The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-11-29
Select Shw.
A CHURCH MOUSE.
BIZ c E. HILDRETH.

81 must trust to your instinct" NUT
tered the traveller. letting the bride fall
upon his horses neck. "The eyes of an
owl would be at fault on such night as
this. Be quiet, you brute! Do you
mean to repay nv confidence by break
ing my neck for me- p
The animal had shied so violently as
to nearly throw his rider, and stood
trembling in every muscle. His master
peered through the darkness in the en-
deavor to make out The cause Of his ter
ror He could perceive before him the
dim outline of dism msntled church. with
its brood Of gravestones clustered about
it Beside the road, 80 close that he
could have touched it with his wbip. he
discovered an indistinct object crouch
ing upon one of the graves.
Res lived upon knowing what it was,
he dismnunled and approached it. As
he did so it arose and fed rapidly away.
Will. his curiosity now fully aroused he
followed it. AS it neared the church it
turned suddenly and confronted him.
At this moment broad glare Of light
ming flushed across the sky, and he saw
before him young girl dressed In a
thin, water-soaked garment, her hair fal-
ling in drenched coils upon her shoul
ders. For an instant, her white scared
face was turned toward him. and her
large, sorrowful eyes met his with an
appealing look, then she seem t, melt
into the solid b DIV OF The church.
As we'll as the darkness perm tied be
examined the spot where she had dIsap.
peared, but could fnd no opening
through which she could have escaped.
He called aloud that he was her friend
and that she had nothing to fear, The
only answer was tue wall OF the tempest
through the broken arches. With 6
feeling akin tn superstitious terror, BIZ
hastily remounted his horse and did no
draw rein until he reached the villag,
inn.
"Who occupies the old church yon
der p he inquired of the landlord
s.Ah! you, too, have seen it?" ex
claimed the landlord mysteriously.
"lt2" echoed the traveller. 81 say
what l take 20 be poor, dementet
girl"
"You saw the spirit OF one," answer
ed the host solemaly. avery one her
knows the story. When she was aliv
her name was Ada Morton. Her fathe
died year back leaving her heiress t.
his property. AS she was vet mino
he appointed his friend. Sam Eastman
her guardian, who in case of her deati
unmarried was to inherit the property
1t is said that he beat, stamped and cru
ely ill-treated her One night-just suci
night as this-she disappeared. He
hat and cloak were found on the rive
bank next morning. IT was plain tina
the poor creature had sought deliver
ance from her prosecutor by suicide
That was three months ago. Her bot,
was never found, but her spirit has beer
often seen in the churchvsrd. where he
father lies. Meanwhile the man wht
drove her to her death lives al his eas'
in her fathers house on the aill."
The traveller was evidently deeply 10
teres' ed in the story, but he made NJ
comment upon it. Merely informin!
the landlord that he should remain for
week or two be retired to his room.
Like many another young man Of for
tune, Charles Barclay was afflicted will
too much leisure. His sole object in thi
part OF the country was merely Ian
guild search for amusement. The land
lords story had strongly aroused his Gu