River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-25
A CHURCH MOUSE.

fall upon his horses neck. ''The eyes
of an owl would be at fault on such a
night as this. Be quiet, you brutel
Do you mean to repay my confidence
by breaking my neck?"
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 outlines of dismantled church,
with its brood Of gravestone clustered
about it. Besides the road, so close
that he could have touched it with his
whip, he discovered in 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-
| fronted him. At this moment broad
glare of lightning flashed athwart the
sky, and he saw before him young
| girl dressed in a thin, water-soaked
garment, her hair falling in drenched
coils upon her shoulders. For an in
slant her white, scared face was turn
ed toward him, and her large, sorrow
| full eyes met his with an appealing
| look, then she seemed to melt into the
solid body of the church.
| AS well as the darkness permitted,
| he examined the spot where she had
disappeared, but could find no open
ing through which she could have es-
capped.
He called aloud that he was friend,
and that she had nothing to fear The
only answer was the weird wall of the
tempest through the broken arches.
| With feeling akin to superstitious
terror, he hastily remounted his horse,
and did not draw rein until he reached
the village inn.
der?" he inquired of the landlord.
"Ah! you, too, have seen it," ex-
claimed the landlord, mysteriously.
"It," echoed the traveller. 81 saw
what | take to be a poor demented
girl"
"You saw the spirit of one," answer
ed the host, solemnly. Everyone
here knows the story When she was
alive her name was Ada Morton. Her
father died year back, leaving her
heiress to the property. AS she was
yet minor, he appointed his friend,
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 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 deliverance from
her prosecutor by suicide. That was
three months ago. Her body was new
er 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 in 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 man of
fortune, Charles Barclay was afflicted
with too much leisure. His sole OBJ
iect in this part of the country was
merely languid search after amuse-
ment The landlords story had strong
ly aroused his curiosity. Moreover,
the young girls sad face and beseech-
ing glance in the churceyard had made
a strange impression upon him. Some
thing in her improbable history had
led him to form vague suspicion of
truth nearly as improbable. Eagerly
accepting the possible chance of an ex-
citing experience, he determined to sift
the matter to the bottom.
Without dropping hint as to his
intentions, he left the inn on the next
night shortly after IL o'clock and pro-
ceeded to the old church. The place
was silent and deserted; not even q
stray dog was to be seen wandering
about the churchyard. An ineffable
dreary air hung about the place, de-
pressing his spirits and almost resolv-
ing him to abandon his object. But a
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 oc-
cured to attract his attention. He be-
came drowsy and was on the point of
falling asleep where he sat, when low
and weird peal from the old organ
moaned through the church. He sat
erect and listed with suspended breath.
The sound rose higher and clearer, and
presently the sweet but mournful tones
of a woman's voice joined it. He could
make out the words of a prayer for the
wretched.
After moment the music ceased,
and he could hear the singer sobbing
in a 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 Ill sOr-
row and affiiction. ] cannot see you.
| will not pursue you. All / desire is
to be your friend. Will you answer
met"
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 a match. No one
was visible, nor was there the smallest
trace of the recent presence of any hui
man being. Considerably startled, be
left the church, determined to repeat
his experience on the following night
Providing himself with dark Ian
tern, he went to the church on the
next night and secreted himself near
the organ. As before, it was near mid |
night before he became conscious of
the presence of another person in the |
building On this occasion the organ
was not played, but there was a slight |
rustic as of a woman's dress, and pres
emily 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 looking at him with an ex-
preston of intense terror in her white |
face ard tear-wet eyes. As she stood |
covering before him she reminded him
of some innocent animal crouching at !
the hunters feet. With an accent of !
deep pity he addressed her:
II saw you in the churchyard night |
before last; spoke to you last night.
| am not an enemy, nor an idle curios- |
ity-seeker. | earnestly want to aid |
you. VIII you not trust me-"
Keeping her eyes fixed upon him
with the same distrustful look, she
apouarod IN a faint far-Off yOica.