The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-08-08

What was it, Biddy ~
ga warnin' Och hone J. St. Bridg
= be wild me - f'@''.a' ..'
And further Bridget could not I
, brought to state, save that she must g
"tbe morn S mornin'" . 2 ":
4 And gotshe did, leaving the family
despair. They began TO repent the
bargain-to regret that they had pu1
| chased the ''haunted house." and to fet
a little nervous themselves as time pass
| ed on, and have whose they might /
their kitchen the same scene was, ,enacte
4 over and over again.s A colored woman
who came with character for piety All
prudence, fled in despair from what sll
termed "the spook." s." e ~ ",..' =.
/ A Yankee damsel presented hersel
on the third morning with the declara
| lion "that she could put up with mos
any place where wages was good, ba
| that she couldn't afford TO lose her sever
senses by .turnin' out mejun" '. -
! A German girl entered into explici
! descriptions, Of an apparition which
haunted the cellar; assured Mrs. Grit
fths that it was "hollow behind"
| mere SHE'LL, a front view of a dark child
no more, and vowed that it eat provi
siuns in the night. After which, fssarfu
efsome, harm, she took her leave as The
rest had done. -.es..-# Il, Ae
In fact, the Griffiths found it impossi
ble to keep a servant. A woman in tho
neighborhood came during the day tt
work for them, but 30 power could in
duce her to remain. atsnight, and great
Inconvenience was the result. Besides
it was no pleasant thing. as Mrs. Grif
fiths said 10 have such story about
ones house. .Egs4-a, ,.f BIZ
Itlrnust have been pure imagination
too, for none Of the family had ever seen
or heard anything out of the common. Z
One day, however, Alice, the eldest
daughter, appeared to have something
ON her mind. She looked very grave
and was by NO means disposed TO talk.
Slight noises startled her, and she 9e-
cidedly declined descending to the kitch-
en- after dark. f. ~. ..r. -...
cal. is afraid Of the ghost!' shouted
her brother.
Hitherto Alice had laughed at the
mention OF these spectres; now she look
ed grave a@ @%sa
Brother" she said, "5there IS some
thing in that nonsense, as we used 10
call It. Last night | saw something"
She tried to smile as she repeated the
words and went on to tell her story.
On the previous night she had grown
thirsty, and had found the water in her
room stale and warm consequently she
had descended to the kitchen to get
some which was fresher. She had drawn
the water, in the dark, and waz crossing
the kitchen, when something brushed
against her dross., She turned sudden
] y, and saw shadow darker than the
rest glide past her. Then she heard a
noise like tho patter of bare feet on the
steps of the coal cellar, and all was still.
But it was no fancy, she declared. 1t.
was absurd to talk of that. She felt,
and heard, and, in manner, saw; and
from that nomen. Alice was as nervous
on the subject of the coal cellar as ever
hand-maiden had been. II
Mr.. Grifiths consuked the family
physician on the state of his daughters
~ nd. Harry laughed in derision but
nothing could make Alice believe that
she was mistaken. 5sa Il
in month Mrs. Gnhiths ceased to-
argue with her. She also had occasion
% enter the kitchen after nightfall, and
she heard stsome one eating s
Ghosts don't eat, said Mr.. Grifiths.
But Mrs. G. was sure, And there was
! half-consumed loaf, to prove the fact,
md crumbs, "on the. stairs of the coal
,ellar.'s ~ i
s'tssiW Interpretations creatures women
are," said Mr.. Grifiths; aud Harry
aughed louder than before. -, .. - -
Wo nights after, the fire burning glow,1
md no coal being in. the scuttle, Harry
oeing absent, and no servant in the
kitchen, Mr.. Grifiths himself undertook
he task of replenishing the fire. With
on nose and lamp in hand, he
deliberately descended to the cellar. Ten
minutes after he re-appeared in haste
he scnttlel only half.fali, his brow damn
lis eyes very wide open. li - ::.siia|
He pitched The coal Oh The fire and
lung himself into his chair, sat gasping
or n few moments, and then gave .ut.
erance to these words: -
4's W I've seen it myself s.f3.,,i M
The ghost2'' cried Mrs. Grihiths
oh, Pan screamed Alice.
Itdon't say IT'D 4 ghost,v said 4he1
Id gentleman; "but the object which
as alarmed so many in this house l,asI
'een seen by me. It is too large for 4
at It's il, the likeness Of 3 human
eiing, presume It III az optical del
lsion; but i cam account for it'll
Nobody cam y said Mrs. Grifiths. Il
We shall be obliged 70 sell the house,
nd ~ elsewhere. my. DEAR
Mrs. GriHiths had said Tie same thipe
dozen times before this night, for the |
rst time, III. Gf7fiths agreed with her.
Harry laughed mora than srer s 1t his
ther's expefisncs, bht Tie rest shook
cir heads at hin. II ID. had sheculne al
'rious matter to, them; 40 serious, in
81, thai they actually ~made arrange
ents to sell the house, of which they'll
na fyrs0svrs 6nrfl 81 a., 4fst.
ley had been anxious to secure, andIs
g. lovs 9 = far less inviting dwelling III y
laoh more aaconVenient locality.
Carpets we're ap, curtains dawn. f,,r-
liure packed ready for the cartman,s
aiads, and ever sil,ing HI tie usual Il con
sion ct moving fine, when Harry
no was generally regular ii his hours, !