430 SPECULATION ON GHOSTS. 



hovel had excited in his guest ; and answered, that he believed it 

 was inhabited by an old man and his only daughter, but such was 

 their mode of life and unsocial habits, that few knew or cared about 

 them, separated as they were from all the town beside, by situation 

 and unneighbourly feeling. This account rather stimulated than 

 allayed my brother's curiosity ; and, having finished his breakfast, he 

 resolved to call at once upon the magistrate, in order that he might 

 obtain further advice upon the matter. He just reached the door as 

 this official person was stepping into his carriage. My brother re- 

 quested a few minutes' audience, which the other, seeing perhaps 

 from the earnestness of the demand that it must be upon a matter of 

 some moment, politely assented to, hoping, however, the conference 

 would be brief, as business of importance then demanded his atten- 

 tion : the other was not long in delivering his errand, for he had a 

 peculiar habit of telling a tale in a straightforward manner, without 

 the aid of simile or metaphor. At the close, however, the magistrate 

 seemed struck with its singularity, and regretted that he could not 

 afford him his personal attendance at the investigation ; but, if it 

 were his wish, he would allow a couple of constables to attend him 

 in any search he might be inclined to make. To this proposal my 

 brother readily assented ; and, having thanked the magistrate for his 

 politeness and attention, went, accompanied by the two officers, who 

 had already received their instructions from their superior. The 

 trio soon reached the cottage, and entered the patch of ground by 

 which it was surrounded. Here they were met by the old man, who, 

 in a surly forbidding manner (upon the constables making known their 

 intention to search his house and premises), told them ' they might 

 do as they pleased.' They entered the abode, where every thing wore 

 the appearance of extreme misery ; they examined every place to 

 no purpose, for they could find nothing of a suspicious nature, and 

 every effort to discover the least signs of a well were unavailing. 

 Having been engaged for some time in a fruitless labour, they were 

 about to return, much to the disappointment of my brother ; when it 

 so happened, that a number of people, whose curiosity had been 

 moved at the appearance of the constables going on some official 

 errand with a strange gentleman, followed them to the spot. By 

 this time there were about a dozen collected, besides a proportionable 

 complement of children. It soon became rumoured among the won- 

 dering group that the object of investigation was the discovery of a 

 well. 'A well? a well ?' exclaimed an old woman, pressing for- 

 ward ' why, what can they want with it there has been none to 

 my recollection for nearly forty years ? I remember it, however, as 



though 'twere yesterday, and many a time have I and Gaffer 's 



daughter amused ourselves by throwing down stones to hear the 

 rolling echo that sounded like thunder/ This was sufficient to call 

 up the feelings of my brother to a fresh state of excitement. ( Where 

 was the spot?' said he, eagerly. 'Where?' re-echoed the old 

 woman ' why, as near as I can guess, you are now standing over its 

 mouth.' ' It must be so,' he mentally answered. Upon this piece 

 of information they went to work with renewed ardour, and by the 

 assistance of the by-standers the earth was soon cleared away, till 



