The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-05-10


cept back wing. where an old maj
and his wife lived to keep it from 60
ing to ruin.
1t was to pay moonlight visit tc
Bertram's Sorrow, and see the ghosts
that every body said walked there on
the 25th of September, the anniversa.
of the brides awful death, that Dick
got up party, and asked me and Dode
to join him.
There was Robert Arnold and Clin-
ton White, and Ellen Belmont, and
Dode and me-just half q dozen. A
good sized party, but not too many.
Robert Arnold was about head
over ears in love with Ellen, but he
wasn't the style to suit her. Clint
White was a good nat1red soul, will
ing to be pleasant to anybody, and
ready to do the work that anybody
else shirked.
tThey started from our house, and 1
had quite time to make Dode con-
sent to be one Of the party. l knew
all along that the quarrel between her
and Dick was caused by Ellen Bel
mont, and l saw that the idea of
spending an evening in the room with
the woman who had injured her, was
very painful TO little Dode. Still, l
urged her to go, and at last got her
persuaded.
Ellen came in time for tea, and so
did Dick. l asked him on purpose,
but 1t did not seem to do much good,
for Ellen monopolized tie converse
ton with him, and poor Dode sat pale
aud silent.
l took basket and packed it with
buns, and cookies aud things, and a
top of all put good thick bologna.
Folks can laugh as they please, but a
good bologna isn't to be despised ;and
as had no beau to bother about,
thinks /, watching and waiting for
ghosts is sure to make folks hungry,
so I'll put in a morsel apiece to stay
their stomachs,' and did.
ELLEN declared that she had never
known what it was to have an emo
ton of fear.
Il despise weak, scary women said
she, looking hard at Dode, who didn't
seem verv courageous just then; for
you see, she was sort of put out at
Ellen and Dick being so very intimate
and interested in each other right be-
fore her face.
L watched them both narrowly, l
can tell you, for l was determined to
find out, if could, what had caused
the mischief between them.
WELL said Dick, and he looked
straight at Dode as he spoke, and his
manly face flushed a good deal, Il be-
lisve have been called a great lubber-
ly fellow, without the spirit of
mouse, or sense enough to keep my
self warm but, with all submission to
this flsttering opinion, l have never
yet believed myself a fool or a sneak,
aud so I'm not afraid to try an hour
or two with the ghosts for my part
L saw Dode's face change color in
the bright moonlight as we rode along
and heard her breathe hard, and she
put up her hand to hide her face.
Il shouldn't wonder if we should
come at the bottom of the mischief to-
night thought l, triumphantly, for I
hearing Dode say some-
thing like Dick had quoted, only it
was about oyergrown people in gen.
eral. enc day when Ellen Belmont
leased her about being SO little and
slender.
We'll, we reached Bertram's Sorrow
and drove up an avenue of ghostly
poplars to the great hall door.
Let's tell each other terrible stories
Of all sorts Of horrors proposed Bob
so as to work up our feelings
to the right pitch of fear, when the
ghost makes it's appearance, I'll Begin
sAnd he did, by telling terrible
murder tale, where the victim appear
ance after death, with her severed
hand under her arm. Clint White he
followed with another quite as bad
and then Ellen Belmont started in with
} tale of blood, while poor Dode grew
paler and paler, and had hard time
10 keep from shivering, as l could
easily see.
'Dick watched her, too ; and though
,he never said q word or made sound
could easily tell how badly he felt to
nave her alarmed. because he tried his
pest to change the subject.
Presently we heard latch lifted
sutside, and regular though rather
,oft footstep began to move across the
iosr in an adjoining room.
Listen! cried Ellen Belmont, in
roice of terror; and as the steps drew
rear she jumped up, oyerturning the
,ox that supported her end of the
plank and bringing us all to the floor
It once.
Il don't know which Of US knocked
he candles down, but when we scram-
oled on our feet we were in darkness
except the glimmer of the expiring
brush, and the footsteps sounded
plainly outside the door.
There was moments pause; the
loor swung open, something walked
n, crossed the floor with soft but au-
lible footsteps, and paused in the OPP
oosite corner of the room.
'The light on the hearth was moth
ing but q dying glow. that did not
spread a ray outside its walls. We
could only feel that something moved
before US, without being able to tell
it's size or form.