78 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



rolled his 03^08, sliook his head, and, with a voice that 

 almost tremhled with fear, replied : 



" See one, did you say ? Doau iiel)l)cr ask dat ques- 

 tion, Mars Mayfier. Ob course, I nebber did ! De 

 good Lor' 'n mercy forbid dal ! Amen. AVhy, it's all 

 a man's life's Avorth to see a Death's-IIead Mohf. Mor' 

 'a dat " — here he lowered his voice to a deep whisper — 

 " dey do say dat the good Lor' lie uel)ber made dat 

 critter at all ! De ebil sperrits — de berry ole debbil 

 heself — 'ceived de idee, an' fabricated dat ting in de 

 darkest night obde year. Doan loll me ! I doan want 

 to see no sech doin's, Doan you show me dem picters, 

 needer. Ko good luck '11 ebber come from paintin' 

 dem tings. IIow d'ye suppose de man dat drawcd 'em 

 ebber libbed to do it widout some powerful conjurin' 

 and cahoots wid de ebil sperrits ? Dar's bad work 

 about dem books, I'se afeared." lie pointed to the 

 work on natural history that lay on the table, open at 

 a page whereon several moths were figured. 



"An' that's as true as preachin' !" 



It was Sarah's voice that broke tlie silence that fol- 

 lowed Dan's discourse, which found cnnlulous hearers 

 among a good majority of our company. The cook had 

 gradually hitched her chair nearer and nearer to the 

 door, until, quite nnable to withstand the ftiscination of 

 Dan's superstitious remarks, as he lowered his voice 

 she rose from her seat and now stood in the doorway. 

 Her nice was flushed with excitement, was wrought up 

 into an expression of terror, and as she spoke she 

 stretched out her arms like a prophetess. 



