Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-01-05

60 ~W forty fofwsrd msfe pnt pnt
hour-a tradition which is said to
have had its origin in the following
story:
There lived in the vicinity of that
city NJ. Valette, gentleman of an
cient family and of considerable for
tune. He had married Marie Dan
Vile, daughter of the Mayor of the
city, and, with their two sons and two
daughters, dwelt in beautiful villa
near the city-a seat which had been
the favorite residence of his ancestors
As his children grew up, however,
he was induced to move to Paris,
which place both he and Nine. Valette
conceived to be more suited to the ed
ucation of their family The removal
of Nj. Valette and of his family was
deplored by his tenantry, to whom he
had been as father, but particularly
as Nj. lie Brun, whom he had left fac
tor on his estate, was, though a just
man, of harsh and unaccommodating
temper.
NJ. Valette found it necessary in
Paris to adopt a mode of life which but
i'll accorded with the moderation of
his fortune. He made frequent de
mands for renewed remittances upon
his factor an I the latter was forced
to use rigorous and oppressive meas
ures to procure for his master the nee
essary means. The scanty vintage of
the preceding year had made such de
mands doubly hard-sso obey, and LIE
Brun became as odious to the tenantry
as Nalette had been respected and be
loved.
These circumstances were but little
known to Valette, or he would have
revolted from manner of life which
wrung from his tenants almost all their
hardearned substance. One night, as
he slept in Paris, the form of his fac
tor appeared to him, covered with
blood, informing him that he had been
murdered by the tenantry on NJ. Va
lette's estate for rigor in collecting his
revenue, and that his body had been
buried under particular tree, which
it minutely described. The ghost of
LIE Brun requested, moreover, that NJ
Valette would Immediately hasten to
Marseilles and deposit his remains in
the grave of his ancestors. To this
request Valette assented, and the APP
partition at once disappeared.
The morning came to dissipate the
gloom which the vision of the night
had occasioned and though he had
been for some time astonished at the
unusual silence of lie Brun, yet he
could not help considering the whole
as a mere illusion, Stories of ghosts
he had always considered as fit only
for the nursery, To take so long Il
Journey on such an errand he knew
would be regarded as the height of su-
perstition and he made no mention
of the incident
you are more thoughtful than us-
ual, father" said one of his daughters
to him next morning at breakfast.
y am thinking, my dear, " said NJ
yalette, ''why | have been so long in
hearing from lie Brun. | need money
and my demands have not been met -
Night came again, and about the
hour of midnight lie Brun again APP
HtuICu' ihtlt NtS NIL tNltSHl lftWu
on his countenance, and he inquired
of Valette why he had delayed Ill full
filling his request. Valette again
promised immediate obedience, and
was no longer disturbed by the unwel-
come intruder. Morning came again
SIT must still be dream, said he
to himself though remarkable one,
lIy Tp-Ioy II ,,rnl,o hl j,r; q,
me the expected letters from LIE Brun. "
The third night the vision appeared
with a terrible frown on it's counten-
ance. 1t reproached Valette for his
want of friendship to the man whose
blood had been split in his cause, and
for disregarding the peace of his soul.
''lf You will grant me my request, y
said the phantom, 81 promise to give
you twentyfour hours warning of the
time of your own death, to arrange
your affairs and to make your peace
with God.
NJ. Yalette promised in the most
solemn manner that he would set of
next morning for Marseiles, to exc
cute the commission; and the appari
tion of LIE Brun disappeared.
Valctte rose early next day, and, al
leging so his family that business Of
the most urgent necessity called hin
Immediately to Marseilles, departed
for tho seat of his ancestors, after al
absence OF ten years. There he found
that the narration of the murder o.
lie Brun was brlt too true. Under the
tree thet had been so minutely de
scribed 60 him he found tho mangled
remains, which he caused to he lie
Gently inferred in the family vault. II
vain, however, he made search for tn,
murderers. The same causes whici
occasioned the death Of the unforiuuat,
I.e Brun led the tenants to the mos