Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-28
THE BARRIERS GHOST

gentleman, travelling some wear. sinoa in
the upper part of - State called at tavern
ana requested entertainment for tho night
Inc landlord informed him thst It was out of
was already full. He persisted in stoppinp
a. he, az well as his horse, were almost eS.
| na"eted with travelling. After much solicita-
| tl"n, the landlord consented to his stopnipp
provided he would sleep in certain room tbs,
had not been occupied for a long time. in con-
| sequence OF belief that it was haunted By t,.s
| Shosi oi narher, who va reported to have
been murdered in that room some years before
| very well, says the man, II III not afraid OF
ghosts After having refreshed himself he
| inquired of the landlord how and in what man
ner the room in which he was to lodge was
haunted The landlord replied, that shortly
| after they retired to rest, an unknown voice
was heard, in trembling and protracted ac-
cent, saying, do you w.a-nt to be sh.a-ved!''
| We'll, replied the man, ''if he comes he m a.
| shave me-"
lie then requested to be shown to the apart-
ment, in going to which he was conducted
| through large room, where were seated a
great number of persons at a gambling table
| Feeling a curiosity which almost every one nos
| Sesses after having heard ghost stories, he
carefully searched every corner Of his room,
but could discover nothing but the usual fur
niture OF the apartment. He then laid down
but did not close his eyes to sleep Immediately
and in few minutes he imagined he heard y
voice saying, DO you WANT to be shaved
nc arose from his bed and searched every part
Of the room, but could discover nothing He
again went to bed, but no sooner had he beyun
TO compose himself to sleep than the question
was again repeated. lie again arose and went
10 the window, the sound appearing to proceed
from that quarter, and stood awhile silent
AFTER few moments Of anxious suspense he
again heard the sound distinctly and convinced
that 1t was from without, he opened the win
dow, when the question was repeated full in his
ear, which startled him not little. Cpon q
minute examination, however. he observed that
the limb of a large oak tree, which stood under
his window, projected so near the house that
every breath of wind to lively Imagination
made noise resembling the Interrogation
''DO you w-a-n-t to be sh-a-yed? ?'
Having satisfied himself that his ghost was
nothing more nor less than the limb of r tree
coming in contact with the house he aeain
went to bed and attempted to get asleeD: but
he was now interrupted by peals of laughter,
and al occasional volley of oaths and curses,
from the room where the gamblers were assem-
bled. Thinking that he could turn the late
discovery tp his own advantage he took o
sheet from the bed and wrapped it round him,
taking the wash-basin in his hand, and throw
ing towel over his arm, proceeded TO the
room OF the gamblers, and suddenly opening
the door, walked in, exclaiming in q tremu-
l0us voice, do you WANT to be shaved p:
Terrified at the sudden appearance of the
gfost, the gamblers we're thrown into great
confusion in attempting to escape it, some
jumping through the windows, and others
tumbling head over heels down the stairs. Our
ghost, taking advantage of a clear room. de-
liberately swept large amount of money from
the table into the basin, and retired unseen to
his own room
The next morning he found the house in the
nj I'M Sl - \
we'll, to which he replied in the Affirmative
w ell, no wonder,' said the landlord; " for
the ghost, instead of going to his own ROOM
made a mistake and came to ours, frightened
US out Of the room, and took away every dollar
of the money" The guest. without being the
least suspected, quietly eat his own breakfast
and departed, many hundred dollars richer
by the adventure