The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-11-26

flesh creep to think Of it. Don't you be
lleve In ghosts'"
| Rigo1ot's handsome face nj once becam
serious.
"zere are more zings in heaven an,
earth zan we dream of, as your Shake
spirie says, Mademoiselle; l cannot den,
vat know nozing about; but care no
for ghosts-T<mock myself of zem-fo
vat can zey do to mes"
"The answer Of sensible and brav,
ttsni Mcssheer Rigc1ot," exclaimed Mt
Cumleigh With Approval, ard the ethe
city men, their wives and mobile incum
brances, concurred. But Ruth ejacu
lated, smilingly, as if skeptical:
"Well, would you dare to go and stant
in Gravehill Churchyard alone at mid
night, Monsieur Rieolcts"
My friend made one OF his innimitabl
French bows and asked whether Mis-
Ruth would favor him with her com
pany; but she answered that the test o
poco euraateism in these cascs consisted
in being quite solitary. Accordingly !
was understood that the Frenchmal
should set out for Gravehill unattended
at lalf-past eleven, and am bound ts
own that the prospect of this excursion
did not interfere in the least with Rigo
lots good humor or appetite. He ate
chatted, and joked as usual, took rather
less wine if anything than his wont, ant
at the appointed time, notwithstanding
the discussions of Mr.. Cumleigh, who
begged him not to consider the whims
OF spoiled child, he donned his hat and
overcOat and sailed forth 1t was es
pecially noticed that he did not take O
stick or umbrella.
AS soon as he was gone Ruth FASTENED
to her room, and in ten minutes reap.
peared, having changed her dress and
put on thick shawl and bonnet was
III waiting to give her my arm. and to-
gether we walked out, going at fast
pace to reach the churchyard before mid.
night.
1t was about five minutes to twelve
when we arrived, and, looking through a
crevict in the low ~all that surrounded
the churchyard, we perceived the French
man sitting unconcernedly astride a
tombstone There was no rain, the
moon was beaming, and, tall, very fune-
real, shadows were cast into the depths
of the buttfesses; and on one side of the
spire, which rose straight and high in
the clear air, Rigolot's face stood full in
the moonlight, and we could see that his
Indifference was perfect. Humming a
tune, he drew cigar-case from his
pocket and struck fusee on the tomb
stone.
"Manly, but profane," !" whispered Ruth,
clinging to my arm.
1t was at that very moment when mid
night changed from the steeple; and,
precisely to the hour, a towering white
apparition glided from the gloom of the
church-porch and walked straight toward
Rigolot. Not to alarm anybody, it may
be stated that this apparition was moth
ing but a gardeners boy, who was great
ally of Ruth's 'in these adventures, and
who played his part by the customary
means eal9,sssa af %Sahgetwufzel at tne'top. Inns
gardeners boy then advanced; but the
instant he began to be seen stalking
among the tombs Rigolot raised bright,
Joyous laugh-without a quaver in it
jumped from his grave and walked to
meet him. The ghost was not prepared
for this move, and receded; Rigolot fol-
lowed. The ghost, thoroughly mystified,
broke ground; then, seeing the French
man continue to approach, turned tail
and ran Hereupon Rigolot's merry voice
rang out in reiterated peals, and he
called out, with wonderful intrcpidity
and archness:
"Come, don't be afraid of me, my good
ghost; am only man. Accept Gee
garre"
Ruth was abashed as we made our way
home. There was no doubt Rigolot had
got the best of the first bout, and | sug
gested the propriety of dispensing him
from the burglar ordeal. But the ar
rangements had already been made
That gardeners boy a young city gentle
man, named Tuttle, who had been sworn
into the conspiracy, and myself had al
rehearsed for climbing into Rigolot's
balcony with Grape masks on oul
faces; and both Ruth and Tuttlt
anticipated too much good fun from this
performance to be baked of it. Well
it was not such good fun after all, espe
cially for Tuttle. / pass over the con
gratulations winch Rigolot received OF
his return from the ghost expedition, ant
| come at once to the small hour OF three
| in the morning, when the gardener
| Tuttle and found ourselves climbing
ladder under Rigolot's balcony, and eacl
with horse pistol in his hands. Tuta'
led the way, and, being provided with
glaciers instrument for cutting glass
coolly removed pane, passed his hant
through the aperture, opened the window
and walked in. He had some difficult.
| in suppressing his grins, but he did no
grin long.
| l have never heard for certain wha
actually ensued; but it seems that Rigolo
was awakened by the noise, faint as it was
and seeing burglar-there was night
light on the chimney y-piece-leaped ou
of bed, flew to a drawer, and, extractin
a revolver, thence let fly the whole 81
barrels at Tuttle without a word Q
warning. In saying six barrels, however
it is fair to mention that Tuttle did nc
wait for any barrels after the first, for i
one bound he was on the balcony, and
second he had dropped heaalong on
the flower-bed, twenty feet below, will
out SO much as touching the ladder. Th
gardener and l followed in state {
emotion which you may be left to in
agine, for we heard the bullets crushin
with fearful bangs through one pan
after another; but possibly Rigolot di
not really aim at any of US, for it WI
noticed afterward that the bullets WEI
through the upper panes.
Well, Rigolot had triumphed in tw
trials, but the worst was set him just b.
fore luncheon that day. All the MOI
ing there had been panic-stricken tai
among the city men about the presume
! burglary of the night, and Rigolot ha
, even given his version of that startlin
! episode to q couple of policemen WI
7 were sent for from the village. He WI
calm in his account, and strictly modes
, | in fact, his attitudewas such rs wou
have given any ordinary young lady Il