Smyrna times., 1880-04-07
The Story Of a Granted Wish.

nothing to do, nothing to think about
was too thoroughly a cOcknry to care for
country pursuits and besides we lived in
country town, not village. Here | lived
or vsgitated for three years. And all that
time was signing fer an adventure-soms-
thing to happen, something to break the
monoteny of existence. The reader shall
hear how l gained my wish at last and
learned to indorse the truth Of PopeS words.
10 know tie misery of a granted prayer"
We had fine old church at Dullerton,
almost as large as a small cathedral (excuse
the lrlshism) 1t was rich in brasses and
fine tombs; indeed. really believe there
were more male stiisies on the tsmbstenes
than young men in the town. The church,
though very fine, was sadly out of repair;
put one good thing 1t pOssrsssd-an excel
lent organ, which had kcen left the place
by native of Du!lerton. | was passion ate.
ly fond OF music, and wHsh our good easy
vicar gave me caHc 6ldochG 10 use this organ,
tOuad life at DullertOn more endurahle
AS al artists daughter could not be insen.
sIbls to the beauty vt the church itself: ::
ana between PracticinS on the organ,
skstchins the interior OF the church, and
making myself intimately acquainted with
tie tombs and brasses, | spent great part
OF the day III the sacred cdltice.
Ons cold, Winter afternoon Remember
having peculiarly dismal lit, having been
III doors Tor tw" or three days in couse-
quehce OF heavy fall Of SNOW; and
when, late IN the aftrrnoor, it began to
clear, felt must 20 our. # only for an
hour. Spite of Aunt Aanrs saildiV.sx
pressed astonishmehj, | wont oul. nnd tvlt
AUST try just one chan; upon l..at dear
old organ. Calling at th, VI, arAg,. Tor the
key 0f the churci., ! w~i,t Oh my w,iful
way, little thinking liov ...,i nv longing
for an adventure W., to b~ satisfied. it
was growing dusk ~ | ~ 10 'ked the Ltayy
door and strPpc'; in-itv me church 30
! dusk, ln fact, tHAt ! aaIa.r.i nv fyoiin.r At
tAa step INSIDE ana slipped, Ealing against
the door In my Efforts to save myself. Tic
! door slammed to, leaving the kew on the
outside. 80 here | Was n prisoner. The
door, like everything else, was out OF repair
and depended an the key for opening 1t /;
there WAS no latch within. tried to turn
the key through the key he!e, but only sue.
caeded In breaking my nails Tnen |
remembered reading how some one siini.
larly situated had runE the bell. But, alas,
our beltry was approached by fight OF
turrct stairs, terminated hy door, whicl. |
! found-l0ck ed
4hs church was about ten minutes walk
from any hSGitatIoA and no one WAS likely
to pass il, SO | might have shouted forever
without attracting attention, even could
E.y voice have penetrated through the
stout oakeR door. ! once thought Of esca D.
ing by the windows, but they were all too
high from the ground, and even in this
emergency ! should have hssitatSd at
ore"N Nlns pane OF tue rare old glass. Ny
only hope was that Aunt Anne woulu be
| come alarmed and miss Hle. Mad prom
lssd 10 return tho key at the Vicaraee as |
weEt l0:Ae but it Was douhtfuI il Iny nsn.
| nil@dr"nce that evening would excite sur.
| prise. Mr.. Scott, our old bachelor vicar.
! was one Ut the me,t ab.eht uf men, and if
lao WAS immersed III ms books, had proba.
bly, iorgottea the key and i"y.elf ~ this
tlIs. 84y only hope Of rescue lay in aunt
| Anne
IA rose frorA the step where had been
sitting rejecting on thS situation, began
to feel that adventures, after all, were not
without alloy. | thought so still more some
hours later, Spite of my wrappings was
cold, 50 gathered stray pieces OF carpet
and rugs from the Aeats. and built myself a
warm nest by the chAMceI, where | could
command a full view Of the door in case
any one came to look for me.
| was neither q nervous nor a suparsti.
tlous girl, but the Tierdnsss of the church
In the fading light gave me such uaconafor-
table, creepy" sensations that closed my
eyes to keep out the spectral view.
must have slept somo hours, for, on
awakening, the moon was shining. | Rew
began to feel very uneasy. Was | con
dSmned to make = sht of it" in the
church 1t was t,.rss!ns the next day
was Sunday, ! thought ru~iulIy, at any rate
| was sure 10 be found when Saunders came
to open the doors lay looking down the
long vista of the nave, at all the familiar
tombs | knew 50 well ths knights and
ladies lying stiff and still, with solemn.
faced rows of children kaeeling at their
sides. The white figures looked CHASTITY
enough in the uncertain light, and brought
into my mind ali the shostly stories | had
over heard. | sat up and sRdeavored to
to shake eff the uncomfortable sensations
creeping over me, and told myself how
absurd it was to thiRk of such rubbish. As
| raised myself nay glance fell on large
square tomb R@ariy opposite. knew every
stone in the church and that special tomb
was an eySsors to me for though it was
clearly intended to bear a recumbent eff sy
the figure was now wanting. Yet, as
locked across now, distinctly saw a figure
lying on the slab. Mr.. Scott has actually
filled up that blank tomb at last"
thought" and | strained my eyes to distin
guiEh what kind of figure he had sslec
ted. Its legs were crossed, ! was Hure
therefore it must be a crusader. The only
distinct part about il was the crossed legs
or pillar hid the upper part of the bsdy
from nay view. Looking steadily at it
fancisd twas it oply fancy p that the legs
moved as this pleasant idea occurred tC
me, the moon again disappeared another
few seconds and it shone out again and
vsntured to look across once more to reas
sure myself. There was no movement in
the rigid form but the legs were crossed
no longer. Could have been mistaker
in thinking they were SOP Impossible
Yet they were most certainly uncrOsssd
now. Again the light waned, and again
appeared. This time | was looking with al
my power unable to moYs or stir, Was
going mad or did ray eyes play me false
Slowly, but unmistakablV, did the figure
begin to stir; it moved restlessly upon iti
stony couch, and finally sat bolt upright
clear and distinct in the moonlight. / car
not attempt to describe the terror that
seized upon me at this fearful sight Nsve
have / experienced moments Of such men
tai agony as when | lay covering amen,
my wrappings, with straining eysballs fixed
on that fearful thing-ghost, demon, what
: moving opposite, Presently it ress anC
stood upright in the aisle, locking arouns
? at il in search of something. tried t
draw one of the carpets over nay head, for
eeuld not bear the sight longer but as
r moved yell rang through the stiffness
. and the figure rushed at me. How fsunG
power to rise knsw not, but have a re
membrancs of a mad flight down the nav
i. and round the aisleH, with that fearful pur
a susr bshind-On, On like vision ia
dreadful dream and then another fisndisl
yell, clutch of cold fingers at my throat
and--darkRess and vacancy
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