The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-03


In that ancient place the whole pro
cceding struck a curious contrast. That
vaUlted chamber had for hundreds Of
years echoed only 30 the sapdaled foot
steps OF the cowied and silent ministers Of
an austtre superstition. the temple of
whose building lowered into the summer
Sky within a stones throw, its bells even
then Ginning on the ear; and now the
wheel of time had swept them out of
sight and IN their room sat a pretty girl.
holding in her spell a crew of halfiing
boys, radical, agnOstic, devil-may-care,
leading them whittier she would by
power unknown TO priests. Braunton
thought of Gree, and her stories changed
to swine, and how none but the crafty and
wise-hearted wanderer could defy the
spell. Gree led to perditou and
Maud the other way, by choice, but the
same wOrld-Old means We're common to
both He noted how, when the time came
for the hymn, two boys sprang to open
the piano, when a spasm of jealousy
blackened their faces, changing in the
successful one to an open expression of
triumph as he stood by Maud to turn the
page, his eyes alight, singing at the top of
his voice, time and tune alike forgotten.
Il suppose the boys never suffer from
jealousy" Braunton said to Maud, when
it was all over, the noise of bootheels
dying away in the distance. "But of
course they wouldn'tr'
"Oh, yes" she said, with a laugh,
"they get simply furious at times, and
some will sulk for days, and Pm really
afraid of a fight sometimes. It's great
fun, but do so wish they wouldn't"
1T must be very embarrassing, he
said, gravely, when you're trying to
guide them heavenward all the time. OF
course in the interest of religion, it must
distress YOU very much. -
She looked at him askance but his
face betrayed nothing but a polite sym
pathy.
All this time, to Braunton's increasing
annoyance, he was scarcely ever at Mum
Der Two without Mr. Henry Mahoney
strolling idly IN with his easy. Irish talk
and unending flow of anecdote ranging
from religion to the Princetown races, and
back again, and Braunton waited on
heaven for an opportunity to rid himself
of the Irishman.
One evening the talk turned on ghosts
and apparitions. Mahoney instantly shut
up his countenance to a suitable solemni-
ty, and took up his parable. "Ghosts, is
it," he said Now, I'll tell YOU what
for all me life I've thried to see a ghost,
and divil a one has come nigh me. I've
wandered in churchyards all the black
nights; I've slept in collins in the hospital
mortuary; I've ransacked ivry haunted
house that's come in my way; I've done
all L know for years, and niYer raised the
shadow of an apparition. Now I'll tell
you what happened to me wanst." He
paused and looked impressively at his
audience; Mrs. Bellingham languidly at
tentive, Maud smiling on him in the lamp
light, Braunton silently smoking a cigar
cite in the background ''TwaS in Coun-
ty Glare, was stayin with me uncle and
cousins awhile ago, and they told me how
there was a ghost which TUX its walk
regularly ivry night in the little lonely
churchyard about twelve miles away
out Let US dhrive over this night
/ said. | will see wan at the last,
or L will know why I do not
do So So we dhruv over that same
evenin' in rowlin' high dog khart, me
uncle and two cousins and mesilf We
put up at the little shebeen of an inn, and
dhrank little small dhrop of the potheen
for awhile, till it was close on u.
Henry they says, tbs time We were off,
and the saints purtect ye,' says they.
Are We not coming? l says Mo- says
they, we will kape the fire hot for We till
We return %, We willP says 1, and with
that l TUX me revolver from me hip
pocket and laid it on the table in sight of
'um all. DO you see that pistoll'I says.
Now, mark me well, for l do not lie
will shoot that ghost on sight They
said no word, and l TUX me revolver and
whit and pathrolled that howlin' desert
av churchyard till the day bruk in the
yellow east, and niver ghost did | see,
and well 1 knew the reason why; me
cousin was not DESTROYS of an early grave.
l knew 'um.'
''And did you never feel afraid?" Maud
asked him.
Afraid for what would / be afraid?"
said Mahoney simply.
ID, l. A..
speaker, as it lay on the table in the
lamplight-his face he could not see in
the shadow-and drew his conclusions
will you meet me in the crypt here to-
morrow night?n he said. 'HThere is every
opportunity for your faYorite sport, if half
/ have heard be true. We might raise a
ghost between us. don't know whether
the dean would object to firearms in the
cathedral"
The Irishman assented readily. The
next evening both men dined at the Bel
linghams', and Mlhoney was gay as a
bird; after dinner they played hand or
two of whist, and then rose to take their
leave, Mahoney visibly out of counten-
ance. "DId you notice how often l turn
ed up the black ace when l would be
dealing}" he said. Yes answered
Braunton; mo one could help remarking
it. I'm sorry for you, Mahoney Pm
made his adieu, sunk in melancholy, and
Braunton fingered behind him a mo-
ment. won't you come and look US up
presently" he said to Maud. It's
lovely night, and the effect of the moon
light in the crypt will be very fine"
Then, without waiting for reply, he
hurried after his companion
The summer moon was riding high in
the dark heavens, and above the great
tower wheeled the Bear; the night lay
brooding, still, SILENT and scented; and
as the two men walked down the cloisters
to the crypt their steps rang like the
march of regiment in that quiet place
of tombs.
The crypt was chill and cold, the moon
light falling through the narrow win
dows and lying on the uneven earthen
floor, row of geometricallY-shaped pools
of light narrowing away into the
shadows The two men strolled up and
down between the massive columns, chat
ting indifferently, till the great clock in
the tower struck twelve humming, rever-
berating strokes. " IT'S the very witchin'
hour" said Mahoney with a laugh, and
then suddenly clutched his companions
arm with face distorted by terror and
struck as white as paper. Whats
that?" he said hoarsely, and pointed
down the crypt.
A white figure was walking swiftly and
silently toward them from the far end,
the moonlight and shadow falling on it in
a. fsrfs