Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-08-11

~~~~~~N 4A~S
rose, and his tongue seemed glued to
his mouth. The silence was terrible.
If those white beings would only speak;
but no sound came from them. At last
in desperation he stammered out:
"Who are you, and what do you
mean by stopping me here in this way?"
I'VE are spirits of the departed dead,
a sepulchral voice replied, land we
have need of your services; descend
from your vehicle, do as we bid you,
and on the word of a ghost you shall
not be harmed
The terrified lawyer descended and
stood by the speakers side, while the
other ghost tied his horse to tree and
joined them.
"Yield yourself entirely to us and
you shall be safe" said the spokesman.
"You must needs walk far and must
allow us to blindfold your eyes, in order
that you may not discover before your
time the way to the land of the shades.
No more words must be spoken.
Obey"
Mr.. Dupont was so terrified that he
could not speak, and in silence allowed
a cloth to be bound over his eyes; then,
escorted by his ghostly companions, he
began to walk. 1t seemed to him that
| he would never be allowed to stop;
| seconds seemed ages; every attempt of
his to speak was checked by impatient
groans of his guides. At last, after
walking half around the earth, as it
seemed to him, he realized that he was
being piloted up some steps, and by the
feeling of warmth he knew that he had
J left the open air.
THE Justice of the peace may be
seated" said the ghost who had done
| all the talking.
Mr.. Dupont sat down and the cloth
was quickly removed from his eyes, re-
vealing to his astonished gaze the in
| terror of room dimly lighted by wax
I candles. Every side was hung with
black curtains, and on four black-cov-
cred stools facing him sat four white
| robed specters, while beside him stood
another dressed like his Companions.
Before he had time to more than won
spokesman began:
''Mr. Dupont, we have solemn duty
for you to perform. You are a justice
of the peace in the world of the living,
and man dear to us on account of
| your noble life; therefore are you here.
We have in these abodes of the dead
two young shades recently come from
the other world. Each of these died of
broken heart because a stern parent
forbade them to marry? What do you
think, sir, of such a parent as that?"
Mr.. Dupont wiggled about uneasily
in his chair, and at last said: 81 think,
good shade, it was very wrong of him. -
1--WE knew you would" resumed the
ghost, because you are a kind man,
and one who loves his children. Now
do we understand you to say that if the
poor girl had been your child it would
never have happened?"
''Surely it never would" replied the
frightened Mr.. Dupont.
"We have not misjudged you, then, u
replied the shade, while the other four
ghosts nodded approvingly. "We have
summoned you in order that you may
unite them in wedlock, SO that in this
world at least they my be happy. Such
marriage as this is not common among
US, so we brought you here, good jus
tice of the peace, rather than a minis
ter, who might have been shocked al
these proceedings. You can marry
them just as we'll as clergyman. Now
sir, will you oblige us by marrying
these two shades? If you will consent
you may depart at once to your home
Will your"
Marry the two shades? Of course he
would; anything to get away from this
terrible spot And SO, without the pre-
caution of STIMULATING his fee, he STAN
M cred out:
''Oh, yes, surely. anything you wish.
No sooner had he given his consen
than one of the black curtains was
, drawn aside and two other beings il
, white entered and stood before him
The other shades rose, and Mr.. Dupont
not ishirg to be the only one to keel
, his seat, rose too. The good justice hac
, never married shades; he did not know
= quite how to proceed. They looked ex
actly alike; he did not know which wa
the bride and which the groom. HI
g | wished he were we'll out of it, and thu
, | only way to gain his wish was to pro
= coed quickly with the ceremony, ant
. so he began at once. Some way III
managed to get through, although h
. could not have told afterward how i
= was done. He turned to the brid
when he said: do you take this woman
to be your welded wife?" and to TIN
groom when he should have addresses
: the bride; but at length, much to hi
j, relief, the ~ do was said by each, AM
= the justice finished with the 81 pro
6 nounce you man and wife"
But all was not yet over. No soone
8 had the words left his lips than one O
: the beings before him threw aside it
/ Vghostly robe, and there. in a beautiful
q wedding gown, stood-his daughte,
t Margaret Mr.. Dupont started t
d speak, but he only gasped, for aroun
A him stood the other ghosts; they. toe
a had thrown aside their robes and stoo
revealed. Could he believe his eyes
a Yes, there was no mistake, he had mai
4 ried his daughter to Charles Foster, i
a the presence of his wife, his son an
4 three family friends; and the iustic
q knew enough of law to realize that TIL
i, ceremony was binding. The blac
a curtains, too, were torn down, and Their
> they all stood in his oacn pGrlor.
There was no help for it, consequent
49, xx-o