Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-03-21

Before the breakfast-be1 rang tn
next morning, nearly every girl in tn
school had heard of the apparition; bu
Madam Garlan always breakfasted alon
and so was not enlightened until he
visit to the school-room. Chris hersel
could not have failed to hear of it ha,
she not been called away at an earl,
hour to attend her grandfather, win
had been taken sick during the night
and thinking that his time had come
sent at once for his granddaughter. Blu
Chris, whose CHEEKY presence was bet
ter than medicine to the lonely olt
man, soon convinced him that he wa
under delusion, and after nursing hin
day and night for a fortnight, wen
back to the Hall, leaving him more
cheerful and comfortable than he hat
been for year. Meanwhile the ghost
excitement had died a natural death
Every night tor a week the girls had
watched for the temperance of the
ghost; but as no ghost came, they con-
cluded that Miss Ringly had been try
ing to hoax them, and quietly let the
matter drop. So Chris remained in
blissful ignorance of it all, and was
soon going on in the old way. But Miss
Ringly, eager to vindicate herself, still
kept watchful eye on the haunted
room, and one unlucky night, when
Chris, not knowing just where to find a
certain book, had gone with her lamp
TOD Jook for it, the ghostly radiance was
again seen cleaning through the key
hole. Miss Ringly, remembering Mad
am Garlan's injunction, fled down stairs
to give the alarm, only stopping to sum-
mon her roommate to stand guard du-
ring her absence. The roommate,
not daring to watch alone, whispered
the news to several others; and when
Madam Garlan, making as much haste
as her dignity would allow, arrived at
the "scene of action" she found q
group of terror-stricken girls waiting
for her in nshivering silence. The light
was still shining, and Miss Ringly was
half-ready to beat a retreat; but mad
am, with finger on her lip, put her.
self at the head, and marched boldly
forward. Chris, however, had already
heard their cautious feet, and as the in
vaders entered the door, rush of cool
air passed them, the dim light disap-
peared, and all was silent and dark.
81 knew it was nothing but moon
shine," whispered one of the unbe-
levers.
"The moon is not up" retorted Miss
Ringly, defiantly.
At that moment came the sound of
some one falling heavily, followed
quickly by cry of pain, and then, for
the first time in months, Madam re-
membered the old back-stairs. But the
narrow space between the bookcase
and the wall, though amply wide for the
slender ''ghost," refused to admit Mad
am Garlan's portly person. The girls
rushed to her help with trembling
hands. The hidden entrance was at
last gained, and five frightened faces
peered down the dark abyss whence
ssued the ghostly groans. At the same
instant the lower door flew open, and
Did Zoe, in night-gown and turban,
threw over the weird scene the light of
| flickering candle. A heterogeneous
collection of old brooms and scrubbing-
pots, kettles, and pans nearly
filed the dingy passage, and lying ig-
among them was poor Chris,
olackened and bruised. 1t had needed
l careful foot, even with the help of her
little lamp, to make the journey safely |
md in utter darkness, excited and be-
it was scarcely to be WON
lered at that she should step into, in
stead of over, the huge kettle that stood
Ippermost in the black array. The on
y wonder was that she had not broken |
ler neck.
''De Lord massy on us!' cried old
Zoe, who had sprung from her bed fully |
to find a burglar in her exit
.le-den." "Clare fur it, eff dat chile |
s'n't dun gone to walkin' in her sleepw
or even Zoe was not in the secret, being
Usually in bed and sound asleep before |
chris ventured to pass through her do
mains.
Madam Garlan was thoroughly puz-
whole affair was a mystery to
Ter; but she had the dilapidated "ghost"
'arried carefully upstairs, and as soon
IS consciousness returned there was q
ull confession.
It's too funny for anything"
aughed Lou, capering about on one
DOT behind Madam Garlan's chair, "to
hink of my ghost being nobody but
Chrisp' Madam, however, did not |
,hink it funny in the least, and was
inclined to look at once for
new chambermaid, but Chris was IA
vorite with all the girls, and none of
hem, not even Miss Ringly, felt will
ng to have their rooms given into the
hands of stranger; they had had
enough of that during the fortnight
that Chris was with her grandfather,
The girl who had supplied her place
having shown decided fancy for pry-
ing not only into their ribbon-boxes,
but into all their private affairs. And
80 Christine was pardoned and REIN
stated, but only on condition that she
would never again be guilty of study
ing in the "kittle-den." Hard as the
alternative was, she felt compelled to
accept it, knowing that if her wages
were cut off the old grandfather would
be sent to the poor-house; but she went
about with pale, sad face, that every
day grew paler and sadder.
"Poor child." said Miss Caruthers,
''it is shame to have her starving for
that which half the girls in the school
are not hungry enough to appreciate"
And while Chris was still trying to
reconcile herself to giving up her be-
loved books, Miss Caruthers made her
fairly cry for joy by whispering in her
ear that whenever she was not ON duty
she might come to her room and study.
But when, in addition to this, she offer