The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-10
A CHURCH MOUSE.

tereQ the Traveller, Iettlug luo piioto '"'
upon his horses neck, "The eyes Of n
owl would be at fault on such nigh
as this. Be quiet, you brute! Do yo'
mean to repay my confidence by breaking
my necks"
The animal had SHE'D so violently a
nearly to throw bis rider, and stoo'
trembling in every muscle. His maste
peered through the darkness in the en-
deavor to make out the cause of his ter
ror. He could perceive before him tn
dim outlines of disnantled church
with its broad avenues of gravestone
clustered about it. Beside the road, 8,
close that he conld have touched j
with his whip, he discovered an indis
tinct white object crouching upon on
of the graves. 49,
Resolved upon knowing what it was h
dismounted and approached it. As b
did so, it arose and fed rapidly away
With his curiosity now fully aroused h,
followed it. As it neared the.schurch j
turned suddenly and confronted him
At this moment broad glare of light
ming flashed thwart the sky and h'
saw before him young girl dressed in .
thin, water.soaked garment, her hai
falling in drenched coils uPor
her shoulders. For an instant bel
white, scared face was turned toward hin
and her large. sorrowful eyes met hi:
with an appealing look, then she seemed
! to inlet into the solid body of the church
As we'll as darkness permitted, he ex
amined the spot where she had disap
peared, but could find no opening
through which che could have escaped
He called aloud that he was friend
and that she had nothing to fear. The
only answer was the weird vail Of the
tempest through the broken arches
With a feeling akin to superstitious
terror, he hastily remounted his horse
and did not draw rein until he reached
the village inn.
"Who occupies the old church yon.
der2 he inquired of his landlord.
"Ah! you too have seen it." exclaimed
the landlord, mysteriously.
''It?" echoed the traveller. II saw what
I thought to be poor, demented girl"
"YoI saw the spirit of one." answered
the host solemuly. every one here
knows the story. When she was alive
her name was Ada Morton. Her father
died a year back leaving her heiress tu
his properly. As she was yet minor,
he appointed his friend Stephen East
burn her guardian, who in case of her
death unmarried, was to inherit the
property. It is said that he beat,
starved, and cruelty ill-treated her. One
night-just such a 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 deIiverance from her persecutor
by suicide. That was three months ago.
Her body was never found, but her spirit
has been often seen in the cburchyard,
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 in the story, but be made no
comment upon it. Merely informing
the landlord that he should remain for a
week or two, he returned to his room.
Like many another Young man of for
tune, Charles Barclay was afflicted with
too much leisure. His sole object in
this part of the country was merely d
languid search after amusement. The
st"ry had strongly aroused his
curiosity. Moreover, the young girls
ssd face and beseeching glance in the
churchyard had made strange impres
sion upon him. Something in her i'm.
probable history had led him to form a
vague suspicion of truth nearly as i'm
probable. Eagerly accepting the posi-.
BILE chance of an exciting experience, he
determined to sift the matter to the bot
tom.
Without dropping hint as to his in
tention, 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
An ineffably dreary air
hung about the place, depressing his
spirits ana almost resolving him to
abandon his object. But sentiment of
pride urged him on, and he cautiously
made his way into the church and sat
down in one Of the pews.
For more than an hour nothing occurr-
ed to attract his attention. He became
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 toe
sweet but mourutul tones of woman's
voice joined it. He could make out the
words of a prayer for the wretched.
After q moment the music ceased,
and he could hear the singer sobbing in
q low, eart-broken way, that brought
tears to his eyes. He strained his eyes
Though the darkness, but could make
out nothing. Arising, be called out:
"Whoever you are, you are in sorrow
and afliction. cannot see you. / will
not pursue you. All I desire is to be
you friend. Will you answer ME 2"
There was no reply, and the weeping G
suddenly ceased. After a moment Of
hesitation he made his way to the organ
loft and struck match. No one was
visible, nor was there. the smallest trace
of the recent presence of any living be.
ing. Considerably startled, he left the
church, determined to repeat his expe-
rieuce on the following night.
Providing himself with dark lantern
he went TO the church on the next night,
and secreted himself near the organ. AS
before it was nearly midnight before he
came conscious of the presence of
another 7erscn in the building. Gu
this occasion the organ was not played
but there was rustic as of womaL's
dress and presently he heard the same
low bitter weeping.
Quickly arising he shot the rays OF
the lantern in the direction whence the
sounds proceeded. Not more than three
yards from him in the broad glare of the
light he beheld the girl whom he had
met in the churchyard. She was look
ing at him with an expression of intense
terror in her white face and tear-wet
ewes. As she stood covering before him