The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-22
II.

ty, WinSO1ne girl, not very StrOng, aOI
whom he had been looking for a com
panion. He had often asked Aunt Jane
to let him have Sammy, who she knew
could O be cured of her overbOister-
Gus ways by association with his gen.
tile child.
Next day Sammy drove away with
the minister and his daughter, and
Uncle Hiram and Rufus felt as if the
sunshine had gone out of their lives,
and poor Aunt lane was seen to lift
the corner of her apron to her eyes
several times.
When the fall term opened, Sammy
was sent to school with Lily, and
though she was always getting into
trouble on account of her mischievous
tricks she was always to be found at
the head of her class, and her teacher
was proud of her.
tTn tell you what" lets do some
thing at the witching hour Of midnight
tina will show us who our husband
will be-"
'Husband!" snorted Sammy, WHO i'm
tended to be an old maid, do, for
goodness sake, let him stay where he
is. It'll be bad enough without having
the spirits" bring him before his
time. I'd rather find a fairy god
mother who'd make me beautiful. Or
give me lots and lots Of gold; I'd like
ito see a ghost too-a real one"
But as all the girls-there were six In
the group-were older than Sammy
her voice was drowned in the clamor
for a. view of their future lord n
master.
I'll tell you what" said Sammy,
who, seeing that she must give way
to the older ones, entered fully into
their plot, you know that late apple
tree that stands by the bay window
- H. --.s-S o,,- W. I've
read somewhere that If you go at mid
night and pluck an apple from a tree,
cut it in half, throw one half over
your left shoulder, and then, while you
take a bite of the other half, say a
rhyme to yourself with your eyes Shut,
when you open your eyes you will see
your future husbands face before you.
So, why couldn't we go there at mid
night? We can easily get out of the
house when everybody is asleep, and
all go together. 1t isn't very far"
What" cried Maud Lane. go up
ITO tina great big gloomy house on the
hill! Why, I'd be frightened out OF
my life"
"Pooh, scarecat! Who is going to
hurt you? Nobody lives there but the
old man and woman who TAX care of
it. The young squire is away travel
ing, though I did hear that he was
= coming home soon."
At the appointed hour and evening
they gathered at the rendezvous, shiV-
ering and shaking with fear at the
weird performance before them. They
had ten minutes to wait for the magic
hour. This was spent in climbing the
tree and plucking the apples. Sammy
thought 1t might be as we'll for her to
fill her apron with the apples, for fu-
ture use.
Each had agreed to give a grunt with
each word of the rhyme so that all
could open their eyes together. AS
the last grunt died way their sounded
in their ears a most awful answer to
their anything but musical sounds; 1t
was a moan or groan and a wall COM
bined; then a voice asked: What
seekest thou?"
Terror lent wings to the tempers Of
fate, and, shrieking as they went, they
sped down the lane without waiting
for further developments, all but sam
my. Sammy, although quaking with
fear, stood her ground.
'FWrhat seekest thou?" repeated the
voice.
ct want to see my future husband"
answered she in a faint voice.
Behold! he appears" and there step
ped forth from the lilac bushes at her
side the form of a man. Tt was to
dark to distinguish his features.
With a yell of which an Indian would
have been proud, Sammy rushed after
the others and the man ran after her,
and soon caught the terror-stricken
girl. They were now in the opening,
end the bright moon was shining down