Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-04

'ay beautifully by half past six.
1.-THE brightest of fires was blazing on
he hearth, and we dispensed with lamp
n order to enjoy it to the fullest extent.
t was delightful evening. Miss NATL.
Ia Jane, who is good story teller, told
ne of the quaint events which had ever
happened in the old town. But the wind
'ame up at length, the tree boughs
'reaked weirdly outside, and we were
disturbed by strange noises during the
whole time.
"Some one is certainly pounding on
The back door, | insisted more than once
81 hope you won't he scared, but folks
have always said that this house is haunt
3D. said Miss Matilda Jane cheerfully.
ITS nothing but the wind bowling thro'
the empty garnet, tho and the rats tumb-
ling IN the walls They do carry on out
when it grows quite still at
night. It's their noise that you hear
now'
'Impossiblc = sail. 30 let us he
brave aud open the back door.
"Oh, I'm not in the least afraid. Or
course cant hear it as distinctly MS you
do, but I'm pretty sure there is no one
there.
eve proceeded to the door at once, but
found nothing but darkness and stray
apple-bough that was tapping tho not
noisily, on the sill. The pounding still
continued however, and was quite posi-
tive that heard n voice or voices shout
ing from distance, as il in distress.
ooh, that's nothing hut the boys over
in squire Goodnow's barn. They're she'll
ing corn over there, and make n terrible
racket every evening. can hear them
sometimes myself, if I am hard of hear
ing, said Matilda Jane when I assured
her of this fact. Come, let VS. go into
the sitting room and sit down ntp and
make ourselves comfortable. It's chilly
away from the fire.
~ looked over in the direction of the
barn, and saw the yellow light of Ian
tern and moving figures thro' the wide
open door, and became more easy III my
mind.
"But at half-past niue Ethan appeared
on the scene, with open mouth and start
led eyes. Who's that a-makin' sich III
all fired poundin' au' screechin' i'll the
suller, or in the dairy, or somewhere
mother 2 he exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, l don't know but that the old
house is haunted, sure enough, said Miss
NnutllOu W ihi A,t' -"''t
Harris has been hearing queer noises all
the evening. Let us take lamp and sec
what we can find.
81 haint no coward, but l wouldn'i
kecr to see a spirit, piped Ethan, shrink
ing into corner.
"Nonsense spirits don't make such
noise, said his mistress, laughing.
my guns loaded, n | guess I'll take
it long with me, said he, becoming some
what treasured by her GOODNESS.
"Well, take it, and come along, said
she quickly. Miss Harris, I'm afraid
you're scared, turning to me. You'd
better stay here by the fire ; we shan't be
gone long, It's likely
"But l preferred to be of the inyesti'
gatin-party, and we all three started ii
solemn proce ssion, guided by the light Of
the titful kerosene 1t was long dis
lance from the setting room to the back
kitchen, and as we approached this dark
and isolated region the pounding whicl
had commenced with n vengeance MS soor
as we had opened the dining room door
became more and more distinct. Ethan
shouldered his gun and looked darkly n
every shadow.
Goodness the sound comes from
the dairy, said Miss Matilda Jane in Q
tragical whisper.
"Here voice made itself heard witt
great distinctness.
It's the parson, tew, by golly
That's his voice, tho it's so kinder shakl
n funny, said Ethan, rushing bravei,
and nimbly forward as an angry appea
to be let ont reached our startled ears.
"Why, he must have followed me there
when went after butter for supper, ant
I locked him in by mistake, said Mis-
Matilda Jane, looking distressed an'
rather awe-stricken, but laughing at tn
same time in spite Of herself. He sal,
that he had something to say to me in pri
vate, know, but pm was in such squiz
zle for his supper that l forgot all abou
it afterward.
1t is not consoling to have ones miser
laughed at, so | discreetly remained i
the background when the unfortunat
man merged from his prison-which Wa
like veritable cell, stone floor and al
/ could not distinguish the words whic
fell from his lips, but, rs there were n
abundance of them, uttered in by II
means his usual smooth, drawing tone,
suppose they must have been more e,
prtssive than polite, for l heard Mis-
Matilda Jane say, with cool distinctnesi
after little pause, "Well, if you hay
got such temper as this, you may 4
well go your own way, for all of me. Nv
seen enOugh-more than enough-of yt =,
sir"
} "And if you haven't any more sens
J than this, shall be very glad to do st
, madam, was the quick reply. Gallo
| mn -, xx-;el fypnIp,nlt ~
: Ethan, light your lantern and go wit
, Mr.. Whitcomb to the barn and help hi
, harness his horse commanded the lad,
: turning to follow me with stately dignit
to the sitting room.
ON he never come ag'in, says Mr.
! Bragdon, whose face is all aglow wit
happy excitement. 81 knowed all I'll
time that they must q he'd some kind of
quarrel, n kin see Jest exactly how 'twa
now, rs if I'd a bin there myself. Pr
+ badly he follered her into the dairy
pop the question-it's an orful retire
l place-'n' she's so dretful def n absei
r minded that she didn't neither see NJ
. hear him. She's most inconveniel
a spry-motioned, tew, fur sech person, !
r s'pose she come out N locked him
fore he had time to think, he bein' kin
/, fiustered like, under the circumstance
t I don't wonder nobody didn't hear hi
: for 80 long, for that dairy is mile avs
from the front part Of the house, tine
: steps down from the old back kitchel
r Well, we'll, hope Alfonso won't brir
y no more Jews ter-night, for shan't slet
9 q wink as 'tis-I know shan't /; n the
, it's kinder provokin' in sech dull times
t hev everything to once Susan Hd'
e ley .SiccH in Lippincotts'.
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