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

MS frightened nelpmeeJ.
cay just as he used to look when he
and were young and rivals for the
favor of my Nannette. l was pulling
the rope on the last stroke : the sixty
first-when a current of cold air swept
over me, and looking up, l saw the
'squlre's face (no more), looking as he
looked at twenty-one. The blue eyes
looked calmly into mine for barely mo-
ment; then the disappeared, and / left
the church-losing no time, / can tell
you"
Lord preserve us And you are sure
you saw his young face ?"
"Surel"
And the expression of awed conviction
on the old sexton's face left no doubt in
his wife's mind.
A pause ensued, during which the old
couple looked at the smouldering fire.
Then said Nannette:
What does 1t mean, Adam ?"
Foul play 70 responded old Adam
gloomily.
Mercy on us s!''
81 always thought the Squire didn't
die q material death and now know 1t ~
declared Adam, striking his knee with
his clenched fist. !" For why did his
young face appear to me but to remind
me of the boyish love we bore each
other, and for the sake of that love to
set wrong right, that an old man might
rest easy in his grave? Nannette, the
Squire was always good to me, always
though did get the lovely Nannette,
for whose sake he lived and died bach
elor-and now I'll do good turn for
him If can and tonight to boot
Get the lantern, Nannette, and my oak
stick, and sit here by the fire until
get back-there's dear girl-for go to
the squire's house tonight
I" Lord preserve us You surely can't
be so mad |" cried Nannette, as Adam
rose. "To the 'squire's house why,
do you know they say it is haunted ?"
81 know they say it is haunted, and
after what I've seen tonight, know it
is 1t is haunted by the spirit of an
old man who can't sleep easy in his
| grave because foul play goes unpunish-
ed" Then he said sturdily "Don't be
skeered, Nannette; the 'squire's ghost
won't harm old Adam Hill, his best
| friend.n
But Nannette clung to him.
"Adam Adam ~ she implored +" do
not go-don'tl You'll never come back
again if you do. Promise me you
won't CO."
"No, Nannette," said Adam sturdily,
sit is my duty to go, and go must and
will. Don't be afreed, old lady,-the
'squire's ghost will never hurt the
squire's best friend! !"
So saying, Adam hustled about, pro-
cured his lantern and oak stick, and, re-
sisting the entreaties of his anxious
spouse, set out on his expedition, leav-
ing Nannette by the hearth, shaking
like leaf, with her face buried in her
hands.
Up the quiet, grass. grown, village
street, Adam Hills lantern bobbed and
glimmered, casting fantastic shadows
round about, and giving to his moving
legs shadow resembling piece of ma
chinery.
The squire's house was situated at the
other side of the village, at the extremi-
ty of a long, wide lane, between two
rows of lofty poplars, which threw
the lane into dense obscurity. Even in
vivid moonlight-and this night was
dark and murky-the lane was of inky
darkness, and, as it led to the old house,
it was avoided by the simple villagers,
who regarded it with dread. Perhaps
for several years no human foot had
trodden the lane after darkness had
fallen, and the children feared to frolic
in its shades, though its attractions to
them were manifold.
But Adam Hill, though superstitious,
and usually as afraid of the ghostly
lane as his neighbors, neither looked to
the right or left, as, plunging into its
obscurity, he strode toward the old
house. His eyes were bent upon the
luminous spot made on the ground by
his lantern, and he was deeply ponder.
ing over the cause of the apparition
which had alarmed and amazed him Sc
in the church. He finally became alb
stracted, and was abruptly brought tc
his senses by concussion which caused
him to look up.