, 1892-12-24

FROM the wings OF d large Olru. L opened my
eyes aid stared at the spot where | had Just
seen the dreadful o! jpct standing, but it was
gone, aud, although / looked all around.I sawit
no more. Weak and trembling and with my
heart bounding at q terrible ra e, | turned my
horses head down the road again and soon
regained the highway How / wished that |
might fall in wi b one of the labourers from
Stronghold on his way home; but no one was to
be seen. AS | rode EDWARDS | stared at every
bush and tree, watching for the dreadful figure
to emerge from the shadows, but nothing APP
peared, and after the most miserable ride |
have ever had in my life vas chsered by the
light from WorkUp's hospitable house. Soon
| was in the yard, Jonas was sitting on the
steps waiting to take my horse. and Workup
was at the door to welcome me. Why Dick
he. exclaimed. ''you look pale, the night air has
been too much for you. You must have some-
thing to put a little life into you" He then
brought the decsnter and we helped curse Ives,
aftsr which l told him o my terrible expert
ence on the road. He only smiled, and said
Well talk about that in the morning, you go
now and get a coed nights rest and forget all
about it." In the morning I was not out
till Just as Workup was going to breakfast.
Gust in time" he said land how is it with the
headless w%atchman this morning?' ''Well' l
replied, 81 feel much better now, but ! must
say l never had such a fright in my life" 20,
nonsense" he answered Il suppose you had
been listening to some of JonasS stories, which
a mau lately out of fever ought not to do"
'Jonas certainly did tell me that there was such
a thing to be seen, but / cut him short,a and forgot
all about it unit last night" We'll, l am d
bit of a hom@opathist, as you know said
Workup, land, as like cures like, | think we had
better have Jonas in and let him tell you his
adventure with the same individual" l agreed;
Jonas was brought in, and willingly consented
to tell us his story. Jonas had had a little of
what he called dedication" and although be
ignored plurals and pOssessives. paid no heed
to tense and was often out in his pronuncia-
ton, he could nevertheless tell a story in a
connected and pretty ineligible manner. ut
was the night my niece Anclllina was married
in Basin" he began, "and you remember, Sir,
you lent me the old grey boss to ride in. I
ofAen hearn tell of the watchman widouten a
head at Bonavists, aud know how he come to
walk at nights. On tue last day he was alive
he stand watching the wukman pull down tbs
old Bonavista chimney, when q large piece
come down quicker than they expect, and all
turn to run, the watohman he trip and fall,
and the same moment q big stone ketoh be
behind the neck and grind he head clean off.
Since then he walk, but | hear nothing about
MIN for q long time before the wedding. AT the
wedding | meet the coachman from Bonavista,
and he tell me the Waterman begin walk
again, for he ste him only a few night before.
We had a fine time at the wedding and / ride
home at two o'clock liz the marnin. Just as I
get by the burying ground at Bonavista, who
should l see but man in an old blue sojer coat
coming through the grass? When he come
neal | see that he got no head, and get SO
brighten l stop the boss. He come tight
up to me and hold out he head in he hand.
The vie look pom me, and all the buttons
down the coat shine like fire. | was so brighten
that list Shet bote vie tight, aud hit the boss
a lick with the tambrun switch, and never
opeu me vie again till | come into .the yard.
The first thing / know, ] go splash into some
water, and when l scramble up, there / is
standing in the old tayche what the starks
does drink out of. When | get out hit the
boss q lick, and say: You stupid old beast, what
make you can't wait a bit for you drink, but
must go put me over you head into the tayohe?
Well, Mr. Yarner, you may laugh, but [ tell
you, what with the RUST on the old tayche and
he molasses and the oil-meal, them clothes
take mors'n a week to get them clean, and still
they has never look g~oodlagain." THANK you
Jonas said Workup, ''now go and get the
phaeton ready for Mr.. Yarner and me- to
go in to church" On our way home from
the service we called in at Bonavista and had
a very pleasant half hour there, which the