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girl, and clasped her again, with such violence, that she recovered, and was dreadfully alarmed at her horrible situation. When she gathered strength sufficient to walk, she promised once more to go to the vault, and perform what he required of her. Maria entered the church, and approached the entrance of the vault with a palpitating heart. It was dark and gloomy; her steps died away in long echoes, through the gloomy aisles. She proceeded slowly and with a fearful step, along the dark vaults; she perceived the faint glimmering of a light at a considerable distance, and directing her steps towards it, beheld a female, seated on a tomb stone, reading by the faint light of a lamp, which burnt beside her; her long flaxen hair hung loose and dishevelled over black garments, which were disordered, and discovered a deep wound in her fair bosom, from whence issued a stream of blood. Maria threw herself on her knees before the lady; 'Oh! forgive the skeleton that lays under the church porch, murmured the trembling girl, he sends me to obtain thy forgiveness.—The lady slowly turned her face towards Maria, and looking mournfully at hex', shook her head three times, and made her a sign to leave her. Maria gladly hastened to quit the vault, and having reaching the church porch, was running swiftly out of the dismal abode, when the skeleton barred her passage, and said—She has not forgiven me, I know she has not. Return to
