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VOL. XI.
NEW BLOOMFIELD, PA., TUESDAY, JANUAltY 23, 1877.
NO. 4L
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THE TIMES.'
Aa Independent Family ' Newspaper,
' 18 lUBLTSnsn BVItRT TUESIUT BT '
F. MORTIMER & CO.
Subscription Prloe.
Within the County ...
" " Blx months,
Cut of the County, Including postage.
" " " six months T'
. (1 V
75
. J 50
85
Invariably in Advanoe I
Advertising rntes furnished upon appli
cation. Helecit 'Poeti'y.
The Washerwoman's Song..
In ft. Very humble cot,
In a rather quiet spot,
In the suds and In the soap
Worked a woman full of hope
Working, singing, all alone,
In a sort of undertone,
" With a Saviour for a friend,
He will keep me to the end."
Sometimes happening along
I bad heard the semi-song,
And I often used to smile,
More In sympathy than guile,
But I never said a word,
'In regard to what I heard ;
As she sung about her friend
Who would keep her to tho end.
Not In sorrow nor In glee
Working all day long was she,
As her children threo or four,
Flayed around her on the floor t
Bat in monotones the song
She was humming all day long,
" With a Bavlour for a friend,
He will keep me to the end."
It's a song I do not stng,
For I scarce believe a thing
Of the stories that are told
Of the miracles of old ;
But I knew that ber belief
Is the anodyne of grief,
And will always be a friend
That will keep her to the end.
Just a trifle lonesome she,
Just as poor as poor could be,
But her spirits always rose,
Like the bubbles In the clothes,
And though widowed and alone,
Cheered'her vith the monotone ,
Of a Saviour and a friend
Who would keep her to the end.
1 have seen her rub and rnb,
On the washboard in the tub,
While the baby sopped In suds,
Rolled and tumbled in the duds,
. Or was paddling in the pools,
With old scissors stuck in spools,
Bho fctill bumming of ber friend
Who would keep her to the end.
Unman hopes and hnman creeds
Have fhelr root in human acds,
And I wonld not wish to strip
From that washerwoman's lip,
Any song that she can sing,
Any hope that songs can bring.
For tke womau has a friend
That will keep her to the end. ,
A WOMAN'S SECRET.
A Story of the Revolution.
, ,
CONCLUDED.
ANOTHER day and still another had
paused away. Ferguson and Lynd
ay bad successively taken the field
against the ghost but none would come
when they did call for him. Old Jamai
ca was the only spirit that was raised,
and tobacco-smoke was the only intangi
ble essence that infested them. What
was to be done now r" It was plain that
the ghost was more than a match for
them. They believed that they might
be his masters in the field but he cer
tainly had the advantage of them in the
strategy which avoids the presence of a
superior enemy. They felt,in the slight
est degree in the world, like fools, that
they should Lave lost their natural rest
for three nights, and expended a degree
of skill and energy sufficient to have
raised the siege, and all for nothing.
Friday night was come. The morrow
was the fatal Saturday, when the orderly-book
roust be found, or the loss re
Krted at bead-quarters. The confeder
ates sat rather gloomily over their wine
at Ferguson ' lodgings for Ferguson
was a married man, and did not live at
mess and considered with themselves
what was to be done next.
" You have not won your supper at the
Dragon yet, doctor," said Ferguson
" The ghost does not m-m'to regard you
with any more favor than the rwt of
g.
" The Ides of March are not past yet,
my friend," observed the doctor. " I
shall have a double chance, as I shall
keep watch the last night of the slege,as
well as the first. You Cannot tell what
this night may bring forth."
1 Bo you are not discouraged, I am
glad to find," said Ingrain, "and still
hold to your intention forthenlght. But
don't you intend to ' go to Miss Cluir-
mont's this evening t I know you are
invited, and your watch can begin after
the party ends."
' Not I, indeed," responded the son of
Galen, not I, indeed. I am not quite
boy enough for that. It is all well
enough for you youngsters, who have no
turn for rational pursuits but a pipe
and a tankard for me, against all the
gatherings together of flirting boys' and
girls, and gambling papas and mammas,
that were ever held. I shall repair to
my post early in the evening, and main
tain it unreduced and unterrified."
" And 'faith! I believe that I will bear
you company, doctor," said Ferguson.
My wife has not got over the cold she
got at that sleighing party, and intends
going to bed instead of the party."
' Do so, by all means," replied Hol-
combe, " and I dare say that, besides
having a rational time together ,we shall
have a good account to give of the ghost
by the time these boys are ready to come
home ; only, I suppose, if we see the
ghost both at the same time, you will
expect to go snacks in the supper."
