Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-07-30
UNVEILED GHOSTS.


er so terrified by a ghost as | was,
said my Aunt Mabel. at was an
American ghost, which perhaps ac-
counts for its having been more
wild and weird, and altogether
electrifying than any ever met with
in the old country. You know /
vent to America when l was young,
and / spent many Of my early years
in lonely farmhouse in the back
woods"
"Apd without any servants, Aunt
Mabel p
"Quite true, dear. Servants
would not stay in such an out-of-
the-way place without higher
wages than we could give them,
and, indeed, the helps we tried
were often more deserving the
name of 'hinderers.' But we were
all young and strong, and we never
had happier days than when we all
kept house together, and did the
work with our own hands. Capital
training it was, though at first, of
course, we made many mistakes,
everything was so strange and new
to us.
at was soon after our arrival at
this place that / met with a terri
BILE fright. My sister Isabel and |
shared the same room, and one
night / was awakened by hearing
her crying by my side.
"'What is the matter, Isabelr
"'Oh, toothache, most dread
full toothache; and have nothing
to relieve it. If / could only get
some brandy; little burnt brandy
would cure it in a moment
"'My dear l said, jumping out
OF bed, l will get you some direct
ly. / know where it is-in the
parlor cupboard, and / have got
the key
"'But you have got no light
"'Oh, 1 can grope my way to the
room, and then I can light my can
die at the stove
mo sooner said than done. ]
wrapped shawl around me, went
swiftly and quietly down stairs, felt
my way through the dark and de-
serted room, and succeeded in light
ing the candle at the stove. But
no sooner did I hold up the lighted
candle to make my way TO the cup
board, than the most unearthly
shrek ran through the room. At
the same moment the light was sud-
denly eItinguished. I was left in
total darkness. and all was still and
silent as before. Chilled with hor-
Tor, and trembling in every limb, /
CROPPED my way back as best 1
could, and told my story to Isabel I;
but she was in such pain that it did
not make the impression on her
that I expected. I got but little
sympathy.
ait must be the wind, or a wild
cat outside, that screamed she
said 'and as TO the candle going
out, that Of course was sheer acct
dent. OF COURSE she added, I'VE
are not such fools as to believe in
ghosts
"This rather put me on my met
tie; and moved besides by her
means Of intense pain, ] at last
braced myself up to second at
tempt. went with great deter
mination, resolved that nothing
should now hinder me from bring
ing the remedy to my sister. Pro-
ceeding down stairs again all went
well till / turned from the stove
with the lighted candle in my hand.
Instantly the same yell resounded
In my ears, while something, /
could not tell what swept past me
and dashed out the light How /
reached my room I never knew,
but / crawled into bed more dead
than alive; and as soon as / could
speak, I told Isabel no matter what
happened, nothing would induce
me to make the venture again.
"Morning came at last, and with
Il the solution Of the mystery. My
brothers had come home late,
bringing with them q screech-owl,
which they had put in the parlor
for safety till morning. The light
NJ course diafurbed IL. and IL had