e carpet, or tumbled
her upon the bed, or perpetrated other little pleasantries of a similar
nature. Suffice it to say, all these amusements were gone through with
by the company, until tired of the sport, they reassembled in the
parlor, and gathering around the fire, began to converse on ghosts.

Reader, have you ever, at the solemn hour of midnight, while listening
to the recital of some fearful visitation from the land of spirits, felt
your hair to bristle, and your flesh to creep, and your blood to chill
with horror, as you imagined that some terrible being was at that moment
standing outside the door, ready to glide into the room and stand beside
your chair? Did you not then dread to look behind you as you drew close
to your companions, and became almost breathless with painful interest
in the story?

Solemn feeling prevailed among Simon's guests, as Toby Tunk, the fat
coachman, who had been relating his experience in ghosts uttered the
following words:--

'Well, I was sitting by the coffin, looking at the corpse, when the door
slowly opened, and--'

Toby was fearfully interrupted, for the door of that room DID slowly
open and there entered a being of so terrible an aspect, that all the
assembled guests recoiled from its presence with horror and affright. It
advanced towards the fireplace, seated itself in an unoccupied chair,
and surveyed the company with menacing eyes.

The form of the spectre was tall, and its countenance was ghastly and
awful to behold; it was enveloped in a cloak, and where its right hand
should have been, was a massive piece of iron which joined the wrist.

At length, after an interval, during which all the guests came near
dying with fear, it spoke in a harsh and threatening tone:--

'Those of ye that belong not in this house, depart instantly, on peril
of your lives; and if any there be who _do_ belong here, let them
remain, and stir not!'

All, with the exception of poor Simon, tremblingly left the room and the
house, resolved never again to cross the threshold of a place visited by
such fearful beings. The spectre then turned to the affrightened
footman, and said, with a hideous frown--

'Now, rascal, tell me what has become of your mistress and her
daughter--where have they gone--speak!'

But Simon, imagining that he had to do with a being from the other
world, fell upon his knees and began to mutter a prayer.

'Accursed fool!' cried the supposed spectre, striking him with h