American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-01-03
MRS. WATKINS GHOST.

of one who relished and appreciated a
: good orthodox ghost story, just as "A col
lector rejoices over some rare cid coin OF
an antiquarian gioats over some choice
and genuine relic.
Aunt Polly so called in the family, was
the village tailoress. Just now she wa,
"doing up" our fall work, and we child
rem had gathered around her that evening
begging for a story, which she did non
require much urging To tell, for she was
not only fond of talking, but she had
that power at fixing the attention of her
auditors which was 10 be gained from a
firm belief in her own stories.
She was engaged in refining the sleeve
ofJohn's overcoat, cut down from one of
his fathers, land with Il pressing board
upon her knee, she reached out for the
hatlron she had heating upon the stove,
ascertainlng its degree of heat with her
wctfiDger and then vigorously pressing
open the seam.
Little Joe, who had been cracking
hickory nuts behind the stove on a
smooth stone which he held between his
knees, came closer to mother, who was
seated near the lamp running her long
darning needle in and out the toe of a
well-worn blue wooden stocking.
John with his jack knife and gimlet,
was altering the straps on his skates.
He started nervousIy when the hickory
wood snapped suddenly in the stove.
Father who held up the county ga
Zette before his face as if he were reading,
was evidently not pleased with the i'm
preston left upon us children by Aunt
Polly's story. l had been watching his
face for l knew how much he disliked to
have superstitious fears implanted in
our minds; | was therefore entirely
taken by surprise when instead of the
disapproval which | expected to hear
him express, he said: "Why that's not
the worst of it, Aunt Pol1y-old Mrs
Watkins ghost actually paid US visit
after the new house was built!''
Now, du tell, Deacon Samson!
Who'd a thought it! Did you ever." and
Aunt Polly held her iron so long on one
spot that there was a slight smell of
scorched cloth pervading the room
which speedily recalled her to her
work.
Il would tell you all about it, if l
thought you would recognize the relation
ship between Aunt PoIly's ghost and
mine," continued my father; to which
condition, having about it to us the vague
ness of an ancient oracle, we assented;
and father, taking off his spectacles and
placing them on the table beside him, be-
gan the story.
''When your mother and l were first
married we bought. this place, where at
that time stood the old house of which
Aunt Polly has just now been telling YOU
The neighbers said to me: You're not
going to live in that old haunted house,
are you?' | told them I was not; that
should pull it down-not. however, fnr
fear OF gffus'er,-1rsf the old rOckery was
really not habitable. The rats and mice
had full possession, and 1 think they
haunted the place more than poor old
Mrs. Watkins. you see, children, am
not afraid of ghosts.''
Aunt Polly did not like the insinuation
contained in this last remark, and she
spoke rather sharply as she replaced her
iron on the stove and blew out spark
from burnt corner of the holder 81
thought you said Mis- Watkins ghost
haunted the new house."
"YOu shall hear. As have Just said,
we pulled the old house down and clear
ed up the premises, and in the spring
built this nice, snug farmhouse. When
we moved here we were the happiest
young couple you would find anywhere,
and don't know but that now we are the
happiest old couple, eh, mother?" and
father turned towards her with a tender
ness in his tone which was in itself an
answer to his question
ave had SO many farm hands that we
couldn't get along without help, so by
dint of much persuading we got one of
the farmers daughters, Mary Ann Jones'
from the next town to come and live with
us for the first year; and Ben Smithers
agreed to work the farm with me on
shares. Everything went on so smoothly
that for time don't think we should
have had one single perplexity if it had
not been for Mis- Watkins ghost'''
Here my father paused in his story to
take down his pipe from the mantelshelf,
and l could see that he and mother ex-
changed chances, but as mother leaned
down closely over her work l could not
find out if she was laughing, or if it was
sigh which she smothered in the huge
blue wooden stocking which she for the
moment held up to her face.
Do go on, pa" cried little Joe.
'Well, don't be impatient, my lad,"
said father, slowly giving a few kindly
pulls to the pipe, over which he held a
hickory coal with the tongs.
Among the few modern improvements
in our new house had bell at the front
door in place of the oldfashiOned brass
knocker. One morning we were startled
rather early by violent ring at this front
door bell. l rose in great haste and
dressed myself, fearing it might be some |
bad news from the OLD folks, your grand |
father and grandmother, who lived in |
North Springfield; for our neighbors al |
ways came rouni to the back door-in |
fact the front door was hardly opened |
once a month, and the front path was
pretty well grown shut with grass | |
Opened the door. Nobody was there. |
Thinking that the visitor had got tired of
waiting while. | dressed and had gone
round tO-the back door, l opened that;
but NOBODY was there. Expecting TO find
some one at the barn, went out. Ben |
Smithers had already opened the wagon
house. and was running out the light
wagon; he was going to harness up the
ness. Ben had heard the bell, but
thought it was to waken Mary Ann.
He hadn't seen anyone at the
door; but then they might have been
there, for he hadn't looked He thought,
If anyone was about the place, they'd
come in before long / soon forgot the
(bell In discussing the good points of the
colt and in the various chores which oc-
lcupied my time until breakfast was ready, |
and it was not until we were seated at the |
table that was reminded of it by another
/ ing mt the door.
"Why, thought you went to the door
Llong ago, Mark said mother Has
some one been waiting all this time to
Come in?' She rose to answer the bell,
but Ms | sat nearer the door, | was in adj
vance of her, and Ben Smithers, who was
drying his face on the kitchen roller
%snt round outside to see who this early
Icaller might be- followed by Mary Ann,
whc began TO think that the farm might
be a .ivlier place than she had been led to
believe, seeing that our visitors began be-
|fore breakfast.
y 81 opened the door. No one was there,