The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-08-06

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dignation, but even then / suspected that
he was craftily melting us TO carry out
our undertaking by slurs upon our tcoul-
age. We prided ourselves ON our bravery,
and to tell us that we were afraid OF do
ing anything was to determine us to do
it. ;,q,~ q-ad, ,s rfrrr,.-,oe y s,.o ,,..s,.,
"Look here, Roy,"'c ried Emma, "what's
the matter with you? We are going to
the church tomorrow, night, and just
spare your insults till we get back, will
you?" M., g: Win
ooh, don't let. us go!' cried Alice.
''Roy is right. We ought not to go there
alone at that hour. 0 Roy, can't you
come too?' ,sH 60, ~ INV, G.,.., .,,j IN
'Impossible?" said Emma, decidedly
eve certainly. don't want that young
| gentleman's escort. He would have resl-
son to triumph over us if we took him,
and to tell the truth, I'm sure he's afraid
himself" ,,,..-. -,-,.,. ..,:- .... -
Roy, instead of resenting this, only
shook his head solemnly. T., ......-
"Well, yes, 1 must acknowledge I'd
rather he in bed on st. Mark 8 Eve than in
the church porch among the graves"
ooh, I can't go!'' Alice asped. nj e.,
every we'll, my dear Emma answered;
"only you'll have to go to bed alone in
the great red room, as she shall be away.
1t ghosts are really abroad tonight, or
the spirit Of the doomed, whats to pre-
vent them from paying you a visit? Bet
ter see them in our company, child. |
can't let you 60 on being such a ridicu-
lous coward and such laughing stock as
your are. You must go with us to-mor-
row, and see for yourself that they are no
such things as appantions. When one
Of you castles of terror is demolished,
veil make short ork of the Others" ~
$50 you really are going!" Roy asked.
eyes, we really are, unless you are
mean enough to tell mother what we IN
tend to do. She's not afraid Of ghosts,
but she's in terror Of t1amps.'
Poor, Alice shivered, and whispered to
me she wouldn't be sorry If Roy did tell
Mrs. Lyons. =. .~,,.0.. 81. =. .. .......
y All me! looking back through the years
to that day, l wonder at our cruelty to
the girl whom we truly loved, and whom
&c would have defended from any real
danger with our lives. We did not mean
to be cruel, but in our ignorance and fol-
ly we struck that timid, tender, nature
deadly blows in order to harden it.
Roy did not reveal our purpose, as we
feared he would. In fact, he seemed ter
ribly busy in his own room, and had sew:
eral OF his young friends with HIM that
night and the next day. They all kept
OUT Of our way, which was comfort.
When night came on,-7and a pretty
dark night it was at frst-we were so
mucn excited that we did mol feel at all
| uneasy at the long walk before us. We
had lantern, and everything ready in
our room, and waited .impatiently until
the clock struck the half-h.ur after
eleven. 49,. ''''
The back door was never locked, and
we crept softly down the stars, hardly
drawing breath until we were outside.
Emma had taken the precaution to give
Alice a strong cup Of tea before we start
I'd, and she did not seem more nervous
than usual. M rf<,..,,.,.4 .,,...
We laughed and TESTED as we went
along, and were soon seated on a long
bench within the church porch. The
little lantern rev very feeble light,
but the clouds had dispersed, and the
moon, just risen, shonc full on the church
yard and every object in it. ...3f..,. g; -,
We did not expect to see anything
of course, Tut somehow the influence Of
the time and place sobered our high
spirits, and we grew silent and thoug htful
waiting for the great church clock to
strike midnight, the hour Of our release.
"What a relief!' whispered Alice, as
t first ponderous stroke almost made us
start from our seats. ... ,.,..s.r .:...,.
We waited until twelve was rung out,
and then rose to depart. Suddenly,
without sound from he shadows of the
church emerged a procession, a gray,
weird line of figures, some of whom we
recognized with thrill of terror. .
"Look! look! It's old Mr.. Morton"
| whispered Emma. "Look at his long
white hair! He died last month. And
there's John Selwyn' What's the mean
ing Of it? There's some plot here, certain
.Half-frightened, she felt convinced that
it was practical joke, 81 a.,s ~ ...,,
But the other girls we're more than
half frightened, and chung to each other,
watching the noiseless line of figures
glide over, the graves, and circling the
churchyard, return toward us on the other
oAuo. M lllo cuu VI Cile line was Slen-
der figure, and we caug't our; breath as
we recognized Alice's long golden curls,
and even a dress Of a peculiar pattern
W ich she sometimes wore. IT The figure
moved on, holding hand to its heart,
ooh, it's Alice'' gasped Adela. And
Alice, who, at the first sight of the APP
partitions had buried her face on nv
shoulder, looked up, recognized + her
double, and with a scream, fell ,senseless
in my arms. an.35a3 q, tfsass.u,s, ,.I.,
Then our tense nerves gave way, and
shrek after shrek rose on the air. The
ghostly procession took to flight in most
unghostly haste, and the one who per
sonated Alice, tearing off his lheadgear
and encumbering sairts, rushed up to Us.
1t was Roy. ., J: .s}f6 443ta q; a1t,,., a.
"For mercy's sake, stop that scream
ing" he cried. 1.-THE W, ole country will
be reused. It's nothing but a, jest.
What's the matter; with Allce2"'Go =; ,,,,.
/, "You've killed her, | believe Y groaned
81 He seized her in his arms, and swiftly
ran toward the house, all of us following.