' To be sure I shall," said the major,
laughing, " we will be partners in the
battle and in the spoils."
The party soon after dispersed and
went their several ways. And it will
not surprise my readers to learn that In
gram's way led him to the residence of
Helen. He just looked in to see if he
could be of any service. He found the
fair girl in some little perturbation.
"What goes wrong, my love?" he
inquired" has the governor sent an
excuse, or has la belle Wilton turned
sulky and refused to come V"
" Worse than either, I assure you,
Charles," she replied. " I could spare a
dozen governors and beauties better than
black Domingo, who has Beclected this
particular occasion to fall sick, and to
throw me back on the mercies of James,
who is hardly equal, as you know, to
such an emergency."
" That is unlucky, Indeed," said In
gram, " but my Jonn is quite at your
service, such as he is ; and he is certain
ly competent to the ministerial, if not to
the executive, duties of such an Occa
sion." " Thank you," she answered, "he will
be of great use, and I gladly accept your
offer. But what will the doctor and
Major Ferguson do without him to at
tend them since you say that they are
determined not to smile upon me V"
" O, never fear for them," replied In-.
gram ; " John shall brew them a double
supply of punch, and leave their supper
ready laid for them, and they can wait
upon themselves fast enough. They are
too old campaigners to be disconcerted
by a trifle."
" They shall be better treated than they
deserve, then, for not coming to me,"
said she, " for I will send poor Peter over
to them with their supper, and with a
bowl of punch I have been superintend
ing myself for the evening. So you will
be good enough to let me have John as
soon as you can spare him." 1
" He shall be at your command di
rectly," he replied, " as soon aa he can
put himself in proper trim. Peter will
answer all the purpose for the doctor and
Ferguson." "
After a few more passages between the
lovers, which I do not think particularly
concern my readers, the captain took
his leave of his ladye-love, and proceed.
ed to his quarters. I beg that no unkind
imputations may be laid upon my Helen
in consequence of her holding this fes
tivity on the eve of the important Sat
urday, for the arrangements had been
made for it before she knew any thing of
her lover's troubles. And as they were
still a secret, and as she had as yet no
acknowledged interest In them. If they
were public, there was obviously noth
Ing to be dons but to go on. But the
dear girl had suffered great distress and
anxiety about it, especially as the week
drew to u end without any tidings of
the missing volume. But she had put
a good face upon the matter, and would
go through her hospitable duties with
the best grace she could.
In thof e days the hour for the assem
bling of company was a very different
one from that which now brings a party
together. Before seven o'clock the
rooms were filled. I cnnnot stop now to
describe, (though description Is my
forte,) the beauty nnd splendor of tho
scene. We have nothing in these days,
excepting the awkward imitation of a
fancy ball, that approaches the gloris of
the days of brocades and scarlet cotits,
of gold lace and gold buttons, of dia
mond buckles and steel-hilted rapiers
that looked like diamonds, of powder
and high-heeled shoes. Ah I' those' were
times when you knew gentleman by
his coat, and were not obliged to cypher
him out by his conduct or his conversa
tion !
The company were received by Mr.
and Miss Clnirmont. with all the cere
mony of the old time. I have not In
troduced Mr. Cluirmont to the reader aa
yet, simply for the want of time. As
he made no objection to .Ingram's pro
posals when they were laid before him,,
only declining to rallfy the engngement
formally, until the consent of Sir Ralph
had been received, and as I therefore,
could make no use of him in the only
way fathers can be suocessfuly managed
as cruel tyrants trampling on the young
affections of their daughters, I have had
no occasion to mention him. He would
have been well worth your knowledge,
however, as a favorable specimen of the
old pre-revolutlonary New England
gentleman. But I have no time left for
you to cultivate his acquaintance. The
fact is, I want three volumes to make
use of my materials. Maga is very good
but, like Chanticleer in the fable, " she
Is not enough." All that was eminent in
rank or station, civil or military, all that
waB brilliant in beauty and attractive in
manners, that the besieged town could
command, was gathered together on that
gny evening. Youth and dancing, old
age and cards, were in happy proximity.
And whatever there might be of love
about the former conjunction, there was
certainly nothing of it in the latter.
Mrs. Battle, herself, never despised play
ing cards for love more heartily than the
former generation of Boston dowagers.
Gaming was in those days almost as
much a necessity of life, as drinking.
At the proper time, when supper was
announced, His Excellency led the pro
cession, bearing aloft the fair hand of
his lovely hostess, and not tucking it
under his arm like a walking-stick, or a
wet umbrella. The tables were loaded
with the choicest viands and the rarest
wines " and all went merry as a mar
riage bell."
