The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-02-21

tried to- remember that Barbara, the
witch. was an old, uoly-woman. The
only picture ] could call up was that of
a beautiful young girl Without words
fail me; only she was far from CHASTITY,
but was. as warm and substantial and
full of life as that hand had seemed to
The fire-irons fell with an unearthly
clateer and started me out of my
dreams l went to bed to soothe my
nerves with sleep, and lay awake most
of the night with the lamps bHrning.
Fortune smiled upon me- from that
might. TwO years of busy city life had
passed, and old Barbara's talisman Was
still ~unreelaimed, wh6HE one day-elo
you believe in love at first sight?- Well,
if the first appearance of Walter
Wygnar's sister had not conquered ne
as she stood under the parlor clamps, q
revelation of beauty and youth the
Touch of her hand when she welcomed
her brothers. friend would have en-
shaved me forever. Never had a touch
SO thrilled me since since I held the
wftch's hand ia the graveyard The
same. peculiar shock passed through
me, and the memory Of that spectral
night came over me like 4 flash. -a
But ]. did not start out to tell love
story. Let me briefly say tbatI fell IN
lQye,~ hOpelessly and ridiculously'' IN
love, and that l acted just like all
lovers have done since the word began.
1t dpesn,t matter much about, q man 5
age. AT twenty-seven- he will conduct
! himself pretty much as Ee would have
done at seventeen. and so l wrote verses
/ and'sighed,, and tormented myself with
! a Thousand hopes and fears, and grew
| hot and colds by turns, and wonderfully
timid, and prided1myself upon conceal
| ing it all, when, as a matter of fact, the
state of my feelings was perfectly ap-
/ parent to all my acquaintances. II s.as.
Matters were in this interesting state,
when one day an opportunity occurred
of which / availed myself with a degree
of skin and presence of mind that | am
proud Of to this day. 1t all came about
Through my asking the young lady if
she believed in ghosts s..'''- ial.-s I,
81 suppose I should, - said she. laugh
ing considering my experience - - -
Leave a womap. alone to make an
eyqsiye answer. Of course, / inpiored
an explanation and she related to me
the following story: 1870 ~
" 1T was about two years ago when a
party of girls, just home from school,
country. One; of the girls had heard. a
foolish old story about a witeh.s grave,
and somei nonsense ABOUT her annual
appearance, and n taFsman. and when
I expressed my increduIity, they brayed
me to put it to the test. What is the
matter2 I The place? A little town
called Adlingtune. 4as7s-.s
g FOolishg l accepted their challenge
and received Il Terrible fright. / car=
ried outstie instructions and stretched
my arm over the grave. 1t was so dark
/ could see nothing, but some one
seized highland. q / was so benumbed
with fear. that 7 could not cry out. but
could only 1iy' through the1oneb grave
yard TO where my trembling compan-
ions were awaiting me in the field. 1t
was foolish adventure, for I fell i'll,
and it cost me valuable ring. which
was left to me by poor Aunt Barbara,
. For her little name sake, she said Wien
she sent it across the sea to me, You.
see. the ring was little large for, my
fngerr, and was, pulled off by-by-- :"
BY me, L interrupted, taking the
1ostripg from my pocket. i-xa n
1t was time for Barbara q forgot to say
that her was nancy, to be startled now.
/ hope ImaY say that I came OutstrOng
oRstllateOcoas on Itold my story in. a
very impressive way, fingered oyer the
effe tof the witch's hand on. nv heart,
spoke of the good fortune the talisman
had brought me, made very prettygal-
lusit,n. 10 Barbara the witch reclaiming
her own for she was not witch, after
all, rs | could testify, having felt her
charms and finally not only Offered-tO.
return the ring but to give myself into
the bargain.
She took both. San Fra,eeisco Argo-
g5Gltt. .... -.-.