The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-06-12
GBe 9ailp gonrnal
THE THREE GHOSTS.
(C0NCLUDED.)

terS, as eager as ever Tor the frOlc, called
Kitty. She appeared after little delay, bring
with her three baskets of hempseed, one of
which she gave to each fair adventurer with
renewed instructions. Miss Margaret was to
issue from the front door, Rose from the back,
and Sophia from the side. They were about to
set off, when Thomas, who stood silently OBJ
serving all, said grufiiy.
That's wrong, Kitty-Miss Rose is to go by
the side, and Miss Sophie from the back,
True for you, Thomas, and me hearts in
me very mouth at fright at me blunther'
'Why, Kitty, what difference can it possibly
make?' inquired the girls.
Kitty made no intelligent answer; but some
thing she mumbled like
fGae the right gait, and yell meet the right
Iguists,' as the three girlsh figures fitted away
in the darkness.
Five-ten minutes elapsed, and Margaret
rushed breathless into the sitting room; an in
slant more, and Rose and Sophie joined her.
They all looked excited and frightened.
Each looked at the other inquiringly, and
Margaret began
4 have really seen something very extraor-
dinary---very strange. | do not know what to
think 1t could not have been a spirit---but
oh, how frightened | am! | will tell you all
about it. had scattered my hempseed and
repeated the rhyme as Kitty directed, when,
looking hehind me, | saw actually figure in
White, advancing towards me with scythe,
Just as had been predicted. | was so taken by
surprise, and so frightened for of course, L
did not believe kitty's nonsense---that | had
no power to run or move. | stood motionless
with terror while the figure approached near
er and nearer. 1t advanced step by step, as
man does in moving, and yet had no power
10 ctir A ct If uac bahind ma.
felt it's touch and it's breath Oh my neck, and
a voice whispered in my ear
Beware how you cast from you the love and
devotion of faithful heart. Young Alder
thorn truly loves you-make himselfand your
self happy
The sister were silent. Margaret added,
what makes 1t stranger is that know well
the voice that spoke-it was Alderthorn-and
know none but spirit could initiate those
tones so as to deceive me. But tell US, Sophie
what has happened you? You are as pale as a
lily'
Sophie held up her hand, on the third finger
of which glttered an opal ring, which she had
never worn before.
'Listenn said she, 4 did just as you did,
Margaret; and looking over my shoulder as di-
rected, too saw vision. 1t was not moving
as that you describe; but it held scythe in
its hand and when first saw it, it was already
by my side. 1t was clad in some kind of
white mantle, and its features were quite yisi-
BILE in the moonlight. Sisters, it was the face
of Lieutenant Morton He or it--took my
hand, and put this ring on my finger, saying
solemnly as he did So
With this ring wed thee.
In death or in life,
This token doth bind thee,
For ever my wife.
Margaret shuddered. What if her sister
were welded to demon? She had heard of
such fearful things-and did not her own ex
perience forbid her to be scrupulous? With
a sickening sensation of superstitious horror
and apprehension, she turned towards little
Rose. What had befallen that poor child?
| too have seen a ghost, Rose began. Mar
garet clasped her hands, and closed her eyes.
Her pale face grew even whittier than before.
Rose continued-'I had sown my hempseed,
as YOU did, sisters, and when looked behind
me / saw the reaper coming after me with
great strides | started to run, but in my
fright stumbled and fell-and the ghost in
stantly sprang forward and raised me up and
and -
And what Rose p asked Sophia and Mar
garet eagerly.
And it was Robert Bloomley, said Rose,
abruptly.
How do you know what maks you think
so p asked the sisters.
Because he kissed me-, cried Rose hastily.
Then, overwhelmed by her own blundeIng
speech. she hid her blushing face in her hands.
Margaret and Sophie were aShast. Here was
a discovery.
Rose tried, awkwardiy enough, to profit by
the silence to amend her error.
Ghosts don't kiss, you know, she timidly
remarked.
And Robert Bloomley does. cried Sophia,
laughing. Oh, Rose, Rose, you little traitor,
who would have expected this from you p
She looked keenly at Margaret as she spoke.
Margaret met her glance with look at once
conscious and suspicious.
light was beginning to break in upon
them. They began to see that Rose was not
the only traitor in the camp. They began
also to suspect Kitty and see through her de-
vices.
At last Sophie broke into merry laugh
'The fact is,' she said that mischieyious Kitty
has been playing us trick-very saucy, but
verw clever. l understand it ali now, and she
has evidently understood US all this long time
How say you, Margaret? Are we justified in
keepinS>our vows, when three ghosts came
from their graves and bid us break them?
Margaret turned aside her stately head, with
blush and smile, and made no explicit an
swer. But l fancy she, as well as the other
sisters, were more satisfactory in their replies
the next day to the three ghosts who appear
cd in proprla persona to plead their suits.
need scarcely say that, as Sophie had sug-
gested, Kitty was at The bottom of these sim
pie mysteries. Having, with her usual shrewd-
ness discovered the secret of each sister, she
had despatched Thomas to summon the lovers
in time to play the ghostly parts assigned