The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-02-28
MY UNCLE BEN.


Ny Uncle Ben believe in ghosts ? Of
course he did; he used to say emo
modern mansion of stucco and plaster
for me; give me q grand old house, all
covered by ivy and hidden by trees,
whose walls are hung with tapestry, and
whose passages, extending from room to
room, make the blood curdle with their
gloom and length. Why, sir, there is
something enlivening even in it's decay !;
the damp ess of it's walls, and the cracks
IN the discolored ceilings, which only
suggests to the vulgar mind ague and
rheumatism, are evidences to me of it's
venerable age and responsibility. The
very mice that scamper up and down in
the time-worn wainscoting give me a
friendly greeting that I never meet in
your new-fashioned houses, built for a
race OF mammon- worshipers who have
made their wealth out of shoddy and
petroleum.
People mourn over the various ills
that flesh is heir to, over the loss of
money, lands, and health, and other in
significant things, but mourn over the
decline In the race of our ghosts-that
Is real loss but what can you expect :?
They are sneered at by foolish skeptics,
and insulted by dictionary concoctors
like Walker; what decent specter would
feel any respect for himself when people
call him specter ? It is enough to make
him contemplate in his own eyes. and
cause him to let himself out to be ex-
Inhibited at an entertainment combining
instruction, amusement, and horrors.
for the small sum of one shilling per
head. What honest, gentlemanly ghost,
vino lives in quiet, respectable country
mousse, would have any connection with
the disreputable rowing spirits that can
Zoe called up by any charlatan or impos-
tor to play on cracked accordion. to
make stupid jokes, to unite knots, and to
rap out CHASTITY revelations from dirty
deal table? An old-fashioned. aristo-
cratic phantom would despise the tricks
OF such nomadic nonentites, as he wan
ders through the the dreary corridors of
the haunted house, or remains in his gar
ret or cellar, thinking over the good old
tunes when he appeared with clanking
chains to brighten weary wayfarers, and
MAKE the awe-striken folks shudder as
they sat in the old chimney corner.
- Think OF the thrilling interest he
excited when he revealed to the true heir
the place where the money was con-
cealed, that he had robbed him of be-
fore he left this life for the land of
shades. Such ghost was well worth
knowing and SO was the good old schol-
arly phantom, who required YOU to
speak to him In Latin, who appeared
only at the canonicai hour of 12. and
who could not be got rid of with your
furniture, but remained one of the fix
FGures OF the ancient mansion.
10 have such ghost in your family
is the only criterion of age and respecta-
'blhty; once man was known to be
gentleman by the house he inhabited.
10y Ills carriage, and his coat.of-arms.
Now Mr.. Solomon Stubs, the retired
cheese monger, buys the house of the
ruined Marquis de Sang -Azur, and pur-
chases crest at the Heralds' College:
he may purchase almost anything, may
keep dozen carriages, but he cannot
buy ghost it is only the ancient
families that can keep that proof of
responsibility"
really believe that Uncle Ben valued
the shade that was said to haunt his
house far higher than all his more tangi-
BILE property. Nothing made him more
angry than for any one to doubt it's ex-
1stence; he was always ready to break
a lance with any skeptic on the subject,
and to offer him bed in the haunted
room; and, although many of the young
members of the family scoffed at the
story, very few had the courage to &C
cept the challenge.
One winter night, when the wind was
moaning round the minneapolis and
Through the caves, singing dirge
among the leafess branches Of the oannt
old spectral trees for the JOYS Of the
dead summer, the family was gathered
roand the fire in the drawing-room.
Uncle Ben, who was standing with
his back to the fire, said to his nephew.
l think, Joe, we had better put on
another log of wood; I don't feel in
clined for bed yet, and I suppose YOU
youngsters intend to sit up half the
night, as usual"
L don't mean to turn in yet for one
uncle, " replied Joe. .sTeI us one Of
your ghost stories regular blood
curdler."
"Ah, Joe," said the old man, ct am