The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-04

look at some new furniture in what
was going to be our joint house. She
came. Nothing happened until we
went into the garden. AS led her up
and down the walk, her hand in mine,
she suddenly stopped with a cry.
''Alfred, who has been walking along
the sand''-there was an edging of red
sand to the gravel-''with bare feet :"
1 looked. There were footprints
great gaunt footprints-parallel with
my own. knew at once what was
going to happen, and I trembled.
''Nothing, Nelly; nobody. Who
should walk in bare feet except car
penter? Let us go in.''
''Alfred J" she cried, s'see they are
falling still, the footprints we
walk. Take me in, take me away p
1t was pleasant The accursed
ghost was setting his long feet beside
mine, keeping step, so that every foot
fall Of mine there was a new footprint
Of his. I bore my girl half fainting
into the house.
"What was it, Alfred? What was
it! I am afraid. And see-see Oh !!
Alfred--Alfred ~
With cry of freight she fell faint
ing into my arms. Between us and
the window stood revealed that awful
figure in it's long white grave.clothes,
pointing its long bony fingers at me,
but saying no word.
took Eleanor home. I implored
her to keep silence as to what she had
seen. soothed and pacitied her. I
assured her that it was fancy-that it
was a trick of imagination-that it
was some schoolboy deviltry-any-
thing to keep her quiet. And thus I
left her, and returned, miserable and
maddened, to battle with this demon
who had fastened himself upon me.
He was sitting in my chair. with his
abominable head, as usual, in his
hand.
II allow you to 60 away with the
girl" he said, "because l do not wish
to do her any harm. But she shall
never marry you-remember that.
Wretch !''-he rose from the chair and
approached me with threatening ges-
lures ''wretch Was it not enough
to interfere between me and her You
try to murder the happiness of anoth-
er innocent girl Can you ruthlessly
"Good heavens - cried, almost be-
side myself with rage. ''What have l
done to you, devil OF lunatic, that you
should persecute me in this way!''
s'He asks me what he had done
Think of Madagascar, villain of the
deepest dye. Think of San Fran, pi-
rate and crimp. Think of Liverpool
docks and Polly. Joe Kirby-Joe Kir-
by, you we're always as brazen a liar as
ever stepped, but did not think you
would brazen it out to me-
A thought struck me.
"Y0u call me Joe Kirby. I am not
Joe Kirby at all. I never heard of any
Joe Kirby
He laughed.
eff you are not Joe Kirby he said,
81 will eat my hat--I mean, of course
''Come. this is trifling. I say that
you mistake me for some one else.
What makes you think me Joe
Kirby
"Because you are.''
''Nonsense. How long since you
saw Joe Kirby g
"Ten years.
':What was he like when you left
him q
''Much the same as you,-sanctimo
NOUS look, reddish hair ,stumpy figure,
fat cheeks, just like YOURSELF"
"Had this devil Of Joe Kirby any
marks?"
s'Tattoo marks like mine, on the
right arm, T did him-I mean Joe.
He did me-
drew up my shirt and showed him
my arms, white and free from any
tattoo mark at all.
He was stupeied.
"Well-I'm-no-I'm dashed. And
you amt Joe Kirby at all? Lord
Lord! what a fool you must have
taken me for
| Il did,
! Sand me to go and let out all the
little secrets. Mate, you hold your
tongue about that Yokohama bust
ness
II never thought much of ghosts,'
said. "Now 1 shall think still less
of them.''
$50 on he said, ego on; let me
have it,
| ''Why couldn't you ask before you
came laundering into house with
your Internal long white sheet? Why
couldn't you put the question before
you began o.
''Why, indeed! - he echoed. ttLook
here, mate, I'm very sorry for this lit
tie mistake-I am, indeed. And
frightening the young lady and all.
| w HIT aha1l do now n vnoho th;nro
square again %