Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-12-01
my horror l saw two ruiians dragging
nm someihinn wrapped In O sheet |

cAhiNlhou w payHB""
opened, emitting a lurid glare The,
entered but did not stay long, FOL
they SOON came out, and lramPeC
down the stairs again, leaving lh'
door partly open, heard the sound
of Meir iootsteps die away 10 thu
lower basement, and all being quiet
/ stole quietly up tho stalrs and peep
ed into tho room, Thee, before
fire Of red emheis, stood the old hal
l saw 60 up in tho afternoon, sh'
was stirring something In caldror
on the fire, gibbering and maiIerina
like the witches In Macbeth. She
turned round, and ! thought her gaz'
fell on me, ! felt myself sliding
down. and remembered no more Until
l was again aroused by the same two
demons coming up with another
bundle. What could l do They
would soon be up. I knew now that
the old witch had not seen me, for J
was left unmolcsted. saw ! could
gain my room before they conld pos
sibly reach it, and they would moi
hear mo above their own din did
so, aud knew no more until you
aroused me-"
When she had ended, said -
"Mary, dear, do you nos think you
must have dropped of to sleep whilst
waiting Tor me, and your gloomy sur
roundiugs caused that very ugly
dream You know it has been proved
that one moments doze suflices the
soul for vagaries which, in our wax.
ing hours, would take weeks to per-
form.
mo" she replied, ~ did not sleep
one moment. Besides, should l sleep,
do you think, in broad day, especially
after / saw the old woman vanish out
of my sight I"
"Then you do believe in ghosts =
I laughed out.
"Iudeed, I do not; but it is all SO
puzzling.
"Aud you are certain she did not
come out again ?"
"Quite positive; for I did not take
my eyes off the door until l was in
the room and walked into the large
fire place and looked to see il she had
hid herself there, but it was all clear up
to the sky.
Well. / would believe in its being
haunted rather than in its being a den
of wholesale murderers. Were our
town a seaport, or near the sea, /
should think it was Il haunt for snug
glers, who had had q scuffle with the
coast guard and had brought home
their dead to give them burial. Then
I thought of the resurrectionlsts or
body snatchers ; but there was no
medical school in tho neighborhood,
or I would have put it down at once
TO one of those worthless The more
thought, the more felt convinced
it was the result OF my cousins dis
ordered Imagination, from being left
all alone at nighttall in such ghostly
building.
After a while I said: "Whist is
out OF the question tonight: no ones
thoughts would be in his or her hand
10, if Tom would like stroll. l am
ready for one."
He eagerly accepted the invitation ;
but my wife and Mary both sprang
up and intercepted rs on our way to
the door, saying I should not go out.
She auew meant TO go to the house,
and if l did, she would go too.
1 pooh-pooed the idea of gong
there, especially after what Mary had
told US.
"You don't believe a word have
told you'll am sure you do not; l
can see it by the twinkle Of your
eyes !" she exclaimed-"and don't you
90, Tom, let me beg ofyou,' Mary
had a special interest in Tom |; ]"and
then be won't care to 90 alone"
So Tom promised, fully meaning to
keep the promise, l am sare; and we
were allowed to pass.
As soon as we got out side, | said /:
swell. Tom, did not promise, nor
do wish 10 break yours; but / am
off to the Dukes I have the key
in my pocket, aud I wish to satisfy
myself; to morrow may be too late.
"Then you believe Mary's story!"h he
said.
"well, am bound to believe it;