White these festive proceedings were
going on, in the next house Doctor Hol
combe and Major Ferguson were whillng
away the hours as best they might, in
such talk as the garrison and the mess
afforded. The punch-tankard stood be
tween them upon a little table, and filled
up many pauses in their conversation.
As they lazily puffed out the smoke from
their mouths, they thought with satis
faction of the wisdom of their choice.
The distant hum of the party, and the
music, only enhanced the solitary satis
faction. At length, a tap was heard at
the door, which opening, admitted the
sable form of poor Peter' to whom, we
introduced our reader in the second chap
ter. He entered the loom' with a dogged
and almost unconscious air of stupidity,
bearing a basket ' in either hand, from
one of which he produced Mme elegant
extracts from the great supper, and from
the other a fresh flagon of the most de
licious punch that they had ever dream
ed of, and, besides, two bottles of the
celebrated old Madeira, which had " put
a girdle round the earth" la its travels,
and knew more years than I dare men
tion. It is hardly necessary to sriy, that
as soon as Peter had disposed of these
edibles and potables upon the table and
reti red., the friends drew up to it and
commenced an assault upon its contents
which did infinite honor to their milita
ry education. The flagon was jn con
stant requisition, and was pronounced
nectar worthy of the Hebe who had dis
pensed it. Then, after their supper was
finished, they uncorked the wine, and,
drawing up to the fire, set In for serious
drinking.. They were seasoned vessels;
but, I am sorry to say, that in due time.
the liquor began to make' Inroads upon
their brains, and to set their tongues in
perpetual motion. They told excellent
stories, only forgetting the point; but
this, as they both talked at once, was of
the less consequence. The doctor grew
professional, and the major musical. The
one described operations, and the other
broke down In the midst of songs, all of
which he aung to the tune of " Bonnie
ioo." Their eyes began to glaze, and
their tongues to trip. They were not at
all surprised at seeing duplicates of all
the objects in' the room , nor at finding
themselves stopping short In the midst
of their stammering sentences. In short,
I grieve to relate It, they were getting
very drunk.
' I say doctor, "stniumered the major,
won't yon take another glass of
ghost l"
"Dn the ghost 1" hiccoughed the
doctor. " I do be-bclleve you're dr-drunk!
I should like to sec the gh-ghoRt that
would face me n-now."
" Suppose you sec, doctor whether
the door's drunk ;" said the major "it
loo&s d d tottering to me !"
The doctor laid his course for the door,
and, after a few judicious tacks, succeed
ed In making it. It was slightly ajar, so
he shut and locked it meandered back,
to his jltalr saying:
" You'll have to c-come through th
k-key hole, to-night, m-my friend if
you o-couie at all."
Having with great generalship re
covered his seat, thes attempted to re-
Rume their " rational enjoyment" and
Improving conversation. But nature
was too strong for them ; and it was not
many minutes before they were both fast
asleep in their chairs. I am sorry tosay
that such scenes were not so rare, ot so
discreditable in those three-bottle days,
as they have happily since become ; and
the sight of two middle-aged gentlemen
drunk on either sldeof a fire-place would
have been no astonishing sight on hun
dred years ago l
How long it was after this point of
their adventures, I cannot exactly tell-
but It was not long before the men who
were keeping guard were alarmed by a
loud and most startling noise In the
haunted chamber. They all wished in
continently to the door, and hard with
in the Bounds of a clamorous struggle.
The ghost was evidently caught at last.
But it was also plain that he was fight
ing for his life. He was game to the
last. He was apparently almost a match
for his two adversaries, for loud cries re
sounded through the house.
"Here he Ib, d n him!" "I've got
html" "By , he's ehoklng me V
"Murder! murder!" "Help! help.!'
" Where are you, you scoundrels r" All
attended by a running accompaniment
of furniture breaking, and chairs tumb
ling into chaotic heaps. The men tried In
vain to open the door, when Ingram
rushed up stairs in bot haste, having
been summoned, by his own dlrecllon,at
the first alarm.
" Where are vour muskets, man " he
cried. In stronn excitement. " The
bloody rebels are murdering them! Dsh
open the door with the butt-eadsl"
Seizing a musket he suited the action
to the word, and the door wos soon bro
ken down though not without dlfflcul
tv. as doors were then. Ttw scene was
frightful. The furniture was overturned.
The lights were out ; audi lying, on the
floor, cither mortally wounded or ex
hausted bv a fruitless stsupgle, lay the
watchmen of the night. ,
." Where is the vlllai V" cried Ingram
rushing into the room.
" Here's the scoundrel !" cried tbedoc-
tor, laying hold of tae major.
" This is the infernal rascal !" bellow
ed the major, seizUg the unhappy Hol-
com.be by the threat.
