Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-03-21

| pack OF fools. 10 let a le" ieAe9 -,
brighten them out OF good quarleIs.
"Nay, nay, said the houseA -';a.'ad
waepine her head knowingly, and plquea
at having good ghost story uouo ';sa
.sthere's more in it than rats ana mice
An the neighborhood talks about the
house. and then such sights have been
seen in it'll Peter de Groodt tells me that
the family that sold you the house and
went to Holland dropped several strange
hints about it, and said they wished you
iov of your bargain and you kno"
Yourself there's no getting any iaInny W
live in it. !" :,
'sPeter de Groodt's ninny-an oia
woman" said the doctor peevishly. III
warrant he's been filling these people
heads full of stories. It's just like his
nonsense about the ghost that haunted
the church belfry as an excuse for not
ringing the bell that cold night when
Harmanus Brinkerhof's house was on
fire. Send Claus to me.
Claus Hopper now made his appear
ance-a simple country lout, full Of awe
at finding himself in the very study OF
| DIR. Knipperhausen, and too much en-
barrassed to enter into much detail OF
the matters that bad caused his alarm.
| He stood twirling his hat in one hand,
resting sometimes on one leg, some
| times on the other, looking occa-
sionally at the doctor, and now and then
stealing a fearful glance at the death S
head that seemed ogling him from the
top of the clothes press.
The doctor tried every means TO per-
suade him to return to the farm, but
all in vain; he maintained a logged
determination on the subject; and
at the close of every argument or
solicitation, would make the same brief,
inhexible reply, Itch kan NIGHT, myn-
heer." The doctor was 'tlittie pot, and
soon hot" his patience was exhausted
by these continual vcXations about his
estate. The stubborn refusal of Claus
Hopper seemed to him like fiat rebellion;
his temper suddenly boiled over, and
Claus was glad to make a rapid retreat
to escape scalding.
When The pumpkin got to the house
keepers room. he found Peter de Croodt
and several other true believers ready TO
receive him Here he Unidentified himself
for the restraint he had suffered in the
study. and opened a budget of stories
about the haunted house that astonished
all his hearers. The housekeeper be-
lieved them all, if it was only to spite
the doctor for having received her intel
ligence SO uncourteously. Peter de
Groodt matched them with many a
wonderful legend of the times of the
Dutch dynasty and Of the devils step
ping stones: and OF the pirate that VAS
hanged ut Gibbct Island, and continued
to swing there at night long after the
gallows was taken down; and of the
ghost of the unfortunate Governor Leis-
Ter. who was hanged for treason, which
haunted the old fort and the government
house. The gossiping knot dispersed,
each charged with direful intelligence.
The sexton disburdened himself at a
vestry meeting that was held that very
day, and the black cook forsook her
kitchen, and spent half the day at the
street pump. that gossiping place of SER
wants. dealing forth the news TO all that
came for water. little time thewhole
town WAS i'm n buzz with tales about the
haunted house. Some said that Claus
Hopper had seen the devil, while others
hinled that the house was haunted by
the ghosts of some of the patients whom
the doctor had physicked out of the
world and that was the reason why he
did not venture to live in it himself
III this put the little doctor in ter
rible fume. lie threatened vengeance
on any one who should affect the value
OF his property by exciting popular pre-
iudices. lie complained loudly Of thus
being in a manner disposseSsed Of his
territories by mere bugbears but lac
secretly determined TO have tie house
exercised by the dominic. Great was
his relief, therefore, when. in the midst
of his pcrplpXitles. Dolph stepped for
ward and undertook to garIison the
haunted house. The youngster had been
listening TO all the stories Of Claus Hop
per and Peter de GrOodt; he was fond Of
adventure. he loved the marvellous, and
his imagination had become quite ex-
cited BY these tales OF wonder Besides,
he had led such an uncomfortable life at
the doctors, being subjected 10 the in
tolerahle thralldom of early hours, that
he was delighted Mt the prospect of
having a house 20 himself, even though
it should be a haunted one His offer
was eagerly accepted, and it was de-
termined that lie should mount guard
that very night. His only stipulation
was, that the enterprise SHOULD bc kept
secret from his mother: for he knew
the poor soul would not sleep a wink if |
she knew that her son was waging war
with the powers of darkness.
When night came on. lac set out on /
this perilous expedition. The old black |
cook his only friend in the household, |
had provided him with little mess for |
supper. and Il rushlight; and she tied /
round his neck an amulet. given her by 1
an African conjurer. as a charm against l
evil spirits, Dolph was escorted on his |
way by the doctor and Peter de Groodt. /
who had agreed 10 accompany him to 4
the house and TO see him safe lodged. I
The night was overcast, and it was very /
dark when they arrived at the grounds /
which surrounded the mansion. The
sexton led the way with lantern. As /
they walked along the avenue of acacias,
the fitful light. catching from bush to
bush, and tree to tree, often startled the
doughty Peter, and made him fall back
upon his followers and the doctor
grabbed still closer hold of Dolph's arm,
observing that the ground was very
slippery and uneven At one time they
were nearly put to a total rout by bat
which came fitting about the lantern;
and the v,nfac nf tho fpoa0fc fx,,,1 FL. l