The Penn's Grove record., 1886-09-18
- Conta,n "Job, where are the sleigh.

ssThere's them old jinglers in the garnet
| that used to belong to Deacon Joe west
erbrook. that was in the Revolutionary
War. and there's the two cow-beils that
Mary Ann might scour up with asheS-"
,SPshawln said the Captain, d you
take me for Rip Van Wrinkle? There's
a pretty little string somewhere, LOT
saw them when Mrs. W~esterbrook went
out day before yesterday"
81 hain't seen nothing on EN-" said
Job, stOlidly.
'sCome. come, don't make yourself
| ont anv stupider than you be by nature,
job said the farmer, laughing, new
ertbeliss. for the Captains airs ana
graces were fast wearing out his wei
| come. and he secretly sympathized with
the much afflicted Job. 81 guess they're
ont in the barn chamber. You better
90 with him. Captain, if you expect to
find 'em-our Jobs dreadtu thlck-
| headed when he chooses to be"
Come along, my fine fellow" SAD
the Captain loosely, collaring o ana
marching him off in the direction oil the
old red barn under the hill. I'VE don't
need any lantern in this bright moon
light, that is II comfort.
Old Billy, removed for his kicking
qualities, blinked sagely around at them
from his stall, and Tom, the little gray
pony, who was destined to figure IN the
cutter shafts that night, set up a low,
friendly whinny, as they entered the
big, frosty, fragrant barn.
'.Where are the stairs!' mand
the Captain. .
''There amt none" said Job. ats
a ladder"
up with you, then,' said Meredith;
but Job shrunk steadfastly back.
Il wouldn't not for fifty dollars"
SAID Job. s'Old Michael WeSterbrook
hung himself from the middle beam
fourteen years ago, and folks say he
stands up there with a rope around his
neck every moonlight night"
"Stuff and n~onsense!' calculated the
Captain in accents of supreme contempt.
You great cowardlY lout, stay where
YOU are then, and I'll go myself"
lie sprang nimbly up the rounds OF
the ladder and disappeared through the
t%rap-door.
"Where is tips he called
1.-The ghost? Right under the middle
beam by the windy was the place where
-" H'Blockheadl l mean the string OF
bells"
Look for lem yourself" said Job,
sulkily. II don't know where they be,
and what's more, | don't care"
'I'n settle with you, my fine fellow,
when | come downl'' said the Captain,
t~hreateningly, as he CROPPED about in the
dim light which was admitted by a cob
web-draped window at either end of the
barn chamber.
DON'T harry yourself, Cap'u," re-
Joined Job in a jeering mood.
AS the Captain plunged into a dark
corner, there was a jingle, and the
string of bells suspended fIom a nail hit
him directly ON the neck, so like the
grasp of death-cold fingers that he could
not but start.
"Oh!" said the Captain, nervously.
'Iiere they are. Catch 'em, JobT
Hellol where's the trap-door?"
And it took the milltia-man fully
sixty seconds or more TO realize that the
trap-door was closed and fastened on
the lower side. He rushed to the win
dow and threw it up, only to see Job
speeding up the hill.
"Hal-lo-o-oal'' yelled Captain Mere
dith. Como back, you scoundrel! you
Unconditional loutl you imp Of eyil!'
Job turned round and executed that
peculiar gyration OF the fingers in con-
nection with the nasal protuberance
which is supposed to express the eX-
tremity of corn.
you'll find the ladder on the barn
floor, Cap'n," hooted this young rebel.
And don't be afeared o. the ghost.
It's very harmless if you let it alone.'
"But, Job-Job, come back-I'mtob be
at Mr.. Harrington's at half past seven.
Don't worryl" hoarsely bawled Job.
miss Sibyl won't wait very long afore
Mr.. MaxM be on hand"
The Captain danced up and down the
barn floor in an ecstacy of rage as o
disappeared over the crest of the hill.
There was no use calling for help. he
knew very well that if he had possessed
the lungs of Boreas he could not have
made any one hear. He sat shivering
down on the hay, starting nervously at
the sound of Kicking Billy's feet among
his snu bed of straw, and thinking how
disagreeably a bar of moonlight which
streamed down from a crack in the roof
resembled a tall, white figure standing
under the centre beam. He could almost
fancy the rope around its neck-pshaw!
And the Captain jumped up again, with
starting dew on his temples, even in the
freezing atmosphere of the barn cham
Der.
What was to be done? he asked HIM
self. And Echo, if Echo had had any
common sense, would have answered:
: Just nothing at ALI" Job had outwit-
ted him. He might, and probably
would, ''settle'' with Job for the future,
but for the present job had manifestly
the advantage of him. And pretty
Sibyl and Max Crossley, with his red
cutter and great chestnut-colored horsel
The Captain executed an impromtu
series of gymnastics in the hay as he
reflected on these things:
81 won't wait another minute for
him." said Sibyl Harrington, coloring
up with the tears in her blue eyes. $50
on, girls-I shall spend the evening at
home"
There's plenty of room for you in
our sleigh, Sibyl," coaxed her brother, a
great good-humored athlete, with red
whiskers and dimples like her own.
"Bessy Brown will be glad to have you
along"
mo, she will not, either" pouted
Sibyl. Gas If l were going to spoil all
her fun. No-if / can't have an escort
of my own, III stay at home and mend
stockings. And l never will speak to
Captain Meredith againl'
Hosea Harrington was just opening
his mouth to argue the matter with his
sister once more when the door opened
and in walked Max Crossley.
Sibyl jumped up, radiantly; she had
never been so glad to see honest Max In
all her life before.
"Nes gone yet, Sibyl? Where is the
Captaih?"
II don't know" said Sibyl, tartly,
'and l don't care. Am / Captain
Meredith's keeper"
tsWil YOU 90 with me?n