Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-07-06


pushing himself in he pushed little
dumpy figure out
First white head, and then a pair of
white shoulders, and lastly, whole fig
ure in white came before the widows eyes
She did not speak or cry out as it gained
an erect posture and moved slowly to-
wards the table. For moment she was
too frightened for that. She closed her
hands tightly by her sides, and shut her
lips firmly together. Suddenly the light
went out. Under her breath she gave vent
to such an expletive as meyer before issued
from her lips; my Godr'
1t was still light in the room. The
moon came in broadly at the window
The. widows fear lost itselfin desperation.
She was not courageous, but she spoke
because she must do something, and that
was the least she could do
'fAre you sign?" she asked, in low
shaking voice.
Il am" was the answer given in Sc
pulchrel tone, as the figure paused in the
middle of the room.
"What shall dof" she gssped.
Let your daughters marryl'
"Yes, yes. Anything. Yes"
"Then marry yourself" continued the
voice, solemnly.
She was about to ask another question,
h,tt of flaf
Elder Lang sounded through the ROOM
"O-ah--let me go" he cried, as
though some one was trying to choke
him. I'm in the dev-devil's hands -
o. O-ahr'
The widow wrung her hands.
"Something-O! O.-let me gol
Helm! help.'
Keep quiet, you old dolt." whispered
Walter in Elder Lang's ear "You shan't
be hurt, if you keep still. Ifyou don't Ill
choke you. As true as / live, willg"
The whisper reached the widows ears.
She fully believed that Satan himself had
taken possession of her house. She
screamed long and loudly at the top of
her voice-screamed, screamed, screamed
As natural consequence, the girls were
awakened. They rushed to the top of the
stairs together. There was light step
in the hall below; boyish figure came
softly along. Of a sudden it stopped
| short and dropped down at the foot ofthe
stairs, giving vent to numberless little
sharp, hard screams.
Don't touch me ghost. don't touch
me ghost.' cried out a terrified voice,
which was none other than jim Halls.
80, don't touch me ghost I'll tell. I'll
tell. 1t was me that wiggied the portrait
it was met was me. | tied string
round it and pulled the string out of the
window, and kept pulling. o, don't,
| don't, ghost. O-o-o,'
The ghost, may as well say here as
anywhere, that terrified Jim so, was Bill
Lennox behind the front hall door. When
the widow screamed he started forward
and in that way was espied by the
roguish bound boy, who was at that mo-
ment stealing in from playing his capers
on the widow. The noise in the hall
started the widow and Elder Lang again.
Another series of screams came from the
sitting room.
I'm going down." whispered Lydia,
grasping Jeanette by the arm.
She started ahead, but when she YVES
half way down stairs, caught sight Of the
little dumpy figure in white. This was
enough. She joined her voice in the con-
cert of sounds and sprang forward, tumb-
ling over Jim, who was lying on the low
er landing. half dead with fright. Sup
posing The ghost was attacking him in
good earnest, the boy beloved at the top
of his voice
Hush, for Heavens sake.' cried some
one from the sittingroom, in calm, firm
tone.
Lydia recognized the voice, and went
trembling forward.
you'll raise the neighbors."
In the meantime, Jeanette had made
an attempt to follow her sister, but when
she gained the foot of the stairs, the hor-
ror stricken Jim impeded her progress by
striking and kicking her with all his
might.
"1f you are ghost, I'll fight you. o,
I'm scared-bla-a-r. o, o, o, let me
gol did wiggle the picture!" he cried,
writhing about like snake
Let her go, or I'll break every bone in
your bodyl" he said, taking jim by the
hair
Another series of screams and bleats
followed.
I'm so frightenedI' whispered jean
ette.
II guess, by the sound, there are num-
Der of persons in the same condition"
whispered Bill, comically.
Suddenly light flashed out from the
sitting room. Walter Saunders was the
only one who had his senses about him.
A light, and what was revealed The
widow was standing in the middle of the
room, grasping with both hands the back
of a chair, her eyes and mouth wide open,
her eyes staring. Elder Lang, with his
head protuding from under the lounge,
like turtle from its shell. Walter
Saunders, with one arm around Lydia,
who was wrapped up in chlntz bed
spread.
"What is it 2" asked the widow.
"Sure enough, what is itg" answered
Walter, biting his lips to suppress his
merriment. ''Let us look in the hail."
AS he said this figure whisked by the
sitting room door.
"The ghostl" cried tie widow, as he
sprang after it, and caught it by its very
unghostly raiment, the white flannel
night gown.
"O!-ahl" cried the Elder, popping his
head under the lounge.