St. Landry democrat., 1882-12-30

- 1
the parson, who was a newcomer.
:. A sea Cap'in who gotwrecked some
eight years ago, and as promising
Young man as we ever raised IN the
town, "ssaid the Squire slowly. ut was
his first voyage as Captain. and those
who were saved say that he stood by
the ship until the very last minute.
He was found frozen to death on the
wreck after the storm was over by
vessel which was bound for Boston.
John was known by the Captain OF this
vessel, and he brought the body into
port with him, and it was sent on here
and buried. = .
s.Then there is no doubt but Whatthe
man is really dead, said the parson..
s.Sailors have sometimes the faculty of
coming to life again, you know; that
u.s." he added with due seriousness,
'there are false reports OF their death t'l
How many sailors have come back TO TO |
yarmouth safe and sound, who have
been reported drowned?
Never but one sence I've been OLD |
/ enough to remember said an old man,
who had hitherto been silent. THAT
wuz Luke Higgins, m he'd "a done
hisself n the taown both favor i ne
he'd a. died. It's them kind % chaps
i what dew turn up, not starlin' good
fellers like John. John, he ws1 2 a dret-
full loss. y
i "Oh, there's no possibility Of Johns
being alive, h said the Squire, nervous
| ". III saw him buried myself. poor
fellow. He was engaged to my dauggh-
ter Elsie, and she, poor girl, has done
nothing but mourn for him all these
wears. / objected to the match at first,
but before he went away on his last
voyage, became fully alive to his good
qualities. He was a brave, manly fel-
low. y
Enter Mrs. Blagg the wife of a fish
er,nan, quite out of breath, and look
ing very wild.
.What is it, Mary Jane? You look
as if you'd seed ghost, too, said her
husband, who was one OF the circle by
! the fire.
: $50 have, Lemuel true ez you are
, alive. I come right face to face with
John Norton comm through the field
, from our house to the main road. see
: him just as plain en- / see you folks
! meow, but didn't wait to see him long,
!, / ken tell We. but just scud by him like
lightnin', m run inteW the Squire s, a
! told Miss Elsie all aboutit Iwuz dretful
scarf, but thought she'd orter kneoW
!, about it. so I KEEP up till got there, n
: then I went off intew a kinder faint.
! Bein' sorter weak after a fit er phshisic,
. I couldn't stan it. =
: ..Haow did he look?'' inquired one
. man under his breath.
:, s.Dretful material, only kinder white
m peaked, m he kinder halted n
: looked straight at me kinder wild n
: s'prised. They say ghosts don't never
! like to be overlook, n | don't s'pose he
,, spected to. meet nobody in that lone
3 some field. =
= ..But how could you see his face so
: distinctly on so dark anight?' said the
i Squire, seeming considerably. disturbed;
: Good erasmus, you don't s'pose !
went through that there field without
a no lantern? Still, after giving INN one
: good look. / wuz so fustered that |
q dropped the lantern on the spot. n run
j screechin' along as fast as could.
! You'll hev to git that there lantern,
Z Lemuel, fur It wouldn't dew to lose it,
! nohaow; we can't afford tew git moo
one.
: .WeIl, good people, said the
Squire, g we mustn't let ghosts inter-
, fere with our New Year $ festivities. Il
: is time that all invited guests should be
: at my house, and here am |, the host,
j away from home. =
= And the Squire hurried out of the
!, : store, and a ong the dusky wood until
!, he came to a brilliantly Lighted old man.
+ sion on the hill.
s It had long been his custom to give
# house warming, as he called it, on New
e Year Eve Nearly all the town were
e hidden to these festivities, and they
]. were enjoyed hugely by young and old,
y rich and poor Some of the old families
i thoughtthe squire somewhat demo cratie
III in his way of giving entertainments, ane
o rather turned up their noses at the
d small sailors and fshermen's families
IL but neither the sailors nor the fisher
o men took it to heart, and everything
Il went merry as a marriage bell, as ;
general thing
# The squire entered the house, greeted
"a few guests who had already arrived
- and then sought Elsie, his daughter
"a who was standing by the window at thu
/ end Of the long hall, looking pale anc
y distressed. III.
= = Don't be troubled by Mary Jane
!. = Blagg's nonsense, DEAR he said, she
: is q foolish woman, and is always imag
j, lining all sorts of mysterious things
q ss.. But, father, I've had such strapg'
4 dreams OF late. Idon't believe in sucl
q things, Of course, but they say severa
u other people have seen the appari
10 ton. NJ
= !. Nonsense!; it is all imagination
] May be one Of the Port Nortons is abou
. here Just now. There is strong famil,
. resemblance between them all, yol
"a know The mystery will be explained