The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-08-17

Standing before Mary James door.
with the feeble rays Of the candle
shed around. the apparitiOn which
met the teachers gaze might well
have startled the strongest nerves.
Shade of departed Governor, did Won
indeed hover there, without sound or
motion, all framed in darkness-a
misty form resting lightly on the
ground, veiled beyond recognition.
and with q face OF unearthly palIor
peering forth from hooded drSperv to
gaze On mortals with spectral eyes -?
v.-THE GOVERNOR REVEALS HIM
SELF.
Andrew Forbes went ND the hill on
the stroke Of twelve. A shadow
seemed % move back from the pro-
jectlng balcony as he approached
the door yielded to his touch he
found himself in a stone passage.
when q thin, sinewy hand suddenly
propelled him forward, a bolt slid.
and he was prisoner.
"Wait ~ said q distant voice.
menaeingly, and then sll was still.
Darkness everywhere, shrouding
the corridors from end 20 end, lurking
In corners, and only the voice of the
tall CLOCK on the stair, relic Of the
Governors time, heard announcing
the hour of midnight. ANY Wood.
vile, reassured by those eompanions
who had not drawn the prize. and
ashamed OF fear, listened to her own
heart throbs, to the signing of the
wind to the merry dance of riotOus
mice in the wainseOt. she had been
decked BY her cheerful mates In
long waterproof cloak. How heartily
she wished that she had refused to
take this vigil, as she became each
mOmentcolder and more frightened
by her own loneliness. She sat down
on the stairs to rest. Something
brushed past her cheek, and she slid
into convenient nook, pslpitating
with fear and curiosity.
A singular creaking noise nOAV be-
came audible at the other end OF the
hall, and simultaneously q second
sound struck her ear in the opposite
direction, chilling her very blood.
Rustling garments drew near. Amy
paused, not daring to move, the
scream Of alarm, which was to have
been the signal, frozen on her lips.
At this moment the moon pierced the
drifting cloud and disclosed a white
form, also disclosing Amy drawn up
rigidly against the wall. The ghost
made diving movement toward her,
and 8 warm living hand drew her
down to crOuching attitude.
"What is It? Do you see ?" Vhis-
pered a muffied voice.
A figure glided along the hall be-
yOnd them.
81 have had such q fright,U con-
fessed the ghost, confidently. "Do
you suppose there are two ghosts, or
Is the other q real ghost, while | am |
only q sham one ?''
Amy recognized MiIlieent Hall, and
became as brave as q lion. Then the |
ghost and the private watchman went |
down stairs, inspired by q mutual de- /
sire to trace the solitary figure to its
destination. The figure disappeared |
in.the direction OF the basement, and
passed out of = window in tue dining |
room, Nothing daunted, the Others /
followed.
"Millicent, thought thatI heard |
mans voice calling, Let me out
Where has IL gone ?" said Amy. ]
Into the laundry"
ado y0u dare 10 follow 81 faltered |
Amy.
"fwo of us? Yes; come along"
And they went.
la the laundry-a detached building /
furnished with tubs, boilers, and a
figure knelt before 3 /
stove, feeding q fiickering glow with
3 bundle of silks and muslin. Then |
she seated herself on q stool, drew the /
candle nearer, and began to destroy
more delicate articles, with the aid or /
q silver-mOuuted pOniard and the con-
suming flame. Ribbons and fringe |
became msre heaps of rainboH-tiated
dust about her, flowers and lace were
held in the candle in the sheer delight
Of destruction. This was the girl /
exercising low cunning
TO escape detection in the desire to
possess all bright finery pleasing to
her barbsric fancy.
"Fhat's my embroidered handker-
chief" grOaned the ghost.
AnnunciatR turned, and recOg-
niZing the intruders, rushed past
them like the wind. harrinO 49, SOOr
"DOn't be afraiG,'h said the cour-
ageous ghost. "Climb on the ironing
table out OF the way Of possible rats.
She will not come back to scalp us, III
suspect. What a girl ] will tell
you how / have played the role OF
ghost. My get-up is very
fine am not only wrapped in a
sheet, but have white barege over
dress 30 float out like wings, you
know. It is y great deal of work, and
does not pay in the end. must pow
der my face and hands, and wander
about without shoes. / made the
dreadful rappings with q hair-brush
and umbrella, and the rumbling in
the garret was caused by two nine-piu
balls rolled along the floor. YOu
should have seen Miss Crane run !"
In the morning Annunciata Conner
salez, Millicent Hall, snd Amy Wood
vile were missing. The first pupil
snapped her fingers at Oleander SEM
mary, and elOped with Cousin An
tOniO-A catastrophe swarthy papa in
Chilli had striven to avert by sending
his only child to distant school.
She left note, the irony OF which
not be attributed to faulty English,
and exonerated Miss Palmer by con-
iessing to having ''psid grudge" by
placing stolen articles In her trunk,
What need to tell how slumber had
descended on three young people
Andrew Forbes in 8 closet with Eia
reposlng on q reversed mIlk-pan, q
victim OF Annuneiata's incorsequent
malice in the first place, and of Cousin
Ant0nIO's caution in the second. or
the prisoners in the laundry discov-
sred perched on the table, ghOstly
iraperies hanging limp in the sun
light, and Millieent's palid face pill
lowed on Amy's golden hair The
cook declared that Endymion asleep
In the closet "gzve her q turn" when
she came for potatoes, vet she not
only busted the young gentleman, but
took 3 message TO Amy WOodville,
which resulted in the appearance of
ring on her finger.
= Before another dawn the snow came
effaeing the tarnished
beauty Of the waning year, and Helen
Palmer looked forth on a new world.