CHRISTMAS-EVE IN A BELFRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1002, 3 May 1871, Page 3

CHRISTMAS-EVE IN A BELFRY.

♦ [Conclusion.] " Whatever was that, "Willis ?" I guessed its meaning immediately, and i hurried down the stairs, to find that the middle door had blown to, and that we were securely fastened in. Here was a pretty . position to be placed in ! Laugh as much as [ you please, but how would you like to be shut up in the belfry of an old Norman church tower just before midnight on Christmas eve ? " Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! What are we to do now ; whatever will become of us ?" said : Polly. " Be calm, dearest — compose yourself. Our [ case is not utterly hopeless, after all. I have 1 a box of fuzees in my pocket. I'll light them one by one, and throw out signals of distress." " But there's nobody about to see them," she returned; " oh, suppose we have to stay here all night ! It's not twelve o'clock yet, and the moon will go down soon, and it will , be eight hours before daylight." " Polly !" I said, quietly. " Oh, don't waste time talking to me, if you please. Oh, why did you bring me up here? Oh, whatever will become of us? Even if we're missed, nobady will ever think of looking up here for us. Oh, Willis — Willis 1 do do something ! Can't you tear our pocket handkerchiefs into strips, and tie the pieces together, and let yourself down ? I'm sure if I were a man I would." " I fe*r, Polly, that our handkerchiefs are not sufficiently strong to bear my weight," I answered, smiling ; " but, if the worst comes to the worst, I suppose we shall have to pull one of the bells." " Oh, you musn't do that— it would alarm the whole village. And what would people say ? Please don't laugh, Willis 1 I'm getting so cold ! I begin to shiver all over. I'm sure, if we have to stay here, I shall die before morning." " Never mind, dearest, I'll not desert you ; at least, we'll die together," I said, iv order to keep up her spirits, but beginning to feel , very uncomfortable myself ; for, although the air was scarcely perceptible outside, it swept through that horrible belfry with almost ■ force enough to cut off one's ear. "A-tisbyu! a-tiahyu! I'm catching a'

cold, Willis 1 I can feel it coming on," she said, after a pause. " Here's a nice warm corner," I answered; " crouch down in this recess while I reconno'tre. Take the fuzees, light them one by one, and you can warm your hands over them," I added, tying my white handkerchief over her head as I spoke. " Don't let me rob you, "Will) ;. I'm sure you want it more than I do. I have my shawl." '•' Never mind me, Polly. I'm more used to this sort of thing than you are." " Used to being locked up in belfries all night ?" she inquired, laughing for the first time since our imprisonment." " Not exactly," I answered ; " but listen ! Don't you hear voices ?" I " Of course I do," she said, jumping up; " oh, hosv fortunate for us ! It's the bellringers. Don't you know it's the custom at Merton to ring the bells on Christmas-eve ?" " Thank goodness ! then we shall soon be delivered from our captivity," I said. As I spoke, the bells began to swing slowly backwards and forwards— ding, dong ! ding! ding ! clash ! claug ! ding, dong ! I could [ hear the voices of the bell-ringers beneath, so I ran down the steps, and shouted loudly for assistance ; but the bells destroyed the sound. " Hallo there ! hallo ! help ! " I cried, making at the same time a vigorous onslaught on tlie old oaken door with my knuckles until at last the bells stopped. " Hallo there ! hallo ! * Giles Stubbins ! Hallo there ! " Stubbins I knew to be the senior bell-ringer's name. " Mussy on us ! wa-at be that ? " I heard the old man ask his companion ; " didn't ye | hear zoomat ? " " Noa, I heeril nought," was the reply ; and again I shouted and rattled at the door. i " Didn't ye hear, nought, then, Daavid ? " asked Stubbins. " Aye did I ! I heerd a screetchin' loike, and a raatlin' o'erhead. Giles ! Giles ! tak' my word for 'un, it be a ghoast ! Arn't ye ne'er heerd tell as how this plaice be haunted. Coom awaay, man, coom away ! " " Lord preserve us all ! " returned Giles. "Ye inaake all my teeth chatter in my I head." "Eh, Giles! Giles! coom awaay, man — coom awaay ! I've seen 'un— l've seen 'un ! " " Seen whaat ? " " Why, the ghoast ! I seed un put 'uns head out of belfry window just now, all I whoite loike ! I never seed nought so horrible afore ! It looked for a' the world loike a skeleton in a whoite sheet, wi' sparks o' fire fiashin' from 'uns eye 3 ; aye, they wor' real sparks, too. There be one on 'em now ! " This was one of the fuzees ; and he had evidently seen poor Polly in her white dress, with my handkerchief over her head. "Doan't run awaay, Daavid, wi'out me! Doan't leave me here alone, ye coward — doan't ! " cried Giles ; and away trotted the , two old men towards the village, leaving ' their lanterns behind them, and shouting loudly, " A ghoust ! a ghoast ! a ghoast ! " " We're in a worse mess now than ever, dear Polly," I said, as I returned to her ; !" those two old idiot < have taken you for a ghoast, and they'll raise the village." " Oh, dear ! What will become of us ? What are we to (Jo ? " she answered. " Face it out bravely, I said, as seizing a rope, I began to ring one of the bells. Ding, ! dong ! ding, dong 1 ding, dong 1 " Whatever are you doing," Willis ? " " Sounding the tocsin, Polly — ringing the alarm bell. Go back into thai recess, and muffle yourself up as well as you can." Ding, dong ! ding, dong. ''The garrison is waking, see." Ding, dong ! ding, dong ! And looking through the loophole^ I saw lanterns fitting about in the garden of the Grange, and I could hear voices shouting at a distance. "In a few minutes reinforcements will arrive, the citadel will be stormed, and we shall be restored to our anxious friends." " < h, Willis, what a disturbance we are making ! And what will papa say ? This adventure will be the talk of the village for years, and I shall be ashamed to show my face in it again." " Uncle George will only laugh at the j joke," I rej lined ; and as to being ashamed to show your face in the village, come to London with me, and be my own dear little wife ! " And Iflung myself on my knees on the cold stone floor of that abominable belfry. I " Polly ! I adore you, Polly ! lam your devoted slave. One little word from you will make me the happiest of men." j " Sir, I am ashamed of you ! This is not the time for such nonsense." '' Polly, do you consider my love nonsense? Listen to me for a moment. Refuse me, and I'll do something desperate ! I'll throw up the law, and enlist as a common soldier ! I'll— I'll— " " Hark ! " she cried. There was a roar of many voices beneath, and looking down, I saw a crowd of villagers armed with rakes, hoes, shovels, spades, and pitchforks. Presently 1 heard the voice of Uncle George say — " A ghost, eh ? Don't believe a word of it. What cock-and-bull story is all this — eh ! A sovereign to the first man who goes up the belfry." " I doan't want your money, zquire ; and I bean't vrightened o' ghoasts— zo here goes," said Abraham White, one of Uncle George's men. " Tak' care, Abraham, tak' care ! Tak' th' pitchfork wi' ye. Mayhap the ghoast may do ye zum 'arm," said a woman's voice. " Tak' th' pitchfork, and then ye can gie th' ghoast a crack o'er the head wi' un." " Come along, my lads, it's all fancy ! " cried Uncle George ; " it's my belief there's nothing there." So in order to convince him, I gave the rope another vigorous pull. " Whew ! That's strange ! " he cried ; 'that bell didn't ring itself. Follow me, lads." . ; " Aye, aye, sir," was the reply. Then I heard him mount the steps, and rattle the wooden door. - " Who's there ?" he shouted. ' Something

