Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-06-10

said, Well, sir, I'm agreed If you are;
4 then, with an almost solemn tone, Re
member, sir, the proposal came from
you, and if fate should
1M"The astonishment expressed, no
doubt, upon my face at this peculiar adj
dress, caused him to stop. Then he
laughed pleasantly, and resuming his
usual manner, said, Excuse me, but
my mind, just now, is SO occupied with
affairs very important to me that Tn
afraid my attention sometimes wanders.
You are very kind to offer me half of
| your room. l accept with many thanks. ;
And we passed into the tavern, where a
/ good supper was awaiting us.
/ There were no other guests at the
table. All gone to the wedding the
landlord said.
We did not regret in the least having
the house to ourselves, and supper being
concluded, we went to the wide front
porch, where we spent the evening in
pleasant talk. &e
g / gave my companion sketch of my
life for the past three ertour years. He
reciprocated by telling me about his
family-his wife, and his lovely daugh-
ter, who was very dear to him. II
:" She is good girl, and a very pretty
girl, too; everybody says so. Stay-I've
her miniature in my carpet-bag, and my
wife's too I'll show them to you'
g He rose from his seat, when a sud-
den thought seemed to strike him, and
| he resumed his chair, saying, I'd for
gotten. They have taken my carpet-bag
up stairs to the room. You can see them
at bedtime
: About eleven. we rose to go to our
room. My companion preceded me. /
I -l
be called at half-past four, so that /
might dress and breakfast at my leisure,
before taking the coach again.
9 fingered, chatting, for ten minutes
or so with mine host. When at last
entered the bed-chambei. | found my
roommate had made good use of his
time, and was already in bed, with the
eoverlet drawn up to his very ears, as if
it had been December instead of June.
Making no comment, however, | was
soon occupying the second couch, which
stood in q recess in the inner extremity
of the room, on one side of the great fire.
place.
II did not sleep well. / had teasing
dream, which recurred again and again.
1t seemed to me that some one was NOV
ing about the room with eyes fixed on
me- Once / thought this figure ap-
preached my bed. and hand touched
me.
81 reused with start. When my eyes
became accustomed to the darkness, |
saw the old gentleman looking out of
the window by his bedside.
HE said he had been disturbed, and
he supposed the wedding guests were
Just returning. Gay voices outside, pres
emily followed by footsteps ascending the
stairs, and mutual good-nights ex-
changed, corroborated this conjecture.
Soon all became quiet, and l again
fell asleep, and was again disturbed.
This time I was sure that there were
stealthy feet creeping around the room,
and that a hoarse voice was muttering
I listened, and distinctly heard the
words, The will Of Fate | called out:
Who is there?"
"No answer followed. The mutter-
ing ceased. I heard the feet creeping
away toward the other bed. | could
not stand the suspense, and sprang up
and lighted the candle in an instant.
There was no person in the room but
the old gentleman, who was sitting up
in bed, looking startled
"' Did you hear that noise? Were you
walking about?n l asked.
.'' Walking about?" he replied. i
am only Just this moment awake /
heard you call out, and / reused to see
what was the matter
I'm sure | heard footsteps and
voices, too, in this roomr
'' Voices in the room! You're surely
mistaken
"' I'm not mistaken!' repeated, testi-
ly. Why, | could even distinguish
words. Something was said about the
90 will of Fate" ~
&c He laughed confusedly as he replied,
I'm afraid I've been talking in my
sleep again. My friends say I'm ad-
dicted to that bad habit, and | suppose l
say all sorts of things. / think it is
very likely you heard me; and as to the
footsteps, perhaps our friends next door
have been restless. rs,
81 listened. but could hear no sound
"This explanation did not satisfy me.
| looked at my watch. 1t was Just two
O'Clock
'' 1t is very strange, but those steps
were in this room / said. will let
the candle burn for the rest of the night
1t will be daylight, now. in an hour and
a half, and /, for one, shall be glad to
see it. If believed in ghosts, l should
think this room was haunted I lay
down again. determined, if possible,
not to go to sleep.
The noises were not repeated ST.
lence pervaded the house, unbroken,
except by the breathing of the old gen
tleman, who, it was evident, was now
sleeping soundly. He was not fright,
ened; that was certain.
81 unused on these things for some
time. Those strange words, the will
of fate what did they mean? Just then
it occurred to me that my fellow-passen-
ger had used such an expression the
evening before, when / first offered to
share my room with him. Hemust have
been talking in his sleep, after all. I'm
a fool to think so much about it,
81 tossed and tumbled, and again
consulted my watch.
"' Only. twenty minutes of three! Oh,
that morning would comep
Il glanced across the room, and fan
cied for an instant that | saw my COM
panion's eyes wide open, watching me;
but when | sat up in bed to satisfy my
self about it, he seemed to be sound
asleep.
By this time, began to be ashamed
of myself The house was so quiet it
seemed absurd to be keeping vigil.
Nature began to assert her claims, too,
and settling back on my pillow again, |
presently lost consciousness.
When / awoke again, it was broad
daylight. My fellow traveller was al
ready dressed, and stood with his back
| to me by the Open window near the