The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-05-31

Each of US looked at the other as the
ominous sound ratified and rolled again.
Louder and louder, clatter, thump,
thump, clatter, as though dozen horses
were tramping overhead had never
heard any thing quite like it.
"I'll not stay here said Jack Hale,
as the noise, after subsiding for mo-
| ment, broke out again.
"Its the wind, perhaps / said,
though / didn't believe it. sit down
and go on with your story
AS IL i could, with that horrible
| clatter going on! never heard such an
internal noise in my life-and in this
church, too, just the place. to give one
the horrors! 1 just believe it's old
Parson jerks
WHO'S old Parson Jcnks?' asked
Fred Gray, slight young fellow, very
boyish-looking.
" That's him. said Jack, pointing to
| the picture of the man in a clerical dress.
Didn't you ever hear of him? He was
found dead in one of the rooms of this
old rectory; had been living alone for
some time, and as several hundred dol
lars of church money was missing, it
| foully dealt by, though the coroner's
| verdict was death from natural causes.
/ hate these old churches, anyhow-that
| is, at night
We're not exactly in the church,
said Fred Gray. But should like to
know what that noise is
Suppose we investigator l said,
and see if we can find out. My father
taught me to prove things. There must
be some reason, Of course, for the noise,
and don't believe in ghosts
81 dared not say how much the story
Of Parson jerks had affected me.
Il should think it was hundred
something's Jack said, as the thunder
ing sounds began again. Its mules,
and they are racing
Mules! laughed Fred. Fancy mules
in q church. Even nine-pins would be
funny
"Who will carry the candle and go
with me?' / asked.
mot L. said Jack 'You may count
me out
81 will, Fred Gray said. in a resolute
voice, that gave the lie to his slight
figure and delicate features. Il should
like to CO.
"Well, stay here, thank you,' said
Jack. No money would tempt me to
go into that poky old church tonight
"'There is some reason for the noise,
[ said, and I'm going to find what It is.
Come on, Gray
"'Oh, come, don't leave fellow alone,
and its storming cats and dogs, too. /
think we had all better leave and take
our chances
''He looked so miserable that for a
moment / wavered. 1t was, may be, a
chance of lighting the church, but the
romance of the thing had got hold of
me, and hated to give it up. / always
did hate to give up things 1 had once
taclsled-you know that, boys. The
harder my lessons, the more determined
l was to master them. l suppose there
must be certain bulldog obstinacy in
my character. Well, l thought for
moment, and looked over at the picture
of the poor old clergyman. / declare,
1T seemed to smile at my indecision.
That settled it.
:" Nothing will hurt you here, Hale,'
Isaid, with the fire on one side and the
door on the other Pm going
Erred Gray had lighted the candle at
the fire, and he followed me into the
study. The glaring lights showed
books everywhere, an open closet, in
which hung two or three ghostly-lool1-
ing, white surplices, a stove, small
cabinet organ, and the large desk at
which the minister wrote his sermons
every Saturday. l remember noting for
the first time small statuette that
stood on the back of the desk, and
thinking that had never seen it there
before. The door of the study opened
directly on the chancel, but as we were
passing through, a puff of wind blew
the candle out. Thoroughly excited by
this time, and not a little frightened,
we groped our way back to the den,
clinging to each other. After knocking
down chairs, stumbling against the
stove, and giving yourselves several
slight bruises, we came at length to the
room we had just left Jack had been
piling light wood on the fire. and the
interior was one grand illumination.
Never was sight more welcome.
"'Ah, ha! knocked out, were you?'
jeered Jack Hale. Il thought your
courage would ooze out at your finger
ends. AS for me I'm off to the recto-
ry.' He was already pulling his over
coat on. 4 don't care if they put me
in the barn to Sleep he resumed, as
he took down his cap from a peg. Pm
not going to stay in this racket to-
night. You'd better come, too, you fell
lows. If it isn't ghosts, it may be burg
lars'
s. Gray, shall we go back again?' l
asked, reused by Jacks mocking voice.
Certainly said Gray, and, by the
way, there is a lantern hanging up over
there-a dark lantern, too He point
ed to the door of closet opposite the
Fireplace. That's just the thing he
went ON, taking it down. Yes, of
course We'll go back. 1t won't do to
give up now. Pm going to see the thing
through
All right, Pm Off, said Jack and
away he went, leaving us to ourselves.
The room looked very inviting now, for
the blazing sticks made it as light as
lay. After seeing that the fire was
safe, Gray fixed the candle in the Ian
tern, and in few minutes we started
ofi again, throwing, j won't deny, a
lingering, longing glance behind and