The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-04-26

SOU VI Buost, nure shy put No" nave
you heard this ?"
"Ah there's the secret, although I
cannot imagine how the story of mann
mas former connection with old Mr..
jerks has not come to your ears. Now,
listen to me. But first solemnly promise
you will not repeat what am about to
tell you. There, hold your tongue, and
don't interrupt me. You are 80 fond of
hearing yourself talk. Men are 80 much
given that way. I've told you half the
truth, and that is more than you deserve.
Well, the other half, which you might
so easily have known if you had not
been so stupid, runs thus: My mamma
and Mr.. jerks were, formerly, near
neighbors, and Mr.. jerks fell violently
in love with mamma and offered her
marriage, and mamma refused him and
Mr.. jerks went mad, and one day he
presented pistol to his head and"
"Good gracious -
"Would have killed himself, but
somebody knocked him down, and the
pistol went off, and mamma was stand
ing close by, and"
mercy on me -
| "Was nearly killed-with fright.
Then, when Mr.. jerks came to his
senses, he was 80 sorry, and though he
couldn't have mamma (for she married
papa, and he lived many years. yet he
made will in mammals favor, leaving
her everything. He told mamma so
positively one day when he was poorly,
taking some cruel. Then he died; but
though search was made, high and low,
no will could be found, and rich old
heir-at- law came in for everything. And
there's the reason mamma cannot bear
that place. And, please, what is to be
done ?"
1t was curious story, and I had not
heard word of it before. And as to
what was to be done, that was puzzle.
L could move, of course, but where to,
and with what prospects of doing better,
and where were the costs of removal to
come from? So / said / must argue the
point with Mrs. Barton. and this / did,
and, having overcome her scruples, it
was agreed the marriage should take
place at once, and that we should all live
| together and face the ghost, if need be,
and, which were of much more import
ance, the difficulties of the situation.
And so Lucy and were married, and,
of course, were supremely happy, and it
was not until three writs had been served
upon and four lawyers letters been sent
me, and the gas company had cut off the
gas, and the landlord given me notice to
quit, that with just a little feeling of
apprehension we began to consider what
next.
One night, after rather a long confer
ence on the state of affairs, when Lucy
had apparently fallen into deep sleep,
L reused up suddenly, fancying 1 heard
a sound below. Very gently rising so as
not to wake my wife left the room and
looked down the stairs into the shop. A
little light entered through some aper-
lures at the top of the shutters, and to
my establishment and alarm / saw fig
ure in white behind the counter in the
act, as it seemed, of opening one of the
canisters. Was it Mr.. jerks ghost
The light was insufficient to show me
more than the bare outline of the figure
and the slight movement of the arms. I
watched with rather beating heart, 1
confess, for minute, and then / thought
that before seeking closer quarters with
what might be an apparition, but which
much more probably was q burglar in
his shirt-sleeves, would don some gar
ments so, refraining from going back |
into the bedroom and frightening my |
wife, 1 went to an upper room and pro-
cured some there. Then I again de-
scended, and the figure was gone. I
went into the shop-all in order. So,
much marveling, went to bed.
When next morning / told the story
my companions were scared.
Let us go-let us go out of the un-
lucky place, Fl" said my wife, passionately.
" Whatever there is, Harry, sell it at an
alarming sacrifice, and then you must
get Secretaryship under Government,
or Judgeship in the colonies, or some
thing of that kind. Mammals sixth
cousins husband is-is-well, 1 forgot
what he is, but there's some connection
or other between him and a member of
and he must do something
for you, that's what it comes to. So
now. please, we'll go as soon as posi-
ble."
1t was painful, but it was necessary,
to explain to my dear young wife that
the powers of her mamma s distinguished
even should he be willing to
exert them, were probably limited. Lucy
would not believe it. And the letter was
written and was not answered.
Well, now for the workhouse. And
upon my word do think something
dreadful would have occurred, but
A few nights on-again that sound.
80 Lucy" said, gently, but she did not
rouse, and I thought perhaps had bet
Ter not disturb her. 1t was quite dark
rs I very quietly dressed, in part, and
stepped out on to the stairs. Again,
little light of the very early morning
coming through the shutters revealed
aintly white figure behind the counter
n the shop, its arm waving to and fro
md its head bending over as though
'peaking to customer. l strained my
yes, but nothing more could 1 make
,ut than that the head of the figure was
White.
1T must be the veritable jerks" I
aid to myself; "and that is his night
ap. Where is the carving knife,
hough?"
One would have thought the appari-
ion heard me, for it moved aside, took
Up something and waved it in the air. [
Il. 1