her, refused to enter
among the habitations of the dead. She, however, agreed to remain at the
gate till her friend's business was accomplished. This circumstance,
however, did not stagger the wife's resolution. She, with the greatest
coolness and intrepidity, proceeded towards what she supposed an old
grave, took down her spade, and commenced her operations. After a good
deal of toil she arrived at the object of her labour. Raising the first
head, or rather skull, that came in her way, she was about to make it her
own property, when a hollow, wild, sepulchral voice exclaimed, "That is
my head; let it alone!" Not wishing to dispute the claimant's title to
this head, and supposing she could be otherwise provided, she very good-
naturedly returned it and took up another. "That is my father's head,"
bellowed the same voice. Wishing, if possible, to avoid disputes, the
wife of Camp-del-more took up another head, when the same voice instantly
started a claim to it as his grandfather's head. "Well," replied the
wife, nettled at her disappointments, "although it were your
grandmother's head, you shan't get it till I am done with it." "What do
you say, you limmer?" says the ghost, starting up in his awry
habiliments. "What do you say, you limmer?" repeated he in a great rage.
"By the great oath, you had better leave my grandfather's head." Upon
matters coming this length, the wily wife of Camp-del-more thought it
proper to assume a more conciliatory aspect. Telling the claimant the
whole particulars of the predicament in which she was placed, she
promised faithfully that if his honour would only allow her to carry off
his grandfather's skull or head in a peaceable manner, she would restore
it again when done with. Here, after some communing, they came to an
understanding; and she was allowed to take the head along with her, on
condition that she should restore it before cock-crowing, under the
heaviest penalties.

On coming out of the churchyard and looking for her companion, she had
the mortification to find her "without a mouthful of breath in her body";
for, on hearing the dispute between her friend and the guardian of the
grave, and suspecting much that she was likely to share the unpleasant
punishments with which he threatened her friend, at the bare recital of
them she fell down in a faint, from which it was no easy matter to
recover her. This proved no small inconvenience to Camp-del-more's wife,
as there