Year: 1871

graves 1rOm tle SlQe OF Ll6 yaru OppOSlCc u
the one ON which he entered. They came
directly toward the tree, and as they came
noiselessly, Joe knew they could be none
other than ghosts.


At first he thought of dropping to terrs
firma, and endeavoring to escape them by
flight; but a sober second thought led him
to see the folly of trying to run away from
individuals who could harness and ride the
wind. Besides, they might not be after him
and if after him, they might not find him
snugly filed away as he was in the thick ioli
age of the tree. Having thus taken briet
though reasonable view of the matter, Joe
thought of wiser course-that OF remaining
where he was and keeping quiet.


The ghosts, or whatever they were, moved
towards the foot of the pear tree, where they
stood and fell into a discussion.
"Now, Tom, you stay down here and pick
up while climb her," said one of them.


80. no, we'd better both climb said the
other. 'I4et us keep together, you know
and then if one of us gets into trouble We'll
both be into it you know


why, we will be together. What differ
ence is there between being mp in the tree and
being down on the ground ?'


80, no difference, you know, only thought
we'd better both climb, you know There's
no graves up in the tree, but they're thick as
hops down here, you Know


Yes, but don't you recollect that old Jane
Fowler seq the tree is ha'nted? One of Us
must 90 up and shake off, while the other
stays down and picks them up. Which will
you do9 Its all the same to me-" $50 it is
to me you know. Go on yourself and gather
fast, so we can git away, you know and
the first speaker commenced scratching his
way up the trunk of the tree


The sound of those scratches was Il vast
relief to Joe for he felt certain that they were
made by substance more solid than could be
supposed of mere thing of air; still he did
not know what it might all end in, and there
fore he concluded to keep quiet.


Up among the lower limbs came the I'M
welcome visitor, shaking the tree, picking
pears, and all the while keeping up 4 lively
chat with his companion below-up until
within a very few feet of our victimized
member of the social party and-he sudden
ly saw ghost! Reclining among the BRAN
chcs of the old pear tree, and just above his
head, where the outlines distinctly to be seen,
of a human figure.


Like a flash of lighting his bravery left
him-ay, and his strength too; for relaxing
his hold upon the tree, he came down with a
crash, sweeping Joe's basket, which had
been hung to n lower limb, with him, and
piing pell nell upon the man who was on
the ground picking UP pears.


''Git out of the wilderness!'


In far less time than it takes us to tell of it,
they were over the fence and laundering
down the hillside towards the spot where our
tun-loving characters had stationed them
selves for the purpose of frightening Joe.


'There he come" said one of them, as
sounds not unlike those made by a train OF
cars in rapid motion reached their listening
ears; "there he comes, and he's scared and
. running! l knew it! Now make ready
and let US give him something worth running
for when he passes here"


eyes, there he comes; | can see him now.
And by George! there is something after
him. Look, don't you see two large objects ~


81 do, indeed There is something a
scuddin' right at his heels %


And forthwith there was another stampede
another display of hard running; and the
two fun-loving members dashed in upon the
faces grew rapidly pale Us they related what
they had seen and done, especially when they
ayerred that they had seen the spectre seize
poor Joe by the hair of the head and cross
the valley with him at single bound Never
before was little party more completely
horror stricken. We may almost venture to
say, without expecting to use figure of
speech, that they were thoroughly paralyzed,
and where it would all have ended we cam
not imagine, had not the spell been suddenly
broken.


1t was broken, and we may as we'll tell
you how. Firstly the notes of Yankee
Doodle, done by an accomplished whistler.
in his best style, reached there ears from the
dim distance. Nearer and nearer the music
drew until it reached the door; and then,
secondly, in walked Joe with q basket of
pears upon his arm, and apparently as happy
as q king. And back to each cheek sudden
ly reached the color rs he rela ted what he
had seen and done.