The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-10-20
Select Story.
A SEPTEMBER GHOST.

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cratic manner, in my heart of hearts l
knew that she, not l, was the mistress of
the situation. 1 think she knew it too,
Judging by the gentle, deprecating way in
which she smiled; woman never looks so
like reed as when possessed of power and
bent on using it.
'sThese letters must be taken to Wal
thamthwait Manor tonight" l repeated
emphatiealiy,
sCertainly, Sir; make sure when the
master comes home he will lend you the
mare" the farmers wife replied gently.
She was Berkshire woman, and her soft
southern accent came to me as welcome
relief after day spent in vain endeavor
to understand the strange, semi Gaelic dia-
lect of the Dalers.
"But you say you don't know when he
will come; perhaps not tonight"
'Why, Sir, yoR see it all depends on
them sheep, and sheep are the most un=
reckonable of creatures If the master has
sold them all I'm pretty sure we shall see
him tonight; though he might go on to
Pateley for the Market" she added medi-
tatively.
!"TheFe, HoW, you sec YaEFself we eannnt
rely upon him; | must find q messenger.
Have you no man about the place r.
The woman shook her head.
aThen there is no help for it, ! cannot
walk step further, so your son must 60"
I said, pointing to lad about IL who was
lounging on the settle.
Mrs. Metcalf shook her head more de.
cidedly than before.
"Of course I will pay him for going" l
added impatiently.
''It's not that, Sir, Jim would go, and
gladly, too, just to oblige you, if it was
anywhere else; bat not TO the Manor, siF,
tonight. Why, it is almost dark already"
aBut it is not more than Ave miles, you
say, and great fellow like that cannot
mind the darkness y
ssNot to the Manor, Sir; anywhere else
YOU like-but not to the Manor. Jim
Shall not 90 to the Manor tonight.
That was All she would say, and my
prayers, entreaties, brlhes, and thFeats were
alike powerless to move her from her re-
solve. The more 1 stormed the more
gentle she became, but with the infexible
gentleness of one who was determined at
any cost to protect her own from danger.
On the first of September-it was then
the twentieth-my brother and | had come
down into Yorkshire on walking tour.
Frank was more active than myself, but we
had stuck faithfully together until the
previous day, when, his patience being ex-
hausted by the time | took vainly en-
deavoring to make sketch of the Brim-
ham rocks, he had set off alone into Cra-
ven, to Walthamthwait Manor, which some
cousins of ours had taken for the season;
and there l had arranged to meet him after
a days rest at Bateley.
At Pateley, however, l found budget
of letters, and among them one from the
Admiralty, summoning Frank back to his
ship. As the letters had been waiting
some days, no time was to be lost and
hearing from the innkeeper that Waltham-
thwait was within an easy walk, l set out
My road lay up Nidderdale and round by
Great Whernside, but either the landlords
idea of distances varied considerably from
mine, or else must have lost my way, for
after passing Middlesmoor | wandered for
hours in an almost upiphabited region, and
then learned at little wayalde farmhouse
that was still five miles from the Manor.
The farmers wife received me most hospit-
ably and offered me bed, which, as was
thoroughly worn out, should have been
most thankful to accept, if only could
have found some one to carry the letter to
Frank
took the woman into my confidence
thinking that if she realized my difficulty
she would be the more ready to help me
She listened to my story with sympathy
that was quite touching. "If only the ole
mare were at home" she kept saying; but
none the less was she resolved that jim
should not go to the Manor that night, mol
could she give me any hope of finding
either horse or a messenger on the way
"There's not house between here and
the Manor" she said, with queer littl,
glance at her son; ''and if there was nobody
would live in it. Now, sir, just be reason
able. You look real down tired. Have ;
bit of supper now and you will feel better
If the master comes home you cap have
the mare, and if not Jim shall take tbt
letter over betimes in the morning"
There was nothing else to be done, so
was obliged to submit, although resolved
that, if the farmer did not return by mint
o'clock, must set out for the Manor OF
foot. The woman's obstinacy had excited