The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-02-11
LEHGHToN, FEBRUARY H.

Now, the broad path up the mountain
wound in and out in great curves, avoid
ing the chasms, and choosing the most
gradual ascent. There was another and
more direct way which Bretta often fol-
lowed, and which she chose now TO acce1-
crate her return. This was narrow and
rough, and in some places so steep that
climbing up il from rock to rock was like
ascending great natural stairway.
This night the mist had settled down
until 1t hung an impenetrable curtain,
shntting everything out into a region of
obscurity. Even Bretta's sharp eyes
could not distinguish objects more than
yard distant; but she clambered on fear
lossly, secure in her perfect knowledge
Of the way. At length the path verged
upon more level space, where on one
side there was sheer descent of hun
dred feet, and on the other the rocks
broke away in wide cleft or ravine. The
moon was struggling up outside the mist,
lighting it now with kind of opaqne
brilliancy,
Bretta was half way across this ridge
stretching over this space to the next as.
cent, when she paused at sight which
took away her breath and held her mo-
tionless rs she gazed at it,
A woman's figure, taller, she knew, than
any living woman could be, white. and
dim and wavering, stood up against the
mist ont over the middle Of the precipice.
1t had long floating hair waving about
its shoulders, and seemed to approach or
recede as the mist thickened or was pierre
ed by the moons rays.
For moment Bretts lost speech and
thought, ar gazed awe-stricken upon it.
Then her native courage came back, and
clasping her hands reverently, she ad-
dressed it.:
esprit, or whatever thou art, what
wouldst thou with me?"
The spirit did not speak, but as Bret
ia folded her hands, threw up its arms as
though warning her back.
"Speak to meT' Bretta cried, implor-
ingly. See, do not fear thee. Tell
me why thou hast sought me here1"
But the figure wavered away, and Bret
ia turned TO see the mist breaking and
rolling up before the bright moonlight.
When she looked again, spirit and mist
had vanished together. She turned her
face toward the mountain. and there, a
few steps before her, the ledge had cum
bled away, leaving yawning gulf, into
which she surely would have fallen had
she attempted to traverse it through the
mist.
"Ah, now know it was good spirit, II
she said to herself, "But for it should
be lying down there bruised and dying
upon the rocks"
: With q thankful heart Bretta crept
down the ledge and back through the
, ravine, until she could regain the path
beyond the new-made fissure.
She found Crumble grazing near tn,
, cow-yard, and shut her within, while she
!, went on to the cottage, where Dame Brett
a mann had grown nervous over her lonl
. absence.
"Child, childl why wilt thou loiter SC
later Thou wilt come to no good by it.
A 'Never mind, granny" Bretta answer
ed, with her usual careless laugh, as sh,
A reached down the bright tin pail from
a the shelf II have come to no ill by
yet"
q The dame sighed, and took up the gra,
stocking from her lap. But her thought
were trousled, and her hands tremble
so that she dropped stitches from he
/, needles and tangl d the yarn unboun
from her ball.
Bretta, coming in with fonming, brim
- ming pail, found her straining her eye
!. over the miswrought work.
n "Let me do it, granny" she said, wit
n more thoughtfulncss than she often di.
Ia played. And taking the knitting frol
r. the aged hands, she kneeled down befoI
the fire and proceeded to set it right.
or Dame Breitmann laid her quiverin
~ hand upon the girls head, passing
n. down the long locks which had escape
A. from their fastening, then uttered a T
~ proving exclamation:
on Bretta, child. thy hair is heavy vii
a dampl Why, where was thy bonnet2"
sell BIT Bretta was lost in her ov
to thoughts, and it was easy for the dame
IRE conjecture that she had carried her hea
IN covering instead of wearing it.
he From that day the girl studied mo
carefully her grand. aunts comfort VIII
ly' she sewed. she picked up the scraps al
lint she had scattered, instead of raci1
he away. as heretofore, the moment her ia
i've was done. little watchfulness ON b
es. part spared the good dame many pal
list full step. The latter wondered at I
'eil change and was thankful; but knew L
Ari the cause OF it, for Bretta never told /
H. that she had seen the Spirit of the Mis-
no %.uu The girl thought the specter she
l.' leu seen was special protecting power, a
~ thinking that such was watching over h
'o' taught her greater gentleness towa
',, others who we're not SO favored.
i'ii For time the dame had no cause
ut complaint. Then Bretta longed to I
ald the spirit again, and fingered late up
her the ledge. But night after night pass
hee and it did not como.
Weeks passed. Bretta was gradua
nd, going back TO her old light ways. o
mi night she fingered late in the valley, a
speeding honeward, thought nothing
J Of the spirit until she reached the led
all She was half startled TO find 1t tn,
rch again. pictured against the mist midW
nm out over the precipice. She spoke,
ing it did not answer, and vanished as bef'
GUS when the mist rolled away in the moo
I