Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-01-27
THE ROUSDwoOD GHOST.

THE asOUNDwOOD GHOST.
| Atlast / had a habitation of myc a
an imposing rcd brick slru .
roomy enough to furnish homes
full score of demure little mortals
myself.
"You will lose yourselfin this grca
barn ofa house, Madelon," said Aun
Jerusha, who had accompanied ne e
be the ruling divinity OF the menugc.
alt would not be much Of Q loss e
the world in general il l should."
"Humph! l have mo prediction,
for mistletoe boughs and old OAK
chests. want no such skeletons ris-
ing up to murder my rest" Gss1
"1r0uble comes fast enough without
reason. It 10 doubtful If you have
heard all that have concerning your
new possessions"
| Aunt Jerusha looked 90 solemn that
quickly asked:
What have you heard z"
"Roundwood has Q ghost. You
needn't laugh-itmay notpfove Z laugh
ing matter. I got the story from the
servants. Not soul Of them but II
convinced the house Is haunted"
"Tcll me what they say"
1T is really quite dreadful, Madelon.
They declare thet Madame Belarave
can't rest quietly In her grave, bnt
comes back to her old room night afler
night, and walks tho floor until morn.
Ing --s'.'
"Has anybody seen herr"
"No: but all of them hsve heard
her pacing up and down the apart
ment." aa -ejs.
.Humph. The ghost must be laid.
| don't like the idea of being disturb
cd ct all hours of the night BY any
such uncanny people" ls
aNor ]" dryiy. "But who will do
Twill," was my answer, e. I caught
6 sun bonnet from the wall and dsrted
0ut into the garden 20 escapo Aunt
Jerusha's solemn vlsags while I rusni.,
mated upon the ways and means.
However. tho prim, old fashioned
garden with its quaint angular walks,
and funny little beds, from which the
flowers lifted bright and sniling fAces
- II In welcome, soon drove sll
thonxhts Of the ghost fton my
head, 8l
Iwandered up and down the bog.
bordered paths, pespipg into grape ar.
b0rs and summer houses, inhaling tho
balsamic odors In tho air, and hug.
ging to myself the delicious sense OF
possession until I grew quite jubilant.
Fall my pleasures, that Of prorrie-
torship was the keenest Just then. And
why, indeed, shouldn't . nice brick
house, with available grounds bea "joy
forever?"
reached the lower portion of the
grounds, and was looking around
upon my domain with quite the air OF
tsne grande princesse, when my gaze
suddenly encountered free-and easy
figure leaning over wicket In the
hsdge-row. Starting d tho vision, I
rubbed my eyes, looking . second
time, and exclaimed, involuntary !:
Lawrence Belgrave
The figure lifted ito hst and smiled
. cheerful good morning.
II am no spirit, Miss Lane. DO
pray, try TO look . trific lcss startled
and dismayed." $50
Nv emotion was quite pardonable
and for this reason TO this man stood
in the light OF a usurper-I had cheat
cd him out Of his Inheritance. He he'd
been nearer related to Madame Bel
grave /, in fact, . sort ofprotege Of hers,
whom ahc brought up with the under
standing that he WAS to inherit her
coupon bonds and hank stock some day
But, twelve months prior 70 this time,
there had been q violent quarrel be-
tween the old lady and Lawrence, he
had left Ronndwood, in high dudgeon,
and to retaliate. Madame Belgrave had
made will, leaving oil her property
to me.
The quarrel was never made up,
and Madame died very suddenly In .
nressHYMScy3 sHYMScy3i A. MtS@na ~ anQAQahlo Of ex-
have had ~ the vii, ;n NV SSyNcsSsH
the one produced a. the fnnsr.I .ra = 7
| found myself suddenIv trsnsformed
from a conntrv schooI ms,sn, ,,;th - ors
decnt siIk and two ~ merinos 81 ~ - =. . vc.s ~
rich woman with mcsns "a .rnr,v - :.
wardrobe indefinitelv. 30
So won will comnrshedd that SGT
felt aomewb.t flismaved an ssairo th.t
vision a. the csfe- + hsd shrnSsrt
cauae for n. Hovever 7 mu.ssreS m
conraoe. and vent and shooE hsrae
With him ouite cor,liaIlv.
"You did rive me 0nite = atari. Mr.
Belgrave, and / might as weil plead
guilty 10 it.n = y
II am sorry" Then he stood look.
inglat me cnriously a moment. II
suppose that I ougkt 10 convratu,ate
YOU, Miss Lane. on your recent rood
fortune. Shall It1 49,.
"Ifyou can do M sincerelv.--not
otherwise"
He lauehed. ethan IN keen NV
breath for other purposea. y
0Shsll vou ever forrive ma for hav-
ing suppisntsd Won q = i
5I don't know. INV great expects.
tiona' have turned ont nesrIv a Ss,n.
awe a thoae OF moor Pin. onrht IN
hate Won. Mias Iane. Int I don;t-
ouite.D
aThanks for tia margin that ..v>.
me from inter condemnshon.n
II can't helm thinkinr. . ia vent ON
reflectively, sthst Nadsme ;Rslrrave
meant 60 festore me % faver 6sallv.
and thst tonly opportnnilv' - lselri.x''
Proud anA ohasinnte - - -. I,S
eure she loved ~, Z s-,