looked aghast! and though I again expressed my
readiness and determination to go, I own I was a _little, a very
little_ afraid.

"Well, it must be as you please, I see you are a gentleman not very
soon turned, when you make up your mind to do a thing."

"What time may we expect, this said ghost to visit us. When does it
usually appear?"

"Why, Sir, generally they say from twelve till two; well you may
smile," said she seeing papa unable to control his features, "but its
not once I have warned you, nor twice either."

"You have done so" said papa "and I feel certainly much obliged by
your kind intentions. I always heard the Welsh were superstitious; but
could not have believed they carried it to such an extent as you do in
this neighbourhood."

"It may be so; but you are so very unbelieving. May be you don't
believe in corpse candles."

"Oh yes, when they're lighted I do."

"And ain't they always lighted."

"What do you mean," said papa, "are they not the lights you burn
during the night, while a dead body lies unburied."

"Bless your innocent heart! No. The corpse candies, are seen burning
and moving of themselves, afore people die; coming down the roads from
the houses they live in as a warning."

"A warning for what my dear Mrs. Davis? what earthly purpose can they
answer? have we not warning enough in the daily events of our lives to
impress us with the instability of life, and yet how rarely does death
find us prepared."

"Well, well; you may be as unbelieving as you like, and talk as you
will: I shall always believe when I see a corpse candle, there'll be a
death but just wait till you pass one night in Castle Hill; may be
you'll tell a different story then!"

"The long and the short of the matter, Mrs. Davis is this, I liked the
property, and have bought it; and am determined to reside in it if
God, spares my life. As to the ghost or ghosts, I am well persuaded
that, although some natural causes may render the house and premises
untenable; supernatural ones I am sure have nothing to do with it."

Time passed on and the clock struck eight; the hour fixed on, to leave
the inn, for Castle Hill: when papa brought a large trunk and basket,
which he had tried to fix on Davy's shoulders; but strong as he was,
he was unable to carry them both, he therefore got a wheel barrow, for
the trunk; while papa and I carried the basket between us, and off we
started. A great concourse of people were at the door; m