The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-02-04

RdIb1g huN sue saw ultO tlO ulOTts
And now, instead of n spring morning,
gay with singing birds and budding flowers
1t was lonely night of winter, with 3 wild
wind rioting amid the black drizzle outside,
and the leadess branches tapping disually
against her easements with their skeleton
fingers.
And now, IL It chanced there might be
some dreadful ghost stalking through those
stupid corridors which led to nowhere, or
some terrible burglar ambushed in one OF
those ridiculous Widowed alcoves which
opened so temptingly close to the ground.
her fairy prince was not near to protect or
rescue her.
And was that subdued, uuesrthly vail
ing really wind?
Was that persistent tapping really the
touch OF the maple-twigs against her caso-
mentsp
As she listened intently in sudden nerv-
Gus terror, there was an indistinct sound of
something moving in q narrow corridor
which led from the end of the main hall to
tiny gothic porch st ono corner OF the
cottage,
But even In that awful second Of super
sttious terror, the girl was braye.
In fash she had sprung from her seat,
crossed the room, cautiously opened the
door, and peered forth.
AS she did so, she had momentsry
glimpse of a tall figure just disappearing
around column, at the base of which the
corridor descended and turned by several
winding steps.
In the dim ray of light issuing nom the
door Susie cautiously opened, the tall figure
seemed shrouded from head to feet in a
ghostly something which Elistened and
ratified as he vanished.
For an instant she felt her pulses stop
ping. her heart-beats ceasing, In an awful
superstitieus horror.
Peshaps this fanciful little suburban cot
tage, which had been unoccupied for years
before her father purchased twas haunt.
| ed house!
| Perhaps some grewsome wrong had been
committed within its walls; perhaps what
she had seen was some poor spirit to which
the rest of the grave had been denied; per-
haps what she had heard and thought the
wailing of the wind were the ghostly mur-
murings Of that wandering and unearthly
| yisitant.
Pretty Susie was quaking in every nerve;
her dark eyes we're staring wildly after the
unaccountable apparition; her round,
dimpled face was pale as death.
just then there was a fierce blast OF
wind; rush of damp and chilling air came
whistling up the corridor; door slammed
and then swung, creaking, upon its hingea.
Susie started In fresh alright.
She recalled the fact that the door OF the
gothic porch, which opened into the thick
est shrubbery OF all the broad, suburban
garden, had boan unlocked and unbolted
the entire day.
She had herself lef, IL ajar, and had for
gotten to return and secnre it.
SO instead OF ghost she had, without
doubt, beheld some cunning burglar, who
had been lurking about the premises and
watching his opportunity to plunder the
few valuables which the cottage contained.
And the nocturnal invader had been be-
wildered by the queer labyrinth Of a corri-
dorl There was no doubt about that. for
the rattling sound of his ghostly and giis-
tening habillments was becoming each In
slant fainter In the direction of the cellar
stairs.
A sublime idea occurred 70 Susie at that
moment.
The cellar was without any possible way
Of egress except by the door at the top OF
the stAirs
II she could fasten that door as her bur.
glar descended. she would have him just as
surely a captive as II he we're behind the
bars Of a prison cell.
With swift and noiseloss step she gllded
after him. And he had scarcely begun the
I descent Of the stairs when the door was
closed with crash, and heavy bolt grsted
I in It's socket,
SuSie's burglar was prisoner.
Once Susie had accomplished her grand
| oApioibi oue tuohed baSA w uSi itblcdl lu
the depth Of the cory velvet chair before
the CRATE OF the snug sitting room.
And there she sat, trembling, and yei
triumphant, vhen her father eutsred az
hour later.
"I only Wish could rid myself OF Gregl
Ravaners socisty 50 easily when hi
comes," she commented vindlctlVely, wheI
she had finished the narration OF the even
| lngs AdventureG
II only hope ittsn't Gregg hImIslf whom
you have punished as burglar" DR.. Fol
! letts remarked soberly, as he took mp I
hand-lamp and started for the cellar.
"Is that you, doetorS" called laughInI
voice as the bolt clipped back and thS open
} ing door permitted the rays from the lamI
, to light the mnsly depths below.
; An Instant later hsndroins Soung fsl
low In huge Waterpfess garment glisten
: ing yet from the eliiIl, nieht erlEsls, apTuDI
, lightly up The sttps
Il den'l know hot us thaa sp0losiss u
Yea, ossss. fer gueh 81 SItrseyainATy rs
SsptieA - tbis," Dr. Fsllstts said in
: ! morrlAst sS1s - M tWs ssatlsasa shoOl