Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-08
HfLLOKEVE.

] HIIsLO " n y T..
/ A gray, lowering sky sodden earth, mat
| ted with wet leaves lines of melancholy
trees bent away from the east by blasts of
/ fierce wind linden with chilly rain i'll the dis
/ tance. masses of black evcrgrecns; framing
in this picture skeleton vines TINT clung
around the window and wrestled dsmally
with the wind. 1t is no wonder that pair
of blue eyes gazing out ON the scene were
turned discontentcdly away, or that their
/ owner drew near the fire for comfort as she
said with a shiver
''Oh, Bertha, what an afternoon 1t seems
sixteen hours long, When do you suppose
papa will be well enough to go to the city =
I'm sure | don't know, Lucy. This kind
of weather won't benefit rheumatism :" and
the young lady who spoke went on energetic
ally rccling of her crimson woods. The
doctor says he's improving; but he can't
move about much he still let's Martin dress
him"
He'd be better away from here: these
country places are enough TO give any one
the horrors when autumn storms begin. And
this place is 30 isolated l do wish papa
would sell it," she concluded with another
dsconsolGte glance at the long line Of rain
washed avenue.
why, Lucy Morris! Sell the place he
was born and brought up in believe papa
reyerenccs every timber i'll this old house"
There are plenty to reverence then. It's
the biggest and ghostliest and dullest place
that ever was. hate great dusky rooms all
finished in oak, with black massive pieces Of
furniture, and perfect shrouds of curtains,
and tiers Of family portraits painted in the
/ year one ~
stop railing Lucy. While papa lives he
will always spend his summers here. You
and | can endure it if ii is a little dismal"
Its winter now almost. It's the very
last day Of October to-day, and still storming
as hard as over"
Yes; if it rains and blows like this, the
| servants IIaliow-eve will be rather tempes-
/ tuuus"
What are the servants going to do = was
the interested query.
"Oh, they're going to Hallow-eve cele-
braton in the village, to be gone all night.
l suppose they would so in the face of tenn
pest Even Martin was asking leave of papa
this morning"
Why, Bertha, Idont think it's safe Only
papa and We two left in this lonesome place
and papa laid up
Don't be a goose Lucy. Nothing ever
happens here. In all my experience of 7
village it has been as peaceful as Eden"
That's because it's so far out of the
world, was the rather spiteful rejoinder.
Maybe. 1t did occur to me that Martin
had better stay, but papa laughed at the idea
Let him get me TO bed, he said, and come
back in time to get me out in the morning
and l want nothing more of him. So that
was decided"
"Oh, see here :" and Lucy sat up in sud
den eagerness wouldn't it be fun to try
some Hallow-eye magic? Did you ever do
it?"
Never but once-at school" said her sis
ter with a laugh. 1--WE got five marks apiece
then for being found heating lead over the
gas at eleven o'clock at night
Heating lead? Oh know; you drop it
in cool water, and it hardens into some shape.
What shape did yours have?"
II don't know that it had any. I suppose
We were all TO be old maids
BERTHA don't be so dreadfully practical.
Put down your work, and help me think of
some magic for this evening. 1t will amuse
me, at any rate"
why, my dear, I'm perfectly willing
And I'm more than willing to put away my
work. for it's five o'clock time to dress for
dinner"
Bertha, don't you believe any offlis magic
crer came true afterwardY"
Miss Morris turned round and laughed at
her sisters solemn countenance. 1--WE heard
girls say it did OF course l did not believe
it,"
Don't you know Aunt Alice tells a story
of spreading supper table at midnight, and
lighting candles with nine pins stuck in them
at regular distances; and before the flame
reached the ninth pin, Uncle Jasper walked
in and sat down opposite"
"Oh, that's true enough. He knew she
was going to do it, 1t almost frightened her
out of her wits though. And, Lucy, if it's all
the same to you, I don't think III leave doors
unlocked tonight for our future husbands to
walk n."
"Oh, no, no, Bertha" and Lucy turned
pale at the very idea. but we might try
something. don't want to eat eggs full Of
salt or burn ears of corn it's not exciting.
One of the girls at Madame Durange's schoo
told Inc she went down cellar backward al
midnight with hand-miror and a candle
When she reached the bottom of the stairs
she was to look in the glass and see"
THE irresistible he, of course. What did
she see-the cellar walls?'
mo; she declares she saw Henry Maryell,
face And she was married to him in less
than year"
''That WAS a mGrrel indeed Do you want
me to try the cellar experiment"
I'D try it myself if l dared = aud Lucy.
pretty face looked doubtful, as she sat tap
ping the rug with her slipper,
Don't you dare I'll mount guard at tn,
head of the stairs"
''That would spoil it, There must be nc
) one in the room above. And the descent il
begun at the first stroke of twelve. l believe
l 6M try it"
''You'n feel less inclined at midnight, will
the wind wailing round the house. What au
l to dog"
"Why, let me see. Milly Durell told mt
some other things. One was something like thu
: cellar one--to eat an apple before a mirror il
an empty room while the clock is striking
twelve"
"What, finish the apple before the twelv'
strokes are done Z"
mo, no don't finish at all unless you like
but eat while the clock is striking"
t 'Very good. Iwon't attempt gastronomi
feats, but the rest is easy. There's no mir
5 ror in the kitchen, however"
? Don't l tell you you mustn't be in tn
= kitchen? The cellar opens in the kitchen
, and that's the scene of my experiment. Yo'
must be in lonely room. The east parlo
( would do. Go eat your apple before one o
D the big mirrors there"
every well. If your courage holds ou
= long enough to attempt the cellar feat, I'll tr.
y the other. Now get dressed if you mean to
t l must go to papa"
( Since Mr.. Morris's last attack of rheuma
. tism, dinner had been served in his sitting
5 room up stairs. There, as usual, it was lai'
: tonight,
' A social dinner they had, so pleasant tina
when dessert was removed, and the clocl