The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-06
WARNED BY A GHOST.

@lUCH a glorious night The snow
scintilated like diamond dust, and
G914sH the sleigh runners squeaked as they
passed over it with frosty sound so dear to
the heart Of the true Canadian.
The moon had risen. and it was as bright
as day. The horses breath seemed to fill
the air with clouds, and his coat already be-
gan to sparkle with frost Oh, it was good
to be home again! Canada for the Cana
dams" Is it any wonder we love our beau
tiful country with such passionate deyo-
ton?
From these high and patriotic thoughts |
was aroused by coming to turn in the
road, fork Now, there were two roads
to the village from this point, one leading
down a long, steep hill, at the bottom of
which an aboideau, OF primitive bridge,
built of fir trees and brush, with alternate
layers of earth aud stones-a sort of earth
work, in fact-spanDed a deep, treacherous
little creek, in which the ice piled in huge
blocks in winter, and as it was an estuary
of the river, it was dangerous spot when
the tide was high. Taking this road would
cut off more than half mile of my road, so
decided to try it, despite curious reluct-
ance on the part of my horse. The road
certainly did not look as if it was Travelled
much, but just at the turn the snow had
drifted off, leaving it nearly bare. So
forced the unwilling nag into the roadway
and logged on cautiously.
The spot bore an unpleasant name, and
still more unpleasant reputation. 1t was
called "GhOst's Hollow"
Fifty years ago, in the old days when the
province was thinly settled and weekly
fha otlu of
munication between the different towns.
the horses of n heavily laden coach had
taken fright at the top of the hill, and dash
ing down at mad speed had gone over
the aboideau. The tide was full in at the
| time and the creek filled with great
| floating blocks of ice. There was none
| to help in that lonely spot, so every one
| had been drowned, and the superstitiOus
| country people insisted that on wild viii
| ter nights any one standing at the top OF
the hill and listening intently could hear
| the muffied sound of sleigh bells, the shouts
| and groans of the drowning people aud the
| splashing and struggling of the horses.
| Certain it was that, when the tide was very
! low and the wind high, the water rushing
through the sluices under the aboideau
made an eerie, gurgling sound that was
| not by any means cheerful. l could hear
| it now with painful distinctness, though
| there was no wind. And my thoughts
travelled back to my boyhood and to old
| Angus Mcdonald, queer old Scotch far
mer, with whom l had been great
favorte, who had taught me how to make
| fox traps and 10 shoot rabbits, to believe IN
Omens and to be frightened in dreams.
A superstitious old fellow, who declared
| that he mad the gift of second sight, and
| who had always insisted that to hear the
sound of the groans and struggles In
| Ghosts Hollow was a sure forerunner
| of coming misfortune to the one hearing
them.
/ smiled to myself as 1 remembered it,
| and made a mental note that l would tell
| Angus the first time l saw him, and ask
| him what he made of the omen now.
The horse stopped so suddenly that |
nearly fell over the dashboard. And di-
rectly in front of the sleigh saw man
plodding slowly along through the snow.
could have sworn that he was not there
half a minute before, and yet he could not
have come out of the woods without my
seeing him. "Holloap' l called. He turned
slowly, and saw that it was old Angus
| himself.
why, Angus old fellow" said, 'what
in the world are you doing in this lonely
| spot? Jump in and I'll drive you home. l
was just thinking about you"
MANY thanks, Walter, for yer offer, and
| yer thoughts, too; but it's cold night, ana
| I'm not that wrapped up for drlylng-walk-
| ing's warmer" he answered.
But what brings you out here on such a
| night, Angus?" | persisted. "Y our rheuma-
| tsm must be better than it was, or you
would not have run such risks
"Ay, the rheumatsn's not that bad. |
was SEEM to the fOX-traps. an then l heard
| the bells an knew some one was going
| down the hill, SO l came out to warn them.
| The 'bito's all down, Walter, an you'd get
! an ugly fall among those ice cakes If we
went over; turn back, boy. an go the long
way"
"But, Angus" 1 cried, " don't like to
| leave you here"
"Pll do well enough, lad; Pm going home
now, good night"
Good night" / answered reluctantly,
" I'll see you tomorrow.
He made no answer, and l turned the
trembling horse. who pranced and snorted
| and tried to bolt until he realized that he
was going the other way. When looked
| back Angus was gone.
Once on the main road again we went like
the wind, and soon the lights OF home shone
| out, and in a few minutes more | was in
| the hall being shaken hands with, and
kissed, and questioned. passed around from
| one to the other like sort of cordial, ex-
| claimed over and cOmmiserated because [
| had not had any tea, and reading well
| come in Maggie's sweet eyes that was more
truly sustaining" as the old ladies say,
than all the teas in the world.
walter. dear" said Maggie, "you have
not been taking care of yourself. You look
| terribly worn and pale"
Never mind, Maggie" answered. 81
am going to rest and get strong again now"
The boys were both home for the day.
| Jack was in the civil service and viii was
in bank, both younger than l. and already
winning their own way in the world, |
thought with sigh.
Then mother came in to tell me my sup
| per was ready, and every one came into the
| dning-room to see that was well taken
| care Of. Maggie poured out the hastily
| made coffee and if could only have shaken
| off anrnus faalipp of hot
creep over me, should have felt as il
| were IN paradise, alter my long months of
| solitude.
"By the way. Walter" said Jack, sud-
| denly, chow did you happen to come the
marsh road. as of course you did, or you
would not he here-you know you always
| took the old coaching road because it was
| little shorter. Was il by chance, or did
they tell you at the hotel that the aDoideau
was down?"
% believe they did tell me, answered.
|" At least the hostler called alter Inc, but
| did not hear him. So ! took the coach road,
| and if IL had not been for poor old Angus
Mcdonald l should be laundering among
| the ice cakes now instead OF sitting here.
| met him before ] had more than Started
down the hill, and he told me about the
'bIto,' as he called it"
For full minute after spoke there was
dead silence. Then Jack opened his
| mouth to speak, but was checked instantly
Ny LOOK lIOHl ItlUtT. Maggie grew very
| pale, and then flushed uneasily, and mother
| said something hurriedly about my having
| missed the train and how disappointed the
| girls had been.
Something had evidently happened, for
| everyone seemed constrained, but made
nervous efforts to talk, so l was glad when
the meal which had begun so merrily came
| to close.
went back to the parlor with the girls
| aud tried to feel as did when l first came
| in, but it was of no use, and, hearing Jacks
| footsteps crossing the hall, l slipped out
and stopped him.
Look here, jack" began, did say
| anything out of the way at support"
mo! Oh, no." said Jack, uneasily; he
| had evidently received private instructions
to hold his tongue, and ne found the task
| hard one.
VERY we'll" answered. shortly; 'if you
| don't choose to tell me I'll go out IN the
| kitchen and ask the servants. They will
tell me fast enough. Now what was there
in my saying had seen old Angus to startle
| any one SOP"
'Well. if you will have it, there was a
| p006 deal AnUuc dia0 eiy Waoko oyn Il