The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-08-31
WITH A GHOST.

The situation is this: An unimagina-
? man OF 80, whose days are spent in
Finess,a now suburban villa a bright,
hshiny country; ncishbors all round
and Il new cemetery a hundred
fds' distance from the house.
io this house and. to this man the
psf came.
And in this wise:
was August. l was sitting, after
tner, trying to get sentimental over
approaching marriage, and pictur-
to myself Eleanor in the easy chair
posite me. The light was fading, but
my eyes followed the lines mechan-
klly, and my thoughts were elsewhere,
vt mattercd little. Outside the house
Pre- was q stiffness eXtraordinary-no
bring of the leaves; no breath in the
no voices from my own kitchen; no
4mds from the houses on either side,
fich were locked up, their tenants be-
at the seaside; not ever the distant
rk of a dog OF the distant roll OF u
briagc to show that there was another
ing person in the world beside my
II. Then a curious feeling came over
+; | suddenly realized that life may
on in invisible, intangible forms; |
pked round me with n shudder: | ca
cted something. The room became,
thout warning, distinctly darker; the
grew chill l felt cold dcws stand
ION my forehead. Remember that up
this moment there was no reason at
hone whatever-for alarm. Yet |
came unaccountably afraid. turned
the window for relief, and there
PRE- l saw 1T for the first time.
IL was standing outside the window, a
TX shadow, clearly outlined against
e sky; colorless, and yet its draperies
IRE like white grave-clothcs; shape
Fs, and yet, somehow, human in APP
arance. And it had a face. Deep
nken and lustrous eyes, bright with
Rosphoric ~splendor, showed me hol-
checks, lips that trembled rs if with
F%ssion, and n frowning forehead.
hen l turned he raised his hand and
ook it at me beneath its linen folds,
d then, with that singular movemen,
marked by all who have c~onversed
d are familiar with ghosts-a meve'
ent in which the shape neither glides
p walks, but changes p%lace-the spec,
stood within the room, facing me
I'm ashamed 10 say that l was fright
Jed.
"So,"h he said, with an angry glance
have found you at last"
l made no reply. What was there t.
yp
~ have found you at last, have |
ow ! have you, what shall | do t,
buP"
| could only look hopelossly. IL
lshed one arm outside the cerement
hich covered ia long, lean arm
parked with n tattoo representing
nip in full sail, surmounted by a skull
nd cross-bones. lie shook his fist ex
Etedly in my face. l noticed that tn
ir was not stirred by his movements
was odd, too, that l recovered m
ourage as soon as he began to threaten
His gestures became more threaten
ng. He repeated twenty times rur
ing the question with which he fri
ccosted me: snow l have found yor
hat shall I do with your" 1t seemed
indeed, as if be could say nothing mor'
"Come," cried at last, "this
boiling. What do you mean by comm
o my house like a madmanp Lea,
If asking what you will do with IN
I you are q ghost out of his sense
ay so; ii not, vary the monotony |
aging something else. Can't yc
wear, manP Can't you relieve natu'
n the usual mannerP"
lie groaned and wrung his hands.
81 can't" he said. at isn't &
owed. l wish l could. What shall
10 with youp What shall ! do wi
Eou?"