The weekly Butte record., 1862-12-27
The Ghost in Black.
BY ". o. EATON.

stories IN general ne GnOSl was an CFiSihAi
character and in order to free the sensitive
nerves of certain people from the superhuous
shock of supposing that this is an abolition
story, aud that the ghost was the spirit Of
some injured black man, it should be stated
that the ghost was not black itself, but onl!
appeared 10 black. for good ghostly reasons Of
its own. Let US now look al it in both black
and white.
Mr.. Simeon Prink was, at the age of forty,
pronounced to be thin and quiet old bache-
lor by Miss Nancy Lavender, who was as thin
if not as quiet as he; and she could never
again see thirty-eight as she we'll knew, tho
she pretended to be looking forward when she
puckered up her mouth and said thirty.
There were other points of resemblance be-
tween them besides singleness and thinness.
Each was desirous of being married, and each
was reputed to have ample means, the extent
of which was unknown to the generality.
The two took the best means, as they tho't,
of ascertaining each others means. Simeon
proposed Nancy accepted; and the pair
became ore flesh and two Prinks.
During the honeymoon, Nancy came to the
conclusion that Simeon was mean in money
matters. She wanted new this, new that, and
new tother, and be would not launch out and
get them for her. He told her to spend her
own money, if she wanted to be imprudent {;
he never would have been worth cent if he
had been so extravagant
She sighed, first, and then became indignant !;
and when she found he was as close-minded as
he was close listed, her curiosity led her TO
ransack his private papers, to see how he stood
with the world, when he was asleep.
He happened to hear her rummaging his
drawers, and woke up and found her out OF
bed.
Where on earth are you, Nancy ?" cried
he, starting up and staring at her. She
rubbed her eyes, opened them, and stared at
him.
why? Where am l? What have I
been doing?'
You ought to know best, Nancy, seeing
that was asleep"
"Oh, now l know y sighed she. L tho't
l was broke of the habit must have been
walking in my sleep"
" You don't tell me that you are in the habit
or r;xL4 ,roll-;oo 7 ,,oop ,voll-;,, IN ,-orr
sleep, do you ?" asked Simeon nervously.
q was once in the habit of it." said she,
fbbing," and l see l am at it again; else
what should be doing up at this hour OF the
night ?"
a Sure enough You'll catch cold Ugh
l don't believe l shall sleep wink all night
now. | always had horror of a sleep walker.
It is something supernatural. Dear me-"
q guess you were frightened when you
were a child ?"
"No-yes I was always frightened, in fact,
by anything unexpected, or coming upon me
in the dark, or a mysterious way. Amount of
it is, Nancy, am very superstitious born
so can't help it; believe in dreams, ghosts,
hobble gobblers, or whatever you call EN-,
though never saw any, and hope never
may. But now that find that you my wife,
are sleep walker--a regular Surinam-bu bugleist
i shall have no peace of nights, unless you
put stop to it. 1t is supernatural, and seems
like being possessed of an evil spirit. How
would it do to tie yourself down in bed every
night and take laudanum ?" Or how would it
-eh ~
Mrs. Nancy Prink had fallen asleep, and
was loudly snoring.
She'll do for tonight, reckon. She's
had her walk Heigho-ya! That ever l
should marry a-a-sleep-w-"
And be was in the land of dreams himself.
Next morning, at breakfast, Mrs. Prink
improved upon the hint she had derived from
last nights conversation.
If you don't buy a new house, Simeon,
instead of living in apartments. as we do now,
l VOW III 60 and live in the old house in the
country. You know l own it, and the land
and as can't find a purchaser, we might as
well live in it."
This house had remained unoccupied for
over year-ever since the parents of Mrs.
Prink had died, within a week of each other
and the villagers had got notion that it was
haunted.
Mrs Prink's threat was made to terrify her
superstitious husband. She succeeded.
We couldn't live there, Nancy. you know
we couldn't. The old rocky is said TO be
haunted -
Then buy me a new one. Launch out
Don't be so mean with your wealth =
Don't be so mean yourself. For shame
You've got oceans of money. Buy the new
house yourself if you want it. don't"
i won't! There :" said she. III live in
the old house. If its haunted. let it be- II
ghosts come, and find such an old skinaiut as
you there, they'll see that they can't make
- as Iara IL eoor