prompted me to have a joke at his expense ; so, in reply, I gave a long, loud howl, something between a yell and a shriek — an accomplishment I had learned at school. Away scudded Uncle George, five steps at a time, followed by his supporters. "By Jove ! No mortal made that sounds I'll wager !" I heard him say. And again I tugged at the bell. Ding, dong ! ding, dong ! ding, dong ! " " Ten pounds to the man who breaks open the door ! " said Uncle George. " Gi'e us hold o' your zhovel, Jacob. Ghoast or no ghoast, I'll soon have 'un out," said Abraham White. " That's right, my lad; Hike your pluck," shouted my uncle ; " 'pon my word, this matter is getting interesting !" And immediately afterwards the door was attacked with heavy blows by the besiegers. Somewhat fearful of the result, I whispered to Polly: " Retire up stairs a few steps while I capitulate." For the truth was, I was afraid that the first man who entered, if he caught sight of her white dress, might brain her with his shovel. Seeing that she was out of danger, I shouted — " Hallo there ! What are you making all that noise about, eh ?" " Why, that's Willis's voice !" exclaimed Uncle George. "Of course, it is, uncle; and there's somebody else here as well." The door at this moment gave way, discovering Polly and myself. " Oh, papa, dear, dont be angry !" she cried. " Angry ! What have I got to be angry for, eh ? But how on earth did you get up there ? Come, tell me all about it. Why, what's that you're wrapped up in ? Ha, ha, ha ! You're a beauty now, and no mistake!" Poor Polly certainly cut rather a queer figure, as she was enveloped in a dirty old sack that we had discovered in a corner of the belfry; and her hands, face, and dress were smothered with thick black dust. "Ha, ha, ha! My dear, it's a shame to laugh at you ; but I really can't help it. Bless me ! how cold you are ! Come, wrap yourself up in my coat, and we'll go indoon at once." In a few moments I had explained the whole affair to Uncle George's satisfaction; and I never heard a man laugh more heartily. " Well, friends." he said, turning to the villagers, " you see there was no ghost after all. So come up to the Grange and have something to warm you, before you go home again." " Three cheers for the squire and Miss Mary, and long life and a merry Christmas to 'em !" was the reply. "And now, David and Giles," cried my uncle, addressing the bell-ringers, " pull away with a will, and ring out a merry Christmas peal on the grand old bells; and let us hope that no worse ghosts than these will ever be seen in Merton belfry on Christmas-eve." I repeated my offer to Polly tlio very next day ; and what do you think was her reply ? " I'll give you your answer, sir, the next time we are locked up together on Christmaseve in a belfry !"