Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-05-09
AUNT SARAHS GHOST.

are more things in this world than you
know Of. d"
"That's from Shakespeare, Aunt
Sarah.
"Suppose it is?" replied the old
lady, adjusting her cap; "it's true,
nevertheless.
"Oh, it's quite true; but did you
ever really see a ghost ?" we asked, all
anxiety to hear her strange expert
ence.
"Tve seen ghost" answered Aunt
Sarah, slowly, "just as plainly as see
you now."
"Oh, how dreadful" We all ex-
claimed. "Tell us about it, Aunt
Sarah" And we drew our chairs
closer around the table, and wondered if
Thorn s wasn't coming soon to light the
gas.
Aunt Sarah smiled upon lis with the
conscious superiority of wisdom, but,
well pleased to be the center of SO at
trac5ive circle, put aside her knitting
and commenced as follows
" A great many years ago ] was stay
ing, with Il number of other guests, at
a friends house in the country. Among
the various people, old and young, who
were gathered there, was a maiden lady
Of rather mature age in fact, she ought
long ago to have taken her degree as a
confirmed old maid. Some people so
dread the approach Of age that they
cling to the semblance Of youth almost
with the tenacity of despair. Miss Big
lOw-that was her name-was one of
this kind and so, by the aid OF pains,
powder and false hair, she really made
herself look twenty years younger than
what we knew to be her actual age. Ii
was even whispered that her cheeks
owed their seeming plumpness to some
mysterious cause not attributable to
nature. Now, girls, said Aunt Sarah,
pansing for a moment, and looking
sternly upon us, 81 hate this deception,
and hope none of you paint, or powder,
or wear false hair.
Goodness, Aunt Sarah You don't
think we wear false hair, do you?"
cried Bessie Gray, putting up her hand
to ascertain if her chignon was in its
right place.
81 am sure / don't know, my dear,
but | hope not. Well, one day an elder
ly gentleman arrived at the house, in
tending to spend a week in fishing,
hunting, or idling about, as most Of us
we're doing. This gentleman was very
rich, and avowedIy looking for a wife.
Under these circumstances it is not sur
prisinS that he at once became the lion
of the day.
"The evening on which he arrived
saw Miss Bigiow painted and powdered
TO the verge of Observation-Disclosures
that may be--and looking, to anunprac-
tised eye, almost girlish
1t was really wonderful, my dears,
to see how the eligible bachelor-Mr.
Goodman-took to her from the first.
We really became afraid that she would
carry off a prize for which SO many
blushing young ladies had angled in
vain.
"Miss Biglow seldom came down
stairs in the morning, and when she
ventured out always wore a thick veil
to protect her skin, which she said was
very tender indeed. OF course we knew
the reason, but Mr.. Goodman, like all
other men, was as blind as bat, and
as easily taken in by woman as any
child would be. 1t would not have
been fair for us to undeceiye him, you
know, for | think women ought to re.
spect each others little secrets"
Honor among thieves" murmured
Bessie.
"My dear, that is not a pretty sim
ile," said Aunt Sarah, gravely. "But
let me go on with my story. One even
ing we were all sitting at the open win
dow, in the moonlight, and, by some
means or other, the conversation turned
upon the habit of wearing false hair,
and other deceptions of like nature.
al never want to marry a woman
who would wash out like cotton nm
brella in the first shower, said Mr..
Goodman.
"'I quite agree with you, answered
Miss Biglow. 1t must be dreadful to
use all those things that you were talk
ing about.
"Mr. Goodman glanced approvingly
toward her, but Gertie Edmonds pinched
my arm and whispered:
"'I'll bet pair of gloves that she
won't stand washing
"Pd like to try it, | answered.
"Girls are always thoughtless and
foolish, " said Aunt Sarah, sagely, "and
I was no exception to the rule. That
speech Of Mr.. Goodmans suggested Il
wicked thought to Gertie Edmonds; il
was that we should all go out in the
boat next day, taking, if possible, Miss
Biglow with us; and when in quite
shallow water, manage to upset the
boat"
"And then," said Gertie, "it would
be such fun to see the paint wash off her
face"
"I regret to say, my dears, that I en-
tered into this wicked joke with hear.
ty good will, but was repaid for my
share in it by what happened afterward,
as you will see by and by.
"At first Miss Biglow absolutely re.
fused to go on the water at all, but by
Mr.. Goodman's s earnest solicitations she
at last consented to makeone of theparty.
Besides Mr.. Goodman there were two
other young gentlemen, cousins of Ger
ties, and | need scarcely tell you that
they entered with delight into our plot
against the unfortunate Miss Biglow.
"Next day we dressed ourselves as
plainly as possible, not caring to ruin
our best things by our contemplated
ducking in the lake. Everything went
on as we'll as could be wished, and we
pushed out gently from the shore, with
our unsuspeciing victim on board. We
had agreed to row along the shore to a
place where we girls sometimes went in
bathing, and then, at given signal,
manage to upset the boat
Mr.. Goodman was whispering some
soft nonsense into Miss Biglow's ear,