ent grow, that
one night the authorities stationed no fewer than nine policemen round
the school, for the purpose of restoring order. On the following night
"the ghost," as it was now called, still uncaught, and gliding as
noiselessly and swiftly through the deserted rooms as on the first
night of its appearance, frightening the souls and raising the hair of
all who believed in it, and the authorities, being suspicious of
mischief on the part of some one concealed on the premises, sent two
detectives into the attics of the building, for the purpose of
arresting the apparition should it stalk in their direction and prove
to be made of flesh and blood. After waiting several hours the
officers relinquished their watching, and left the school to its
ghostly occupant. All sorts of theories were propounded to account for
the unearthly sights that were witnessed through the windows of the
building, but it turned out that a very innocent combination of
circumstances had caused all the excitement. It was believed that the
reflection from a set of mirrors in the house opposite, falling upon a
series of thickly-glazed maps hanging upon the school wall, had
produced the appearances which served to create so great a sensation.

We have seen there was neither ghost nor goblin in the city of St.
Mungo, but we have also seen from the above incident that time has not
enabled us to cast off altogether the fetters of superstition.

Cunning, duplicity, and falsehood are associated with fortune-telling.
An instance in exemplification is within our recollection. Not far
from the junction of the Gadie and Urie with the Don, in
Aberdeenshire, dwelt a rich farmer. His only daughter possessed rare
natural charms, gifts, and graces. She could spin, sew, manage the
dairy, sing with a voice equal to that of the mavis or blackbird,
while her heart was as tender as that of any other sighing maiden. Two
lovers sought her hand--one rich, the other poor. The poor man she
declared to be her choice, but the purse-proud father declared his
firlot of silver money, his twelve cows, and as many calves, his sheep
and oxen, intended as his daughter's dower, would never enrich a
pennyless man without houses and lands. So he said; yet he changed his
mind through the influence of a fortune-teller, hired to tell what
pleased her employers best. In presence of father and mother the sibyl
professed to see, first, in her cup a splendid mansion, with wealth in
great