The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-14

the recOllectlOn OF the carriers story,
and the dire results which must have
accrued from any hesitation on their
part to yield compliance to the kindly
message from the shadow-land.
So. as we know, with this bright ex-
ample-and possibly the consequent
somewhat too liberal reward OF disin-
terested virtue reaped by Tom and Bill
--uppermOst In his thoughts. Jack had
sailed forth with results already famil-
lar to the reader; but let none do the
sturdy gardener the injustice Of suppos-
ing that he deprived his neighbors OF
that need of information upon the sub
ject which was without doubt their le-
gitimate portion.
Neither was II likely he would refrain
from tanning to u bright and lambent
flame the glowing spark of notoriety
which had descended upon his mantle
a spark which had already spread to 50
considerable an extent, that Jack felt
much as though he were hcnceforth
destined to tread an Illuminated path
through life, with positive nimbus
round his head. For all of sudden he
found himself an authority to he con-
suited "A perfect oracle ut the Pig. n
man to be buttOnholcd and interviewed
Mt the very foot of the Market Cross.
lie was determined to bowl out forth
with those minor oanons, those lesser
lights, the uncertain, hesitatiug Tom
and Bill so he told his story boldly,
plainly, calling a spade u spade, or TO
be accurate, n ghost ~ ghaistl'
Further, he described his own sensa-
lions, and the awe-strickep expression
upon the features of his wife, when "th'
appirition all on suddingn appeared
upon the narrow threshold Of his home;
he analy2ed the very "twitChin' In his
limbs" the while Tho harkend T. tn
voice, which seem'd strange an distant
luike, 50 to say. as tho from lleaying!n
lie dwrlt no less forcibly on the disap-
pearpn from this sublunary sphere of
9Th hcavingly being cloth'd / white,
all in n eiflty loike," presumably unbe-
guiled even by the aroma Of fried ba-
con, which, without doubt just then
filled the little kitchen; for the drscrip-
ton of the succulpnt "mOisel viii hap
pend T. be opliitpd' Mt the critical mo-
ment upon jacks fork PLAYED in due
course no mean role in this thrilling
narrative of startling facts.
No wonder folks listened spell-bound,
18Th cry blood r'uuin' cold i ones
veins rs Mrs. Goplng, the washer
women, observed To her friend and
neigh az. WldGry Smith. over dish
~ can v teal" In the hpiirf TT these
worthless. II would be no longer safe
"lur tn BARNS L he lettPn rim loose
alter foour o'clock. " for AZ soon rs twi-
light shadows legan to deepen "who
cold say 'Ow sOan tn critter might see
fit { air itsenyn
Why, even Ned and jonathan, the
sexton and grave-dgger-local celcbri-
ties popularity supposed to be proof
against mortal fear, or belief by natur
o their callin'" in sundry well-authen-
ticated lingering relies of village super
stition-had been heard to declare that
Jack Dawkins certainly had a way o.
spinnjn' yarn as made ones finger
ends cold. an tn hair q ones head
turn creepy likel" In short. before
noon of the day succeeding Dicks inn
mrrsion in the squire's lake, a belief in
the supernatural was spreading with
alarming rapidty throughout the
length aud breadth of dccorous Burn
ham. which btq,sted its chapel and its
Westinghouse, tn nIndependcntn fac
ton and tn "MethOdius." In addition
to the ivy-grown Established Church,
over the spiritual welfare OF whose con-
gregaton Vicar Carlisle was privileged
to preside.
The reverend gentleman was justifa-
bly, irate, particularly when it trans
DlItu lllul llOL blllN ulI lflNh lldlllt
figure prominently in this ridiculous
local gossip. but rumor likewise whis-
pcred that this most audacious of all
known wraiths had actually ventured
within the sacred precincts of the vicar
age grounds-"th' young leddies they
selves havin' Omitted as much q Mary
| jane the miller's daughter, home for
| dinner on Christmas Day,
Upon investigation, report, in this IN
stance. proved to have something very
| like a leg to stand upon, which is al
most more than can usually be adj
vanced in favor of thatvery shaky indi-
vidual, Report in General. For veraci-
ty compelled Edie to confess, under the
severe cross-eXamination of the able
counsel for the prosecution, the vicar
| himself, that SHE had indeed lust
asked Mary Jane whether size or cook
| had happened to see q strange girl lurk-
ing about the premses?" supplement-
| ing the query by divers condolences
anent that white wan face peering in
at the window" which, it will be re-
membered, had been distinctly visible
| to one and all of the inmates of the par
lor late on Christmas Eve.
Now, the worthy and God-fearinp
vicar was Justly indignant and disgust
ed, not only with the villagers and his
own daughters. but to far greater eX'
tent with Dick himself, whom, indeed
he persisted in regarding as the CHIEF
delinquent in an affair which threat
ened to prove of serious moment.
lie wrote. therefore, suggesting that
Dick should forthwith adopt measures
to contradict and effectually counter
act the ridiculous belief coupled witt
his name, which was hourly gaining
ground; and although tho young mar
could but laugh heartily at what ap
peared to him Il storm in teacup OF
his fathers part 1.-THE while, 1t must b,
confessed, he was personally inclined
to enjoy the joke, yet Sir Jasper con
Cured with him that. under existing
circumstances, ii was hardly practica
BILE or expedient for the hero of thes
recent sensational episodes to beat
hasty and unprecedented retreat.
This conclusion had hardly been ar
rived at before the housekeeper elaine,
an audience with the baronet in tn
stewards room; the upshot of the con
ference being that Sir Jasper himsel
emerged with mingled expression o
annoyance and bewildermcnt ludicrous
ly depicted on his face.
"Your father was not wrong, Dick,
he began gl0Omily, land really | hardl
know what can be done. 1t seems tina
Charles has noticed, throughout tn
morning, knots of villagers pauslng
from time to time, round the gates
peering through the garden-railings an
altogether cycling the place askanct
whilst Mrs, Martin declares that tn
expression of the butchers boy, tn
bakers lad. and even Of the postman
face, must he seen to be believed. A
length the mystery oozed out, We al
popularity supposed to be sheltering NJ