Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-12-18

hAtu' ihty AhAil he'ri bhpW hlp
Thy wife, until they are willing TO 10
eelye me ~ such
"Leaye all TO me, Margaret" began
the young man but no was interrupt
cd by the opening Of tho door, and lhe
entrance Of Dame Martha, his mother
Franz started back, and walked away
N some embarrassment, while Mar
garet dried her tears, aud attempted
with trembling hands, 10 disenlangle
her thread, The confusion Of both
did not escape the dame,
"Shameless GIRL" she exclaimed In
anger, "wilt thcu persist IN talking
with my son, rs iftlou vert his equal
wouldst thou entrap the noble young
huntsn,an, the heir Of all We have, 10
wed thee Did no commit such a
folly, from that hour | would dlsown
him !"
"Sparo me, spare me T. exclaimed
the poor girl, clasplng hc hands
ave have resolyed--his father and
THAT no shall wed no damsel who
cannot bnng him u dover OF a hun
dred gold pieces, Where is hy
wealth, foolish maiden !"
Margaret only answered with tears
"Swear to me, then, that thou wit
hold no discourse with him till thou
canst bring me such sum MS thine
own. Swear, or begone this instant"
NJ swear !!
The hostess gazed for n moment
into her pale, sad face, and then re.
sumed in u softer tone
at is we'll: ! trust thee. Thou hast
in truth good heart, and art brave
girl. have nought against thy per-
son but like should match with like.
The poor must not aspire to the rich,
nor one born in shame TO the son OF
honast parents
The last reproach, familiar as it was
from her lips, rent Margaret's heart
She left the kitchen aud fastened TO
her own little chamber, where she
wept and sobbed long while, TILL
called upon to come forth and serve
the guests
The stranger, meanwhile, having
suppcd in his own apartment, descend
cd to the dining hall, and joined the
company who who We're still drinking
around the table. He was willingto
beguile the tedium of the evening by
hearing something of the news of the
day. The burghers readily gave him
a place at the upper end OF the table.
More wine was called for, and present
ly Margaret entered, bearing a flagon
OF the rnby liquor which she offered
first to the stranger He looked at
her earnestly, for her features remind.
ed him of some one he had known in
former years, and inquired her name.
The young girl answered with modest
grace, and having served the wine,
retired TO the end of the hall to await
further orders.
The various subjects of discussion
were gradually dropped as it grew
late. At last the general silence en-
abled the company TO hear conversa-
ton, in a low tone, held between two
of the citizens.
"But have you really belief in this?'
asked one
"Certainly," replied the other.
"The watchman told me the story
himself, and have heard OF several
who have seen the spectre in time
past"
"What is it about spectre ?" ask.
ed the stranger.
The burgher answered respectfully:
sIt concerns rumor, sir, that has
somewhat puzzled our townsfolk. -
There is in the chwchyard, in the
eastern division, an ancient tomb,
vaulted as they were in former times,
and so detaced, that the inscription
cannot be read. None therefore,
know who lies there. His name and
race, perhaps, it known, would be no
longer remembered but the body
will not remain buried and for years
it has been reported, that on the eve
of certain holidays, the dead man for.
sakes the tomb, and walks about the
buria; ground. The present sexton,
whose father has often seen him, told
me hut short time since, that when
he opened the tomb, to deposit there
in another corpse, he received blow
fiom an invisible hand, hard as IT
given BY skeleton, that felled him to
the ground, and that a voice at the
same time whispered, Bring no one