The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-04-05
She looked as though she wanted 70 cry.

uSSs
"Yes, it is, said he; "but it is good
age enough for ghosts BY the way, do
you like ghost stories? Let Inc tell you
one.
"Once there was a ghost-now think
OF it, he wasn't always ghost; he was a
boy onee-the son of miller down by the
waterside. He worked in the mill, and
was foury and white as ghost should be
most Of the time; but he was happy aud
gay, and many things happened as he
liked. One Of them was when certain
rich farmer in the neighborhood came to
the mill. The grain his servants brought
10 the great wagons, but he, the farmer,
used to drive to the mill with his little
daughter in the gig beside him. She was
a pretty child, with long curls, and her
eyes were big and brown"
"She made pretty picture in her white
dresses and bright ribbons, and she came
when she was so young that she used to
hold her hands out to this boy and cry,
"Come here, little boy. Show me where
the -four sits from"
"For that was what she liked TO see the
best, the -four sitting through fine muslin,
Every week she used to come until the
miller sent his boy away to school. When
he came home again she was girl of six
teen; prcttier than ever, and she remem-
bered asking him to let her see the -four
sift, and she talked to him while her father
was attending to his business; and the days
she did not come the boy cared nothing
for, and the days that brought her were
marked and picked out as blessed days
"After while he got over the sbyness
that kept him from going to see her and
went, and she was not displeased. She
was the mistress of the house, for her
mother died young She used to make tea
for him on Sunday afternoons, and after
tea her father would put his handkerchief
over his head and fall into a nap. Then
they used to whisper together. Long after
the poor boy came to be ghost he remem.
bered those evenings, when he was bright.
checked young fellow, the sou Of a rich
miller, and he had the hope Of marrying
the girl he loved before his eyes.
ale thought the girl loved him as vel
as he loved her, aud he had no fears OF the
future, no thought that trouble could come
to him in any way until misfortune over
took his father The good old man failed
The mill was sold. There was nothing
but anxiety at home. At last worst came
his father died soon after his mother He
was very sad; he was POOR, also; but he
had hope, for he was beloved by the one
he loved.
"0ne day he went to her for comfort
He remembered the day ever after. Tb,
low built, old fashioned house, the great
oaks, flower garden, the girl in her white
dress aud blue ribbons who came to greet
him. He was full of life still, but thai
night, when he turned away from the
house he was ghost-the miserable ghost
of his former self, for he no longer had
any faith ia love.
standing before him, pale and sad, and
with tears in her eyes, it is true, he had
heard her who made the world bright
for him, say, at is my fathers will thai
we should part. cannot disobey my pa
rent"
"Then she had told him that she loved
him as well as ever; but he did not believe
her.
He thought his poverty had turned her
heart from him, that she had never fell
tenderly towards him, and he left her 10
anger, believing all that had been said and
written about the falsehood Of women
Yes, he was turned into ghost"
"He might have known she was as un
happy as he was" said Miss Carney, from
behind her handkerchief "but what can
girl do when her father threatens to curse
her, and she the only child he has2 Moth.
ing could make her marry any one else
nothing. That she could do at least"
"But the poor ghost did not know that, T"
said the old man. at wandered away
broken.hearted. 1t found its way to sea
first, and then into the battle. For years
it was wretched ghost, greatly to be pi-
tied, and only wishing to die; but at last
1t grew content, though never happy, and
worked in a great city at trade until it
had made fortune.
"All the same, it was q miserable old
bachelor ghost, and never foand mate;
and used to say, often aud often, over aud
over again, to itself, that women were all
false, and that the woman he loved had
been utterly false to him. He supposed
her married to some one else, and all this
time he grew older aud older, and long
years lay between him and the happy tImo
when he was boy"
"Loug, long, years" sighed Miss Car.
ney. "Long, long, years"
"But one day." proceeded the old gen.
tleman, Zone day there came to him out
of the past an old familiar face, and amidst
the whirl of the great city this ghost talked
to it Of the green lanes and ripping
streams of the spot where he was born,
aud asked of the house under the oaks,
and the girl who dwclt there once--the
girl who had been, as he thought, false to
him. And this old friend told him some
thing that made him feel suddenly that no
might come to life again.
"Shc never married" said hs--it was
woman. "She lives in the old house now.
Other men loved her, but she never loved
any other man but you. We all know
that"
"And then the ghost said to himself
Sporty years Of life lost, and went down
TO the green country place to haunt his old
love, and hear her say she was sorry to see
him"
"Oh, dear! oh, dear" sighed the little
old lady in brown. allow could she help
it2 All her beauty gone, oil her youth,
what could she feel but sorrow, and just
ghost herself?"
She arose aud turned away. He arose
and followed her, putting his arm around
her waist.
"Priscy," he said, "you are the only wo.
man ever loved. Is not that something
for man to say, when it is true as Cos
pei ?"
EYES," she said; and / almost believe
you, for---for never cared for any one
else either"
"Then why not do our best to be happy
now, Priscy2 why not marry each other,
and be living again, not two poor old
ghosts ?"
"Well, because folks would call us two
ala fools ~ said she