Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-05-15
A MOORLAND MYSTERY.
The Boggart That Job Kirkbright
Saw on the Fells.

II was what sailors call a dirty
night. A wild west wind was tearing
over the Fells and sweeping down the
narrow valley in fierce gusts, driving
the rain in sharp bursts against the
windows, and bowling angrily round
the chimneys of the little inn at Sell
side.
But il the evening was dark and
stormy and things outside were cheer
less, the kitchen of THE Moorcock"
was a cosy picture OF warmth and
brightness. A mighty fire blazed in
tho wide open fireplace, and sent long
trails OF sparks and great curls of
smoke roaring up the huge chimney.
It's light danced upon the timber ed
ceiling, across which long ropes of
onions and bundles OF dried herbs were
artistically festooned it flashed upon
rows of pewter plates and dishes on
the old delf rack on the wall, and
lighted up the brass face Of the old
clock in its dark corner, as il licked a
solemn accompaniment TO the fitful
snoring OF golden-tan sheep dog
which lay stretched out upon the brick
floor In front OF the hearth. One side
OF the room was taken up by n deep
old-fashion settle, with sloped back,
and an end which curved round so as
20 shut out the back door into the
garth" or yard. On this bench some
half dozen natives were seated, putting
stolidly at their long clays, which
wero periodically withdrawn from
bucolic lips TO allow of the application
OF the quart mugs which stood in reg
ular sequence upon the wooden table
in front.
Two tall rocking chairs were drawn
upon the opposite side of the kitchen
in which two storm-bound rovers were
comfortably ensconced. And highly
picturesque figures we made, clad in
miscellaneous garments, belonging to
''mine host" who was himself en-
throned on an ,upturned cask, and
formed connecting link, as it were,
between 1.-THE classes on one side and
"the masses" on the other side of his
hearth.
"A good deal pleasanter here, land
lord. than up on the Fells."
$50 l reckon. sir. Turn-Dub's Il
dowly spot o. meets when its doggy
(Anglice, misty; eh. Job?-tha
knows"
A tall. lean fellow. with the hard,
wiry look of a Yorkshire dalcsman,
gravely nodded, and muttered:
"Fd moan gan over tneet not fur ten
pund."
"Ah? thee had onst a rum soart on
thing happen tull'ee." quoth his right
hand neighbor, whose ruddy face was
set in mass OF bright red whisker.
Come, tell Z gen'elm'n ont; they've
moan heerd loike ont, I'm barnd."
After little coy hesitation, which
gave way when our order was TO "fill
up all round" had been carried out,
job Kirkbright, shepherd and fac
totum, told his story, which being
translated from the rugged dialect OF
Craven into ordinary par.ance, was
much as follows:
+" had sold some ewes over in Lit
tondale, and after getting the brass
and taking "a glass OF ale TO wet the
bargain at Tom Mason's, / set off home
over the Fells in good fettle. had
my dog, Bob, with me, and we climbed
up on the moor, and had soon got well
on our way. IL was late in the autumn
and the days were drawing in fastish,
but i knew the path well and so
thought nothing much about the time
o. day. But when | got right up on
Moortop, began to see as how it was
coming on misty, and so pushed on
bit faster but the fog was coming up
with a goldfish wind from seaward, and
soon IL had got all round me and made
me feel chilly. II did not close in thick,
like regular smotherer, you must
know, but IL kept whirling in patches,
then lifting bit and rolling away up
the Fell, but only TO come unrolling
back every now and then. / don't
mind as how j ever heard the wind
moan SO queerly it was for all the
world as il n lot OF folks were grooming
and moaning. and it made ME feel n
bit skeery like; and the rocks and
powders looked uncanny with tho gray
wisps twining among them. ! was
main glad, can tell you, when made
out Hanging Crag, and knew ] was
over the highest point OF the road, and
beginning to get higher home.
The path leads down dip like on
the moor, and Langdon Beck runs
alongside for may be half mile, and
then it turns off suddenly and runs
away southwark, TO plunge down into
Huntpot-a big sort OF pit, which is
ninety yards deep, and as fearsome
place as you can want to see. They
say it's haunted with boggart, ever
since young girl was thrown in there
by her sweetheart nigh twenty years
agone. At least, folks always said rs
how he had showed her down. for they
were seen not far OF the hole one even
ing having some words together. and
that was the last time she was ever
seen. He swore, when they asked him
what had become Of her, that he did
know more than that she had left him,
saying that she would not keep COM
papy with him no longer. but take up