The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1880-07-29
A Good Ghost Story.

NOV long since, TWO rustic galIants
went regular to see tho same girl.
The young la iy--a farmers fair
lnugh resided Just half way be-
tween the respective homes of her
adoiers, and. us matter of course.
when Sunday evening arrived. when
they came cJurting, tho distance
travelled over was the same to both.
Now M they were jealous of one
another, each lover tried his skill.
by series Of manoeuvres. to drive
tho other of, Affiirs hal oono on
IN this manner for some time, vet
neither had seemed t. have made
any marked progress in Tho lady's
regards. J do not know how il
would have terminated, for tho girl
liked them we'll enough but she
c)ul1 not marry them both, she was
puzzlol which ono to choose
Whether she wished them to fight
a duel, or decide tho contest by fist
icuifs. for tho honor of her hand aud
heart, ] cannot say but her sus
pouse, and that of her anxious lovers
vas, at last, relieved in the following
mauoer
- they had exhausted human
ingenuity in trying to outgenoal
each other they, both-strange as
it may seem resolved unknown to
each other, to cal to their all tho
terrors Of tue spirit world. Strang.
cr yet, the sumo night, was chosen
when each should prespuatc a ghost,
to drive the other of the field.
Well, the next Sunday evening
came, aud, attirel in tue habilimauts
Of the grave, could he soon, about
uine o'clock, our two heroes, cau-
tiously approaching tho abode of
their dearest dear. The object Of
ghost \. was to meet i. before he
reached tho house, frighten him out
Of his five senses, and then chase
him home. If A, could accomplish
this, b. would never dare to show
his ugly mug there again.
Ghost Bs object WAS precisely the
same towards l., aud. consequently
a fearful collision between them was
Inevitable
\. hal chosen a hollow prmpkin,
with two round holes cut near tho
top for saucer eyes, anl hugo hpli.
2,utal, parallel organ opening for
tho mouth A candle was pllrrl
bgrUing in it, Hul at a distance IN
the dark, it looked really f.ishjful
B. bad got somo pruk-which
looked like barGishei silver in the
dAik-which he intended phciug
around his person, in the night. IN
order to give him supernatural
appearance n pair OF OK hurus
placed npou his head, aui u,tilcl in
"A huga Ninlnt sheet, i woull hayu
pissed for very respectful, icyll
They met. Tao night was very
lark, tho rutl sumnwult mai vt
was always mlliy mp in Dluo
county-s1 that they had in manner
to feel th,ir way along. a turn in
the road, close by tn, dwelling, re-.
vcaled each to tue other in their
nuNHllN tOSNHlnt'
What a sight 4. saw a ghost-B
also bchcld another before him. 4
pumpkin head grinned horribly II.
b., whilst tho wlcrd llutarnS on b =
person almost anuihiIatod poor A,
for he imagined, suppose, that it
was the evil ono himself before him.
What mortal c)ull stand this
They conll not bat, appalled,. ter
rltipd, aud nearly mad with fear,
they both turned homewar'l aud ned,
with fearful outcriej bursting from
their trembling lips. As B. however,
was putting in his best plces, in re-
passing the house, a large mastilf,
alarmed by the outcries, rushed out,
aud headed him off,
Tho poor wretch, thinking it was
his diab1lical prosecutor in the form
of dog, turned aghast, and went oil
after A. with all his might-no hat
ou, his winding shoet streaming in
the wind behind him, while the dull
glari ng Of his punk wood orna-
WeutS plNb ullu, luiSct tlo ioph w
u demon A. heard tho noise, aud
glanciug behind him, saw with horror,
the phlutom in full chase. Ue
dropped the pumpkin-head which
he had been carrying in his hand
gave another, yet louder, yell and
exerting all his powers to tho utter
most, he bounded forward with the
agility OF a hunted deer, almost hy-
ing over the ground, as he went, Is =,
in the meantime, not seeing the
pumpkin head, pressed ON in tho
rear, the dog at his heels, barking
aud urging him forward still faster
than before.
How long they would have contin-
ued on in their headlong flight il
not stopped, L cannot tell They
had already legged it over two miles
aud were in fair way OF RAINING
themselves to death, If A. in his
blind haste, had not pitched head
long into mire hole, b., too, the
next minute sharing tho same fate
Fortunately. the hole was not deep
or they both would have been
smothered in the mud, for they were
fairly tired out and weak as infants
They remained in this condition un-
II 4 Il.