And as they snook each other, they
vainly endeavoaed to rise from among
the wreck of things that surrounded
them. . ! v ! ' ,
It needed im conjurer to. tell how the
matter stood. Ingram sank into a ehair
which, fortunately, bad survived the
fray, and made the whole house ring
with interminable peals of laughter. His
followers could not resist the contagion,
which was made the more irresistable by
the drunken gravity of the two heroes,
who sat like many tipsy Marluses amid
the ruins of another Carthage. You
would have thought that a legion of
laughing Imps had taken possession of
the mansion, and were consecrating it to
their service.
As soon as Ingram could command
his voice, he gave directions to the men
to separate the unlucky ghost-seers, and
to carry then! carefully to bed. Then.
taklmga candle he surveyed the prospect
oeiorenim. rue emptied nagons anilbro
kenbottles sufficiently accounted for the
scene be had just witnessed.; He glanced
Iil3-eye upon the table, Hta color chane-
edj. He started Ssrward.. TliEitK LAY?
3JE OjtDERLY-RaOK 1 :
Two or three years had. passed, away,
and a happy 'family -party, were assem
bled around a Christmas fire ati Hazle
weod, the seat oftthe iDgraras Vigor
ous) age and blooming infancy clustered
around the hearth, bub the centre of the
circle was Charles Ingram andhia lovely
Helen. He had consented, reluctantly.
t retire from tbearmyt that.be, might
sustain the dec3ttlng.years ot his parent.
He had brought his wife, with him, and
there they sat, as happy and beloved, a
pair as ever lived. and iovsda
The evening had been epedaway with
games and gambols. At last,- the sports
were over, and the party, closing round
the firebrands, yielded to the. inspiration
of the hour, and vied with each other in
tables of diablerie. At last, Charles Is
coaxed to narrate his AtVentiue. He told
it well, and was rewarded by alternating
deep-drawn breaths of interest, and by
peals of laughter- Bui the mystery still
remained unsolved. WWle they, were
all offeri'ig their several) explanations, '
Ingram exclaimed ;
" I would pay down. a handsome re
ward to. any, one wlv. would tell me
where tbat book was during those four
days!"
' And would yoa grant an amnesty,"
asked Helen, " to. all concerned, if you
could know it i"'
" TJbat I'wouhH with all imy heart for
the excellence of the joke, row. thai no
misohlef came c it redeems its .roguish- .
nesa."
"Then .lean easily satisfy, youi, my
dear," resumed his wife Itiwus all the
time in my drawing-tab! drawer."
There- was nouoment of silent- "aston-.
iabmentj and then Ingram, exclaimed .
" In your drawer ! . VHby,wera you the
ghost, Helen?"
" Not exactly," she replied.; u but I
had an AfrHe that dl(my. willi quite as
well as an ghost could do."
" What do you. mean, my lower"' in
quired hen husband " You ar jesting.
What A arlte do yoa mean?"'
" You. remember-poor Peten'rv"
He nodded asseat.
" Woll, he was the, ghosts sd none
but he. I never meant to tell, the story,
but it is. too gootl a joke to. be. kept to
oneself."
" Iflut how V What- kad. you to do
wlth.it ?"
" Reniembe your, f noclamatlon of
arrmesty, and It will bill you. You
know that ha was tie servant of the '
Vaughns""
" No," Interrupted Charles, " I knew
no such thinir only that he belonged to
a family that had left the town."
"True, she reswrned; I remember
that I kept back taai particular, for fear
of exciting your suspici. But their
servant ho was, and. treated with merited
kindness for tho service done his mas
ter, walch resuUed in disordering his
poor brain. A iter; be came to live at my
fathex's, he saver setned to feel at
home, but would often, wander away at
nlg.it. I suspected, that his resort was
to bis old master's house, and that it
was his prowling about it that gave it
its bod name. But s the officers who.
first occupied it were not especially
pleasant neighbors, I did not interfere
with bis amusements. But when you.
came, my dear "
" You took uue under your protection,
and I thank yewt," said Charles, laughing-
"Certainly, I did," she continued,
" but I thought he inh;ht just try your
courugo for one night. I hud him wutch
ed out of the house by my uuiid, and,
from the glee In which he returned, I
had no doubt of his entire success. That
was the first night"
" But pray tell me," asked her hu.
band, " how be performed the feat, If you
happen to know. He must have had
wlugs, though I never saw them."
"That I cau," she replied. 'Poor
refer was a native African, and was as
agile as a monkey, though you would
not think so to look at him. He could
go up the side of a house by tbespout.or
the slightest Inequalities, like a cat.
When you heard lit hi walking over your