302 SYLVA PLORIFERA. 



from ten to twelve years of age, in a frolic 

 that might have created the greatest alarm, 

 and strongly caused a belief that spectres did 

 arise from the grave and walk the earth in 

 embodied shapes. We all slept in the same 

 room ; and as the weather was hot, and the 

 moon shining bright, it was proposed that 

 we should descend into the yard for the pur- 

 pose of getting some water to drink. When 

 there, the beauty of the night tempted one 

 of the party to propose a run. This was in- 

 stantly agreed to, as well as the leaving our 

 night-clothes in the school-room. The fore- 

 most boy bent his course through some fields 

 to the churchyard, where we all followed in 

 a state of nature. It was then proposed that 

 we should show our courage by running 

 round the church separately; and as the moon 

 then shone bright, every object was as visible 

 as in day, excepting under the yew-tree, 

 where we had appointed our resting-place ; 

 but whilst dancing over the graves, to reach 

 the place, our attention was suddenly arrested 

 by a figure rising slowly from the earth, 

 which fixed us all to the spot before we 

 reached the shade which darkened the quarter 

 where the spectre stood, and which our first 

 fright magnified into a monster. It became 

 erect and motionless, with eyes fixed on us, 



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