The Russellville Democrat., 1880-08-05

| 1T T sf" His speech is effected, poor gentle
 manp' whispered Williams. s
 1 shall never speak againp groanet | the Captain. which reassured the consta
 ble, although he did not utter another
 word. Eg%s8sA aTsg6sa Asassn sod
 They reached Trefavon at wlast, and T found supper anda 6 good fire awaiting
 them. When Williams had withdrawn
 with his last orders, and a stately Good
 nightly from @hIs beloved Gwen, the | spirit seekers and finders were left
 alone. 1.-The d Captain srecoyered his Ls You fancy you got rid of the. ghost.
 You only sent it from one tree to afloth- CT. saw it again, walked with it, talked with it, tillit vanished into that
 haunted chapel. lam as much sin my
 right mind as you, are" asfm aef,vey~v II saw it there also" said the Suner- intendent, soothingiy, preceiving that | Glyn was excited. ~ aaaisfssssel
 Saw it? Then you own you have
 been wrong, and more obstinate than a
 mule. It bade me beware of Pryse, Su. ! perintendent" .a.,.s .s.as
 iI am not surprised. Eat your sup-
 per, go to bed, and we will settle the question tomorrow by daylight I am going past the cilapel, and you must come with me-. Not another word
 know what you are about to say is l right; but have an hours work to do, and should like to see voufn bed first" "I should think it was right?" chuckled the Captain, takingup his icandlestick,
 "but Eve had enough of the chapel.o
 r A good nights rest restored him to his usual spirits, and as ghosts did not walk by day, he consented to accompany the Superintendento on his rounds They went on foot, and he did not fail 'to i'm prove the occasion by lecturing his friend on his unbelief, who listened in much humility. z
 When they reached the little church, Pryse went into the churchyard without consulting Glyn, who, however, felt con- strained to follow. He almost expected to see the spectre in the gloomy, ghost ridden spot, He saw instead a woman standing by neighboring hut or out house, who shrieked and seemed about to run away when she perceived the visitors. The superintendent laid his hand gently on her shoulder, with the words: rt'. -. .,s,s a
 "Be good, and I will not harm you,i Matty. Why will you frighten people at night?" Ta
 She began to cry and moan, when he drew a gay blue ribbon and packet of sweatmeats, from his pocket, which turned her lamentations into joy.g She danced round him; took his hands, and showed him much affection. The cap tain ventured near, and saw a strange, wild figure, enveloped in amany-cOlored shawl which she wore like a mantle. Her face and hands were white, her matted locks long and fair, her eyes rov- ing and lustreless, her lips colorless.,
 This is your ghost" said the Super intendent, pointing to her, as she stood admiring her ribbon and eating sher. sweets. "This is poor Mad Matty." 1s
 She looked up at the sound of her. name, but shrnnk behind the superin- tendent when she perceived stranger close to him. She soon forgot him, how ever, in her new pleasures, and began to glide and dance about, holding up her ribbon, and moving in and out amongst the white-washed graves, It was easter tide, and the peasants, according to their custom. had tieded up their small inher- itances, planted endless wall flowers and ipolyanthuses, white-washed the stones, and frightened the otherwise gloomy spot, Mad Matty assisting. It was no wonder that the place looked ghostly in the moonlight. ss 1ts @fsse " c "Yes, that is your ghost ;" repeated the Superintendent, while the captain was following with his eyes the movements of the. .bewildered creature before him.. "Slt down on this tombstone and I will tell you her story. Itis pathetic enough though not s,Ipernatural,o E@ois @Ht 'g
 The captain obeyed, and the two men seated themselves on one of those large, flat, ugly slabs, raised foot or so above the ground, on which friends were wont to chronicle the epitaphs of their dead. la&iil3 sms R@@' Eifhw 1H&feW ~ a "Matty like all distraught women is supposed to ohave been crossed in .loye,pa began the Superintendent. ss.I only wish that could lay my club across the back of every man who deceives wo- man.. She had no friend patient enough to try to keep her wandering mind at home, so at last it strayed away alto-1 gether.e Her relations lived in this neighborhood, aud, when. her parents died, Matty was allowed to do much as she liked. Deprived of the shelter of their roof, she took possession of this shed, and has been undisturbed in it for twenty years at least; for she is older than she looks, Sometimes there seems method, at other times mischief, in her madness. Thanks to her, the ghost stories connected with this spot have trebled. ciThere are people, as yon know, who don't pause to find ont whether ghosts ghost; so Mad Matty must answer for many fool" ne
 Here the captain winced. 'e
 't "This churchyard is her home, and she likes it. She gets her dinner at the squire's and her clothes everywhere, terrifying or amusing the donors as the whim takes her and them. She always manages to secure a white garment, whether gown or bedgown, which she pu,s on at night Iimaglnc this to be habit, but others think it is done to frighten wavfarers. She has Scarcely wit enough to carry on system of ter- TOT, however, but changes her dress as she was accustomed to do when sane. Sometimes she sleeps in this hut, at others in the wood we passed through. Poor soul. She dreads neither ghost or goblin, though I have seen her frighten- ed at her own shadow in the moonlight. Perhaps this is why she climbs trees and perches like huge night owl, till the shadows flee and daylight dawns, She is so sociable that she generally joins the passer-by, whether he be friend or stranger. Whichever it may be, he IS sure to be terrified out of his wits; for her friends think she may attack them, and strangers take her for ghost"
 Here the Superintendent bowed sig