Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
THE SA/N7-GABELZE INN.
AN ODD WAGER.

"Do you think you can make me
believe there are ghosts?" replied my
neighbor, disdainfully.
Perhaps replied the Spaniard,
eff you had the courage to look at
them"
The young man jumped up, red
with anger, but calmed himself, and
sat down again quietly, saying:
"You would have paid dearly for
that remark if it were not that of q
fool"
'grhat of foolI' cried the Spaniard,
jumping up in his turn. ''Well, then,"
added he, slapping his fist on the
table and throwing down a big leathern
purse. Here are 80 quadruples
about s21G) which I offer to lose if
within an hour l do not make you
see, you who are so positive, the face
of one of your friends that You will
name, let him be dead for ten years,
and if, after having recognized him,
you dare to permit his mouth to kiss
yours.
The Spaniard had an air so terrible
in saying these words that we all
started. My neighbor alone preserved
his laughing, mocking manner and
replied;
"You will do this-you?"
EYES,, replied the Spaniard, "and
will lose 80 quadruples if / do not do
it, on condition that yon will lose an
equal amount if l keep my promise and
you acknowledge it"
The young man was silent mo-
ment, then he said, gayly;
Thirty quadruplesl My worthy
sorcerer, this is more than (. student
OF toulouse ever possessed; but if you
will keep you word for the five quad
ruples VIII ch are here, / am your
man."
The spaniara took his purse again,
and said, scornfully:
"Ah, you back out, my little gentle
MANI"
/ II back out!' CT ed the young man.
"Ah, if | had the 30 quadruples, you
would see if backed out.
Here are four" criel I, (which I
add to your stake.
I had no sooner made this PROPOSE
ton than five or six persons, attracted
like myself by the singularity of this
challenge, offered to take part in it,
and in less than no time the Spaniard's
amount was covered. This man
seemed so sure Of his work that he
contded the stake to the young stu
dent, and we got ready for the demon
stration.
To that end we selected small
pavilion, perfectly isolated, in the
garden, so that there could be no de-
ceptiop. We searched it minutely;
we assured ourselves that there were
no other opening than window, Sc
curely fastened, and door, which was
closed in the same manner, and at
which we all stood after we had left
the young man alone in the pavilion.
We had placed writing materials on
the table, and took away all the lights.
We were eagerly interested in the
issue OF the scene, and were all keep
ing profound silence, when the
Spaniard, who had remained among
us, commenced to sing in sweet and
sad voice a song, which may be rem
dere1 as follows:
"Noiselessly cracking the coffin has broken
in the half-opened tomb,
And the white phantom black foot is rest
ing on the grass, bold and green
At the first verse he raised his voice
solemnly, and said:
'You have asked to see yonr friend,
Fran; ois Violot, who was drowned
three years ago in crossing the Pen
sagnoles ferry. What do you see:"
81 see," replied the young man, ga
pale light which has risen near the
window, but it has no form, and is
only an indistinct mist"
care you afraid?" said the Spaniard,
in a strong voice.
II am not afraid,' replied the stu
dent, in voice no less confident.
We s, arcely breathed. The Span
lard was silent for q moment, then he
, began all at once to sing again, but in
, q higher and more sombre voice:
! "And the white phantom, whose face has been
withered by the surge of the waves,
Wipes with his shroud the water from his
garments and hair"
: The song finished, the Spaniard
turned again toward the door, and, in
, an accent more and more solemn, lie
! said:
t "You, who wished to pry into the
mysteries of the tomb, what do you
Q see?"
a We listened with anxiety. The
student eplied, in calm voice, bnt
: like man who is describing q thing
. as it happens;