The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-04-25
BLOOMSBURY, PA, FRIDAY APRIL 25. 1879 --

unearthly shrek. Heard for the first time
in the dead of night and so close to nv ear.
it was truly startling and dreadful 1t was
J a great relief when the mystery was so sim
| ply explained. But only imagine If it had
never been explained If the owl had got
in unperceived, and had escaped BY the
chimney or an open window How that
ghostly shrek must have haunted me ever
after 1t would have been as irirhtful a
ghost-story as you ever heard. But see at
the touch of the little wand of truth the
ghost van.hes, and only poor screech-owl
remains p
Now let me tell the story of our family
ghost, said Miss B, Such a useful, faith
ful, devoted spirit as it was An Irish ghost;
but not banshee-more like a delicate
Ariel' or household fairy. / only fear its
race is extinct now, as well as that of the
invaluable servants who used to identify
themselves with their masters family. Our
ghost was before my time but often and
often have heard my grandmother talk of
IT, and what a mystery il was The house
hold was large and varied, consisting of the
Old couple some grown-up ones, one of
them married, an orphan niece, and two or
three young children in the nursery. There
we're no railways in those days, and when
any of the family intended going to the
country town, they had to be up at dawn of
day, take solitary breakfast, and set out
on what was then formidable expedition.
or course the affair used to be distressed in
the family the evening before, commissions
given, aud the time of starting fixed on. q
And now comes the strange part of my
| story. Whether the servants were up in
good time or not, the fire was always light.
ed, the kettle boiling, and the breakfast
ready at the appointed time The clothes
which came from the wash were found care
fully sorted out and apportioned to their
respective owners-none could tell by
whom. If a fire was required in the nur-
sery, it was kept up by invisible hands.
Nurse was heavy sleeper but no matter
her deficiencies were supplied by the OBJ
liging aud indetatigabe ghost. Nurse used
to fad as bright a fire in the morning as
she had left at night, the turf. basket re.
plenished, and all as neat and orderly as
hands could make it. To get out the break
fast things, my grandmothers keys must
have been taken from her room, but by
whom no one could tell. ......
Leave the key basket in my room,' said
a visitor, the night before he left. 4 am a
light sleeper, and if the ghost comes to
get my breakfast, | shall know it.
Toward day break he heard the KEYS tink-
lie, and instantly threw dagger, which he
had hidden under his pillow, to the spot
whence the sound proceeded In the morn.
ing the dagger was found stuck into the
door, but no clew to the mysterious visitor
could be found. .....
AT last my grandmother determined that
the mystery should be solved, whatever it
might be, and she prepared to sit up in her
room all night listening for the faintest
sound. For long time all was still and
my grandmother was beginning to fear that
her long watch through the winters night
was only wasting her strength in vain, when
at last, somewhC re in the smail-hours, she
heard a slight thud upon the stairs. In.
stautly seizing her candle, she rushed out
in time to see a slender figure in white car
rying basket of turf on its arm. The fall
of a sod from the fUei basket was the sound
she had heard, My grandmother was
brave woman, and swiftly as the white fig
ure lifted on, swiftly did she follow after,
up s'aircases and along passages, till Just as
II reached the nursery door, she overlook it.
aud discovered her niece walking in her
sleep
ltseem3 the poor girl was so anxious
about the household arrangements that she
used to rise in her sleep to accomplish all
that she knew ought to be done. How her
zeal nearly cost her life, through the foolish
rashnes' of young visitor, / have already
told you. She was never again permitted
to @leep alone. My grandmother took her
to her own bed and clasped in her loving
arms, the poor girl learned to forget her
cares, and to take the full benefit of
"'Iired natures sweet restorer, balny sleep'
Had not my grandmother possessed good
sense, courage, and resolution, the story
might have had very different ending