Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-11-11
A CHURCH MOUSE.

II must trust to your instinct,
muttered the traveller, letting the
bride fall upon his own horses neck.
1.-The eyes of an owl would be at fault
on such night as this. Be quiet,
you brute! Do you me:.n to repay
my confidence by breaking my neck ?"
The animal had SHE'D so violently
as nearly to throw his 1ider, and
stood trembling in every muscle.
His master peerea through the dark
ness in the endeavor to make out the
cause of his terror. He could per-
ceive before him the dim outline of a
dismantled church, with it's brood of
gravestones clustered about it. Be-
side the road, so close that he could
have touched it with his whip, he dis
covered. an indistinct white object
crouching upon one of the graves.
Resolved upon knowing what it
was, he dismounted and approached
it. AS he did so, it arose and fled
rapidly away. With his curiosity
now fully aroused he followed it.
AS it neared the church it turned
suddenly and confronted him. AT
this moment broad glare of lightning
flashed athwart the sky and he saw
before him young girl dressed in a
thin, water-soaked garment, her hair
falling in drenched coils upon her
shoulders. For an instant her white,
scared face was turned toward him
and her large, sorrowful eyes met his
with an appealing look, then she
seemed to melt into the solid body OF
the church.
As we'll as the darkness permitted,
he examined the spot where she had
disappeared, but could find no open
ing through which she could have
escaped
He called aloud that he was o
friend, and that she had nothing to
fear. The only answer was the
weird wall of the tempest through the
broken arches. With a feeling akin
to superstltious terror, he hastily re.
mounted his horse, and did not draw
rein until ne reached the village inn
"Who occupies the old churci
yonder:" he inquired of this land
lord
"Ah! you too have seen it," ex
claimed the lsndlord, mysteriously
'It7" echoed the traveller. 81
saw what thought to be poor, de
mented GIRL"
''You saw the spirit of one,' an
swered the host, solemnly. Ever,
one here knows the story. When sh'
was alive her name was Ada Morton
Her father died year back, leaving
her heiress to his property. AS sh'
was yet a minor, he appointed hi
friend Stephen Eastburn her guar
dian, who, in case of her death un
married, was to inherit the property
1t is said that he beat, starved, ant
cruelty ill-treated her. One night
just such a night as this-she disap
reared. Her hat and cloak wcr
found on the river bank next morn
ing. 1t was plain that the poor crea
ture had sought deliverancc from he
prosecutor by suicide That wa
three months ago. Her body WI,
never found, but her spirit had bee
often seen in the church-yard wher
her father lies. Meanwhile, the ma
who drove her to her death lives q
his ease in her fathers house on th
hill"
The traveller was evidently deepl
interested in the story, but he mad
10 comment upon it. Merely in
forming the landlord that he shoul
remain for a week or two, he retire
to his room.
Like many another young man {
fortune, Charles Barclay was Athlete
with TOO much leisure. His sole oil
ject in this part of the country ws
merely languid search after amust
ment. The landlords story ha
strongly aroused his curiosity. More
over, the young girls sad face an
beseeching glance in the graveyar
had made strange impression upo
him. Something in her improbab
history had led him to form .agu
suspicion of truth nearly as in
probable. Eagerly accepting the po'
sible chance of an exciting expe
ience, he determined to sift the matt,
to the bottom.
Without dropping hint as to b
intentions, he left the inn on the re.
night shortly after IL O'Clock AT
proceeded to the old church. IT
place was silent and deserted; n
, even stray dog was tc be set
, wandering about the churchyard. A
ineilably dreary air hung about tt
place, depressing bis spirits and g
most resolving him to abandon Ii
object. But sentiment of pri'
urged him on, and he cautious
made his way into the church al
I sat down in one of the pews
For more than all hour nothing O
cured to attract his attention. l
became drowsy, and was on the poi
of falling asleep where lie sat, when
low, weird peal from the old org
moaned through the church. He 8
erect and listened with suspend
breath The sound rose higher al
clearer, and presently the sweet b
mournful tones of woman's vol
Joined it. He could make out t
words of prayer for the wretche
After moment the music cease
and he could hear the singer sobbi
in a low, heart-broken way, Il
brought tears to his eyes.
strained his eyes through the dal
ness, but could make out nothir
Arising, he called out.
"Whoever you are, you are in 81
row and affliction. l can not s
you. l will not pursue you Al
desire is to be your friend. win J
answer me 2"
There was no reply, and the We
ing suddenly ceased. After mom'
of hesitation he made his way to
organ loft and struck .. match.
one was visible, nor was there
2 smallest trace of the recent prese,
J of any living being. ConslderaI
startled, he left the church, det
mined to repeat his experience,
the following night.
proy;d;nr hiynoalf until, a aarlr 1