Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1884 — Not Alarmed. [ARTICLE]

Not Alarmed.

What is there about a graveyard which so frightens people tljat few care to enter one at night ? Even the sailor who has faced a hurricane, or the guns of an enemy, will go a long way around, at night, rather than take the short cut that leads across the village churchyard. _ An interesting story, which is yet told at the firesides of Vermont, brings out the fearlessness of the hero of Ticonderoga, and his indifference to the superstition that then ruled in the community. There was a dispute one day in the village where Ethan Allen lived as to how far his well-known courage would permit him to go in deeds of daring. The dispute finally resulted in a wager being proposed to Allen. The terms were that he should go to the graveyard on a dark, stormy night, without a lantern, enter a certain vault, open a coflin, and lay his hand on the skull of the skeleton within. His word was to be taken as the guarantee of the performance. When the dark night came, not a few of Allen’s admirers thought that his courage would fail him. But he went to the graveyard, entered the tomb, grouped his way to a cofiin, took off its lid, and laid his hand on the skeleton’s skull. Just then a sepulchral voice exclaimed : “That’s my skull!” “All right,” thought Allen, who suspected that some one had followed-him to see if- he could frighten him; “I’ll show liim what I dare do. ” He replaced the lid, and, opening another coffin, placed his hand on its skull. Again was heard the voice, saying : “That’s my skull!” “That’s a lie,” exclaimed Allen; “no man ever had two skulls. ” From that day the villagers believed than Ethan Alien’s courage was bounded by no human limitations.— Youth’s Companion.