The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-01-07


by the brook"
They accordingly strike off through
the field. Getting out of the woods
they find it little lighter, but 1t is still
disagreeably dark. Through the pas
ture they 90, and finally come to a
plowed field, in which the young crop
is just starting up. Here the walking
is much better. Bill, who is the oldest,
trudges along ahead, the others follow
ing after in Indian file.
Suddenly the leader stops, and in
frightened accents cries out:
" B-boys, l-look t-tharl Wh-what's
th-that?'
Gazing in the direction in which Bill
is pointing, the boys behold a sight
which nearly takes their breath away
with fright. Right before them, GER
tainly not fifteen feet off, stands an aw-
full spectre-a ghostl-yes, it must be;
there can't be any doubt about the
matter. There it stands, tall figure
clothed in white, with great white arms
stretched out, as though about to catch
all three. On its head is a bright sort
of helmet, and underneath the helmet
face-not of the dead, but of glowing
fire. 1t seems to them that the fiery
eyes are fixed on them with malignant
stare. They are spell-bound with fear.
All the stories of ghosts and COLLINS
that they ever heard rise up in their
minds. They are too frightened to
speak or even to run away. What good
in flight? Cannot the demon or ghost,
or whatever it is, overtake them? But
see! even now it begins TO novel The
long, white arms wave in the air, as
though about to grasp them. The head
mods, as though the goblin was chuckling
to himself before Selling his prey. He
is about to start for them, when, with
loud cries, they drop their fish and start
on a wild run through the field, each, in
fancy at least, feeling the awful pres
ence of the phantom close behind him.
This was the condition of affairs when
my story opend. Scuttling along in
their wild retreat they reached the fence
which formed the other boundary of
the field, and over it they tumbled in
hot haste. AS they struck the ground
on the other side they were saluted by
a gruff voice:
Hullo, thar! what's the rumpus?"
And, looking in the direction whence
the sound comes, they behold another
apparition, but this time a welcome
one. 1t is old Deacon Jones with a
lantern. He is out hunting up stray
COW, and is considerably surprised and
not little startled at the sudden APP
pearance of three boys tumbling over
the fence, pell-mell, in such terrible
state of excitement.
AS soon as they recover a little they
proceed to explain the matter by stating
that they have been chased by the most
awful ghost ever heard of in those
parts. 1t was at least fifteen feet tall
wore long, white shroud, had head
of burning fire, and, according to the
best of their knowledge and belief, had
chased them clear across the field.
Pooh." grunted the old Deacon,
"you're as crazy as looms. Thar amt
no SIGH things as ghosts. Come long
an find out what it is. I'll agree ter eat
all the ghosts on Ossipee Mountain"
The boys were still badly frightened,
but, treasured by the presence of the
valorous deacon, they consented to re-
turn, provided he would 90 ahead.
They retrace their steps, and soon
Bill, pulling the deacon's sleeve, whis-
pers in tremulous tones: "Thar 'tis!"
" Yes, that's jest what l thought;
why, We simpletons, we've been scarf
out o. yer senses and come nigh break
in yer necks runnin away from a
scare-crow that l fixed up myself ter
keep the thievin' crows from pullin'
up my corn,n and the deacon sat down
his lantern and laughed so loud that
| al, inf
ton and laughed again.
But his heads jest like ball o. fire,
an his arms KEEP wavin' about, jest as
though they wanted ter hit u.s." said
Jerry, little ashamed, but still unable
to comprehend the affair.
oval, come long an find out all
about it," answers the deacon. as he
proceeds towards the cause of so much
excitement.
"Thar, we see it's nothin' but an old
white birch stub, about seven feet high
/ put an old white smock frock on it
an fixed some beech withs inter the
arms a-puppus to have the wind blow ZEN
about an scare the pesky crows. THAI
wonderful hats only an old tin pail, an
the burnin' fiery face that most scar
yer into fits-wal, that's the wurst uN
all; why, it's nothin' but fox-fire, and
we can see it in most any old rotter
stump hereabouts. Now, jest pick W
yer fish an help me find my cow, or II
tell everybody down ter the village how
three smart young chaps got scarf on
NV years growth by an old bircl
stump"
The boys hunted up the fish they hat
left in theirfright, and meekly followe,
the deacon. He promised not to tel
the story, but it was to good to keep
and for many months after three youns
men were haunted by the story of g tina
awful ghost. "-ChriSti0n at Work.