The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-02-05

thought her; and that Gaspard was
much admired, too, for so the story
has come TO us, and their pictures are
in the salon, though some think us
not Of the right mind to keep them
there.
'It comes soon now, petite, the
tragedy OF those two. One night, just
such q night as this, they went riding
in the so gay spirits, and going up
l hill for the second or third time
\ what should they see but another
1 sleigh coming down. 1t was coming
fast, and my great uncle knew it was
death for one side or the other, since
pass they could not. And he shouted
to the other driver to halt
"Ah, it was too sad. On, on, came
the other sleigh, fast like the wind,
and my great uncle Gaspard saw that
it would into him crash, and he
quickly drew q pistol, and fred to
kill 2 the horse, before it was
too late. And his own horse,
he get such fright he plunge over
the side, throwing him out, but taking
his bride down to DEATH
''He lived, but like a man in
dream, till some one tell him the
truth that on that night there was no
other sleigh but his own, and that he
saw the shadow was of his own, in
some way know not the exact, the
moonlight make that effect by what
you call projecting the shadow. and
when he know that, he take again the
pistol and with il end his misery and
his life."
A long silence succeeded this weird
tale and then Clotilde asked in
broken voice.
'Is it then that the sleigh is a ghost?'
Eyes, petite, a-what You call phan-
tom."
'I am not afraid. 1 accept, and
will pray to give the poor ghosts
peace"
1t was not like the Loup- -Garou, not
to the mind of Clotilde half as dread
full, but she was not really afraid of
these because her old uncle had much
sense, and he did not believe one of
these stories, although tell them he
did, and most graphically.
Again on the following evening
came the sound of bells, and this time
Clotilde went not near the door, but
sat moving her sweet lips in prayer.
Then the door was flung violently
open and brusque, CHEEKY voice
called:
"HelIo there, Victor, Alphonse, you
varlets, Lere are you v ng?"
Certainly this was no ghost, and the
three women who clung about his neck
gave frantic evidence of Joy at his
coming. Clotilde was not one of the
three. A big old man in a fox-skin
coat had taken her in his arms, and
was talking to her in gentle burr, the
old uncle who told her the dreadful
stories, and then she slipped one small
hand into her lovers and looked at him
with shy, happy eyes.
"It was SO good of you to come in
stead of the ghosts" she said, when
later they cooingi in a corner, while
the uncle, who was a great favorite
with the young Gaspard, was making
himself agreeable to the ladies.
"rhen you know, dear little one?"
said the young man. ''And you are
not afraid to make your home in the
Chateau Frontenac?"
"Not with my Gaspard," came the
soft answer, "but like it better if the
ghosts came not, and your sistei
they are sorry, too. But afraid-noP
"What of this so much being
afraid ?" asked gruff voice, and the
old uncle of Clotilde hobbled over to
the corner where snatches of their
conversation located the two lovers.
Then he was told the story of the
ghostly sleigh, and looked wise and
thoughtful for the rest of the evening.
The shrewd French Canadian was
filed with marvellous stories of ghosts
which he loved to relate, but none of
which he believed, not even his stock
fright-story, the legendary Loup-
Garou.
The next morning Uncle Pierre was
missing from the chateau, but no one
was disturbed, he had taken his gun,
and would return when he pleased,
which was at niehtfall, and simultan-
eously with his coming rang out the
jangling, invisible bells.
He found the family shivering
around the great fire Is if they were
stricken with deadly cold. Even Gas
pard looked troubled and the little
Clotilde was trying to assure him that
she was not-"Oh, no, not the least /
afraid !"
"Fine is the night, he said in salu-
tation, "and the air is the clear, so |
you hear-r-r, oh, so far Heard you
not, my Clotilde. the sleighbells that
come me with?"
"Oh, OH" cried the ladies of the
chateau in a faint chorus; "the bells
do make our hearts to shake" and
they said an audible prayer.
"What you make afraid? Not the
bells of echo, that the wind do bring
to your door for the too sweet music?
Pahl Ghost is it, not at all, but the
and the hills, they do make
of the bells of the sleighing companie,
the echo which for the minu-t-e stop
at your door; tits echo always this so
many years that you think it the
ghosts l''
Uncle Pierre was compelled to es-
cape from the room when the family
had accepted his scientific explana-
tion, which he further elaborated in
their native tongue. he was so over
whelmed with thanks and praises.
So the shadow WAS lifted forever