Year: 1866

uttered these last words, and taking sdvan-
tage of his indecisiou, and the relentiDg ex-
preston she thought she read in the dark
faces round her, Anna related her simple sto.
ry, dwelling particularly upon the danger the
coiners would incur were she missing, and
their security in case she was allowed to
proceed on her journey, after seeing her
friend, the clergyman. Taking courage
from the attention of her hearers, she even
ventured to demonstrate with them upon
their dangerous mode of life, and entreated
them to abandon it and seek their subsist.
enoe honestly.


There was pause of some minutes after
Anna ceased speaking, during which time
the coiners exchanged with each other looks
of admiration and astonishmeut. At length,
one of them, who appeared to take the lead,
addressing his companions, said:


"The woman has spoken well, and there
is reason in what she says. 1t is true enough
that murder will out; and though she is a
stranger, she was known to come here. Her
disappearance might excite suspicion, sus.
picion might lead to inquiry, inquiry to
search !; and then all would be up with us
besides, few weeks will see US clear of this
place, if We have luck, and I think We may
trust her so long" Then turning to Anna,
he continued, "You have spirit of your
own, and like you the better, and would
trust you the sooner for it; none but fools
rely on the word of coward, but one who
dare speak the honest truth without fear or
favor, when in peril of life, is not likely to
break faith, I think /; so you shall 60 free,
on condition that you take solemn oath
not to reveal to any one the events of this
night until six months have passed; by
that time We shall have Quilted not only
this neighborhood, but the country, and" "
be added with laugh, "the ghost that has
kept all the men in quaking after dark
like pack of frightened children, will be
laid forever, Have I said well, my com
rades? 7"


There was a general murmur of assent
and the man continued, "Recollect, then,
that if you break your oath, your life will
be the forfeit; we have means to ascertain
and punish treaobery; and should you at.
tempt foul play, you can no more escape our
vengeance than here in this lonely place you
can resist our power. Will you swear, by
all you hold most dear and sacred, to keep
our secret inviolable for the time agreed p


To this proposition Anna, as will be read.
lily believed, joyfully asseuted, and being
conducted by her strange aOquaintances
back to her sleeping apartment, she most
gladly, when morning dawned, bade adieu
to the scene of her alarming adventure.


On arriving at the clergyman's house, she
was not sorry to find but few Of the family
stirring, as she naturally wished to avoid
much questioning In answer to the inqui'
ries which were made as to how she bad
passed the night, she said that she had been
much annoyed and disturbed and though
she avoided entering into particulars, she
strongly advised that no one should be per-
mitted to try similar experiment, assuring
them that she believed few could pass
through what she had done without sustain
ing severe, if not permanent injury from it.
Having thus, as far as lay in her power,
acquitted her conscience, she pursued her
journey. In few days she arrived athome ;
but it was not until several months over the
time specified had elapsed, that she related
the adventure to me, in order to show how
little dependence is to be placed on the sto
res told of ghosts and haunted houses.


GAS Dutch Anna said, "Evil men have
generally more to do with such stories than
evil spirits, and after all, it is possible to
give a certain gentleman and his agents
more than their due"