Year: 1872

the Little folks column, but am only
going to tell some little stories know, to
show how foolish it is for people to be-
lieve in ghosts, and signs, and dreams,
and haunted houses. Perhaps you will
say, good people do not; but 1 know of
many who will not start on a journey, or
have new garment cut, or begin any
piece of work, on Friday, because they
say it is an unlucky day. and you cannot
prosper if you do so and if looking
glass breaks, they look solemn, and saw it
must be there is going to be death in the
family or if you drop fork, company is
coming if dog hewls, death is sure to
follow if you see the moon over your
left shoulder, bad luck for that month /;
and so on, making themselves uncomfort-
able by imagining a thousand things
which never come true, or if they do, have
nothing to do with the sign they have con-
nected with it. One evening, good
many years ago, my father took me upon
his knee, to tell me story for which
had teased him, and looking at me with a
droll expression on bis face, said,


"Nellie, did you ever see ghost ?"


"Why, no sir" said at once, did
your"


"No," he answered, "but / almost
did" and went on to tell me his story:
Zone beautiful moonlight evening,
when 1 was about thirteen years old, my
father said to me,


"'My son, 1 want you to put the saddle
on the black horse and go over to Hadley,
and do some errands for me, and told me
what they were.


"Well, when he told me this, my heart
almost stood still for a moment, for my
road lay through very dark, heavy, pine
woods, which l had often heard were
haunted, as very strange noises had been
heard in them. But my father was man
who had no faith in such spories, and
would not have allowed me to wait till
daylight, even if the errands had not been
urgent, because he would have thought it
best for me to go, and if l heard a strange
noise, to trace it and find out what it was.
| So / put the saddle on the horse and
started on my way, and sure enough,
when was about half through the first
woods / heard strange sort of 'hoo-ou-
ou-ou-ou, which seemed right opposite to
me, though far in the wood. l tried to
be brave; stopped my horse and listen
ed; but the sound became more and more
distinct as 1 listened, and with a great
effort made up my mind to ride into the
woods and see if l could find what was
causing it. So in / rode to the thickest
part, where, after resting a moment,
nedTu luSl I0t SAINT SOuIiIl, stNGIdl lllHSs
repeated, only instead of being beside me,
as had expected, it was out by the road
which l had just left. Well, had found
move, so after it / went again. and as
soon as 1 reached the road, there
it was back in the woods
Well, noo l had learned that
it did not wish to stay by me, and the
thought occurred to me that / might
frighten it, instead of being frightened by
it. so in Irode again, but with just the samt
effect. So in / made up my mind this time
l would watch, and not allow anybody ol
thing to pass me without my seeing i.
but this time l looked up, instead of OF
the ground, and what should l see but {
large white owl, which flew over my heaC
and rested on a tall tree. So this proved
the great wonder which had frightened
the whole neighborhood; and l smiled
all to myself, and went on to do my er
rands, and then went home and told the
boys what haunted Old Hadley's woods
and that they need not fear to go through
them, let the night be ever so dark, anC
if they would like to, we would make W
a party and see if we could not catch thu
ghost and bring il home with usm


So think the best way is, when W.
hear strange noises, not to run away from
them, and believe there is some
thing unnatural in them, but tr.
and trace them out, and we ar
pretty sure to find some simple cause
but if we lay up all the signs and omen
we hear. and put faith in them, they ar
sure to make us unhappy. OILY a few
days ago, a friend called to see me, and
spoke about nsOriRg, as / was expecting t
do so in a few days, and said:


81 am so afraid old Kitty will not sta,
with US, as she is so attached to thi
pl&ce."


When looked at her, saw she looked
very sober and she said to me.


"Oh, don't think of moving your cat
Don't you know it is a very bad omen?
should expect one of the children 1o0ut
die"


1 said, "You know l do not believe il
such things, and if they should all die,
should believe it was because Gods tint
had come for them, and not because
moved my cat"


1 knew women once who thought he
husband died, because he looked into thu
grave of his own dear pastor, and sh'
said,


You notice it, and you will find if an,
one looks at a coffin after it is lowered
into the grave, the next funeral will sure
ly be his own.


1 was speaking of these things day o
two ago, to a very dear friend of mine
who said,


81 feel as you do about believing sucl
things, and remember when was a bo,
how strange thought it as was dining
with little boy friend of mine, a servan
came to wait upon us at table, and upse
the salt-cellar. She Immediately took
spoonful of salt and threw it into the fire
and then put the rest back into the salt
cellar. / looked at Tom to see what
! meant, and he, seeing my wonder. said
Don't you know she would quarrel ant
have bad luck if she did not do thatg" e
Such notions are all silly nonsense
God is a God of Providence, and watche
even the fall of sparrow, and surelywil
not leave his own children to be the spor
of caprice, or reveal to the moon, or I,
dogs, or salt, those things he does not tel
to the wisest of men.


mo burning heats by day,
Nor blasts Of evening air,