The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-08-12


hall and the adjoining rooms.
There is no sound so dismal, so erea-
tive of awe, so fraught with dread, as q
night-wind moaning through deserted
house. But Adam Hill strode sturdily
down the hall, striving to repress the
undeflnable fear that was gradually per-
vading him. He essayed to whistle al
though he could whistle like fageolete
his lips refused to obey. He was well
acquainted with the house, and went
directly to the broad staircase at the
further end of the hall, for he bad deter
mined on ascending to the cupola,
where he had first seen the face. His
foot was on the lower step, when he
halted abruptly, and listened, while Icy
chills traversed his spine, and crept
among the roots of his hair.
Was 1t the night-wind that had caused
the unearthly sound at the door Adam
looked, and every particle of color for
sook his face.
Standing by the door, distinctly visi-
BILE in the doorway, was the youthful
figure of the Squire, standing with
white face turned toward Adam, who
shook like leaf. One arm was ex-
tended, pointing to the floor and old
Adam could not refrain from a startled
outcry as he remembered on that very
spot the Squire had been last seen
alive.
Adams courage departed, and, sink
I inc nm tho efoirc ha t,riad his 70 m In
his hands. He was stricken with ter
ror. Down the hall came heavy foot
falls, directly toward him. The appari-
ton was approaching him, but he was
unable to move-even to fly. Terror
had paralyzed him.
The footsteps advanced to his side,and
a hand was laid upon his shoulder
Adam screamed.
Fear not" said o calm voice, whose
accents he well recognized. "Have
you then quailed so soon Have cour-
age; no harm befalls the innocent, but
justice shall overtake the guilty. Cast
off your terror,-for which you have no
cause-and follow me.''
The calm voice and evident friendli-
ness of the speaker, If not dissipating
Adams terror, so far re-assured him that
strength returned to his limbs, and, ris-
ing, he mechanically followed the ap-
partition, which stalked up the stairs.
Ere they had reached the landing
above, Adam became vaguely aware that
the apparition was strange spectre,-
| fo Il is I1lt tI,ok - :x,s,,
person, and his footballs equalled his
own in heaviness. To Adam, the idea
of ghost was a draped vapor, in the
semblance of mortal, gliding through
the air noiselessly, penetrating walls
and passing through doors with the
greatest facility, and speechless; where
as the 'squire's spirit had spoken, his
footballs sounded heavily on the stairs,
and, on arriving at the landing, he was
obviously short of breath.
Without even looking to see whether
the sexton was following, the spectre
stalked up the long "upper-hall," as it
was called, and entered an open door at
the further extremity - the 'squire's
room, Adam saw by the dim light of
his lantern. The room was precisely
as it had been left after its occupants
burial.
The furniture was disarranged, and
the book he had been reading on the
evening before his death lay on the
stand by his bedside, in company with
his half-smoked pipe, tobacco box, the
lamp, and match-safe. His slippers, Jun
molested by mice, lay ON the floor by
the bed, his dressing-gown was lying
across chair, and the bed itself-mil-
dewed and thickly covered with dust
was disordered precisely as the neigh
bors had disordered it when they lifted
the Squire from it to lay him In his
shroud. A monstrous rat leaped
from under the bed, and ran across the
room, passing between him and his
ghostly companion. The incident was
, trial, but it sent Adams heart throbbing
in his throat. A bat fitted about the
room, and his knees shook; and his
hair fairly rose as blind banged in a
distant window, and the high-wind
moaned through the corridors. Then
the conviction came overwhelming
ly upon him that he would never leave
. the haunted house alive.
The spectre had been standing by the
beside, gazing steadfastly down upon
the bed but he now sfaIkad foward n