilbert, go out of my
house You have disgraced it, and
ruined my servants. There never was
talk of ghosts and spectres until you
came here. Leave my house this min
ute and without word 10
Interference and remonstrance were
useless. She set her face against listen
ing to any one, and when Peter literally
took his departure from the assembled
company the irascible old lady surprised
every one by sitting down on the stairs
and crying like baby.
She had hoped to have son in that
fellow, and now he had brought dis
grace upon her. She was all alone in
the world, and would die as she had
lived, unprotected against calumnyl''
Oh, Aunt Agathalp said little Bes-
sic, affected to tears to see her sharp old
aunt crying, "you are not alone, love