The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-05-31


to rage and all the windows ratified. We
could hear the hail strike against the
panes, but that was rather a pleasant
sound. hearing it under shelter in front
of good fire.
Jack Hale was the Oldest of our
party. He had been dwelling upon his
adventures, and 1 thought him very
strong and brave. He volunteered to
tell story.
"'When l was SIXTEEN he COM
menced, 1 was visiting friend whose
house was said to be haunted
This was delightful beginning, but
it was as ia" as we ever got. We gath
cred close together and watched the
crawling shadows on the whitewashed
walls. We were patiently waiting in
the pause which he probably made as
long as possible, in order to whet our
curiosity, when a singular sound, pro-
ceeding from the inside of the church,
fell on our ears, startling us more than
we cared to say.
"'What's that? asked the story-teller,
half-rising, his face as pale as death.
| Great Scott! what can it be?'
Each of us looked at the other as the
ominOus sound ratified and rolled again.
Louder and louder, clatter, thump,
thump, CHATTER, as though dozen horses
were tramping overhead. / had never
heard any thing quite like it.
'Ill not stay here, said Jack Hale,
as the noise, after subsiding for mo-
ment, broke out again.
Its the wind, perhaps 1 said,
though l didn't believe it. sit down
and go on with your story
" AS if | could, with that horrible
chatter 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 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
| lulo Vi ShulCl luOHCJ was lllSSll8, IL
was thought by some that he had been
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 l should like to
know what that noise is
and see if we can find out. NV 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.
II 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 church. Even nine-pins would be
funny
"'Who will carry the candle and go
with me?' | asked
"'Not L. said Jack. You may count
me out
g 4 will, Fred Gray said. in a resolute
voice, that gave the lie to his slight
figure and delicate features. 4 should
like to GO
"Wel, 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. I
think we had all better leave and take
our chances
lie looked so miserable that for a
moment l wavered. 1t was, may be, a
foolish experiment. There was no
chance of lighting the church, but the
romance of the thing had got hold of
me, and hated to give it up. l always
did hate to give up things 1 had once
tackled-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, thought for a
moment, and looked over at the picture
OF the poor old clergyman. 1 declare,
it seemed to smile at my indecision
That settled it.
Nothing will hurt you here, Hale
lsaid, with the fire on one side and the
door on the other. I'm going
Fred Gray had lighted the candle at
the fire, and he followed me into the
study. The glazing lights showed
books everywhere, an open closet, in
which hung two or three ghostly-look-
ing, white surplices, stove, small
cabinet organ, and the large desk at
which the minister wrote his sermons
every Saturday. | remember noting for
the trt time a small statuette that
stood oil the back of the desk, and
thinking that had never seen it there
before. The door of the study opened
directly or the chancel, but as we were
passing through, puff of wind blew
the candle out Thoroughly excited by
this time, and not little frightened,
we CROPPED 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.