The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-21
A Genuine Ghost Story.

| du imposing HLIpCIuT0, EOOuy GupuSu W
furnish homes for full score Of tlemure
little mortals like myself.
"You will lose yourself in this great
barn of house, Madelon," said Aunt
Jerusha, who had accompanied me to
Roundwood to be the ruling divinity OF
| the nleRGge.
"It would not be, much of loss to the
world in general il should"
"Humphl have no prediction for
mistlet0e boughs. and old oak chests. l
want no such skeletons rislngup 10 muir
der my rest"
"lrouple comes fast enough without
FborroWing It,"
"At any rate, I've spoken my mind,
and not without reason. 1t is doubtful
iif you have heard all that l have con-
cerning your new possessions"
| Aunt Jerusha looked SO solemn that l.
quIckly asked:
| ""What- have you heard?
| "Rounawood' has, a ghost. You,
fneedn't laugh-lt may prove to be no
Laughing matter. Pve got the story from
| the Servants. Not soul of them but is.
convinced the house is haunted"
"Tell me what they say"
"It is really quite dreadful, Madelon.
They declare that Madam Belgrave can't
rest quietly in her grave, but comes
back to her old room, night after night,
and walks the floor until morning."
HAS any body seen her?1
| "Ne; but all of them have heard her
pacing up and down the apartment"
"Humph! Tne ghost must be laid. l
don't like the idea ofbeipg disturbed. at
all hours of the night by such uneaAny
people"
"Nor l." dryly. s'But who will do it2"
81 will" WAS my answer, as caught
a sunbonnet from the wall and darle d
out into the garden to escape Aunt Je-
rusha's solemn vsage While lruminated
upon ways and means.
However, the primeI old-fashi0ne ed
garden, with its quaint, regular Walks,
J and tnnny little beds, from which the
flowers lifted bright and smiling. faces,
as il in welcome. soon drove all thoughts
of the ghost from my head.
| | wandered up and down the box
boarded paths, peeping into grape an
| | bors and summer houses, inhaiing the
, balsamie odors in the, air, and hugging
to myself the delicious sense of posses
sion, until grew quite jublant.
OF all my pleasures, that of proprietor-
. ship was keenestjust then.
And why, indeed, shouldn't nice
house WIN aVallaDle grounds pc 10y
iOreVerw
l had reached the lower portion, Of my
grounds. and Was looking, round upon
my domain with quite the air OF alle
; drdRd6 plinceSSe, Wnen my gaze suddenly
u encountered tree-and-easy figure, lean.
Ling over aYWicketin the hetgeroW.
Starting at the vision, rubbed my
ewes, looked second time, and ex-
claimed, inVoluntarily:
"Lawrence BelgraveV
The. figure lifted its hat, and smiled a
cheerful good morning"
81 am no spirit, Miss Lane. Do pray,
trv to look u Jrlfe less startled and dis.
mayed."
MY emotion WIS quite pardonable-
and for tins reason:
Tothis man l stoedin the light Of a
} usarper.
| mad cheated him out Of his inherit.
anCes
lie had been nearer related to Madam
BelgraYe-in fact, a sort OF pyOtege oi
. hers, whom she had brought up WIN the
understanding that he WAS to inherit her
coupon bonds and bank stock some day
But, twelve months prior TO this time.
there had been a violent quarrel be-
tween Jne.old lady ana Lawrence.
= He had left ROundWood in high dutg,
+ con: aud, TO reVallRto, Madam Belgraye
had made a new will, leaving all bel
|
. The quarrel was never madetup, and
Madam died very suddenly ina ii t, Whlct
F found her incapable of expressing AMI
last wishes sac might have had.
i So. the will in my, favor was the one
produced at the funeral, and l found
myself suddenly tYaRs ormed from 9
: scnOol mistress with one decent silk and
two merinos to n very: rich woman, witt
the means to supply her wardrobe in
definitely.
So You will comprehend that II l fell
somewhat dtsmayed on seeing that Wis.
ion at the gate, | had abundant cause
for it.
However, mustered up courage and
! went and shook hands with him quite
cordially.
ssYou did give me quite start, Mr.
Belsraye, and L might as we'll plead
guilty to it,"
"Pm sorry"
Then ne stood looking atme curi5usly
, a moment.
II suppose 1 ought to congratulate
YOU, Miss Lane, ON your recent goou
fortune. ShallIW
"If you DO so sineGrely-not other
wise"
He laughed.
'srhen III keep my breath for other
purposes.
''5haIl you ever forgive me for having
suppianted your
Il don't know. My great expectations
have turned OUT neatly as deluspye as
those OF poor Pip. | ought to hate you,
Miss Lane, butI don't--quite"
Thanks for the margin that saves me
from utter condemnation."
Il can't Aeip thinking" he went on
reflecliyely, "that Madam. Belgraye
meant to restore me to favor finally, and
tnat only opportunity was lacking.
Proud and obstinate as she was, Pm sure
she loved me-"
"And so. on the strength of that opin.
ion-Whlch may or may not be- cor.
rect-,you expect me to apdlcste i'll youl
faYor?"
Il did not say So" Again his eyes
swept my face.cnfiOusly. us it in yJuI
heart to be SO generous?"
l shook my head.
sRememDer, I'ye tasted the CUP o.
poYefty-and it is bitter TO my palate. II
seems delightful to be rio OF the toll and
anxiety attendant on earning ones WI
living; L don't think l could take up the
uld burden again.
u knew you would like lotos-eat ting.u
| "Who doesn't, Tor that matter? BE.
sides, it has all the zest of a new sensa-
ti6H just now. lnay tire OF it-buE that
seems imp0ssible."