Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-16

known space or passage. Nothing un-
known was developed. At length q
short ladder was brought. and the men
assembled to the attic.
1t was only hollow space beneath
the center of the roof. quite unlighted.
But enough light pene trated the place
to show an unkempt figure rising from
its lair of straw and rags in one cor
ner.
whats thisP Are you after meP"
he said. in hollow tones.
The men silently gazed on this OBJ
ject with astonishment repulsion and
pity II was man. but so thick the
mask of dirt and CRIME. so ragged the
beard and hair, so grotesque the cos
tune of tatters from which fell
feathers and straw, it seemed some
unknown creature instead of human
being.
Great heavens! it is S mon Lelandr'
cried DIR. Leighton.
This only added to the CONSERVATION
of the other men. for Simon Leland
was the hali-crazed boy who had muir
dered his father at Thistle Cottage i've
years before. But want and misery
had given him the appearance OF an
old man.
IL don't care what you do with mel?
cried the hollow voice. ''Only give
me something TO eat"
Come with us and you shall have
all you want" said DIR. Leighton. not
unkindly.
"Wherep Down there. where the
fire aud tho light and the girls lisp"
asked the wretched being. and when
they nodded. he caught up rough
ladder OF rope, quickly adjusted it and
swung himself down before them. But
he was so weak he staggered. and they
were obliged 10 help him down the
stairs to the kitchen, where Mrs.
Hodgdon shaking with excitement
and CONSERVATION, placed food
upon the table from which he snatch
cd it. without any prctence of eating
from a plate, devouring it like a half
famished animal. When he had filed
himself lie would have lain dOwn on
the aoor and gone to sleep. but that
the unaccustomed plenty sickened him,
and he began 10 groan and roll about.
In a short time, the sheriff who had
been sent for. arrived. and he was
taken away. No one believed
that the poor, unidentified, half
dying creature was a fit subject for
punishment. but the county jail was
clean aud comfortable refuge for him
in his restitution. Here he remained
until consigned to the almshouse. No
reliable account of his career could be
obtained from him. but it is probable
that he had sought refuge at Thistle
Cottage n its deserton. and existed
miserably there II great while before
discovered. He had prowled about at
night searching for food. of which lie
found n scanty supply. stealing from
corn bins. pigs and poultrt. aud rob
bing hen roosts, eating the flesh OF the
fowls raw. 1t was the occasional dis
covery of his miserable figure which
| had called into existence the story of
! the place being haunted by his ghost.
! But so reduced had he become he
would probably have died in his lair
but for DIR. Leighton's discovery of
! him.
DIR. Leighton kindly saved Cara from
Witnessing so much misery. She new
or saw Simon Leland. Her nerves had
already borne much. and that she had
| been willing still 10 suiler IN secret for
the sake of preserving a good home
for her young brothers WAS fact
which became known and endeared
her 10 many hearts. Her friends mul-
! tiplied. and. when she accepted as u
! life companion DR.. leighton, the old
est friend of all. hearty kindness sur
rounded her, aud warm wshers for
her happiness danced merrily at the
wedding. - Yankee Blade