Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-12-09
A CHURCH MOUSE.

/ ltGtu Tie Traveller, lGLIlIlS TIE DIIulc I'LL
upon his horses neck. The eyes OF
an owl would be at fault on such a
night as this. Be quiet, you brute
Do you mean to repay my confidence
by breaking my neck? p
The animal had SHE'D so violently
as nearly to throw his rider, and stood
| trembling in every muscle. His mas
ter peered through the darkness in the
endeavor to make out the cause Of his
terror. He could perceive before him
the dim outline Of a dismantled church
with its brood of gravestones clustered
about it. Besides the road, so close
| that he could have touched it with his
whip, he discovered 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 CON
frontcd him. At this moment broad
glare of lightning flashed athWart the
sky and he saw before him d young
girl dressed in athin, water-sOaked gar
ment, her hair falling in drenched coils
upon her shoulders. For an instant
her white, scared face was turned to-
ward 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 opening
through which she could have escaped.
He called aloud that he was a 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 superstitious ter
rOr, he hastily remOunted his horse
and did not draw rein until he reached
the village inn.
"WhO occupies the old church
yonder?" he inquired Of the land
lord
''Ah! you have seen it," exclaimed
the landlord, mysteriously.
'It?" echoed the traveller. Il saw
what / take to be poor demented girl"
you saw the spirit of one," ans
Wered the host, solemnly. Every one
here knows the story. When she was
alive her name was Ada Morton. Her
father died a year back, leaving her
heiress to his property. As she was
yet a minor, he appointed his friend
Stephen Eastburn her guardian, who
in case of her death unmarried, was to
inherit the property 1t is said that he
beat, starved, and cruelty ill-treated
her. One night-iust such night as
this-she disappeared Her hat and
cloak were found on the river bank
next morning 1t was plain that the
poor creature had sought deliverance
from her prosecutor by suicide. That
was three months ago. Her body was
never found, but her spirit has been
often seen in the churchyard, where
her father lies. Meanwhile, the man
who drove her to her death lives at
his ease in her fathers house on the
hill"
The traveller was evidently deeply
interested III the story, but he made no
comment upon it. Merely informing
the landlord that he should remain for
a week or two, he retired to his room.
Like many another young men of
fortune, Charles Barclay was afflicted
with too much leisure. His sole object
IN this part of the country was merely
languld search after amusement. The
landlady's story had strongly aroused
his curiosity. Moreover, the young
girls sad face and beseeching glance in
the churchyard had made a strange
impression upon him. Something in
hR1s 111O1o lln h1-41,,,, l,oI 1DI hI,>, -
form vague suspicion Of a truth near
ly as improbable. Eagerly accepting
the possible chance of an exciting ex-
percnce, he determined to sift the mat
ter to the bottom
Without dropping a hint as to his
intentions, he left the inn on the next
night shortly after eleven o'clock and
proceeded to the old church. The place
was silent and deserted; not even stray
dog was to be seen wandering about the
churchyard. An ineffably dreary air
hung about the place, depressing his
spirits, and almost resolving him to
abandon his object. But a sentiment
Of pride urged him on, and he eau
tiously made his way into the church
and sat down IN one of the pews.
For more than an hour nothing oc-
CURED to attract his attention. He be-
came drowsy and was on the point of
falling asleep where he sat. when a
low, weird peal from the old organ
moaned through the church. He sat
erect and listened with suspended
breath. The sound rose higher and
clearer, and presently the sweet but
mOurnful tones of q WOman'S voice
joined it. He could make out the
words of 4 prayer for the wretched.
After a moment the music ceased.
and he could hear the singer sobbing in
low, heart-broken way that brought
tears to his eyes. He strained his eyes
through the darkness, but could make
out nothing. Arising, he called out:
whoever you are, you are in sorrow
and affection. [ cannot see you. [
will not pursue you. All desire is to
be your friend. Will you answer me%
There was no reply, and the weeping
suddenly ceased. After a moment of
hesitation he made his way to the or
gan loft and struck match. No one
was visible, nor was there the smallest
trace Of the recent presence of any
human being. Considerably startled,
he left the church, determined to re-
peat his experience on the following
night
Providing himself with a dark Ian
tern, he went to the church on the next
night, and secreted himself near the
organ. As before, it was nearly mid
night before he became conscious OF