The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-07-30
UNVEILED GHOSTS.
chambers Jourual-l

was" said my Aunt Mabel 1T was
an American ghost, which perhaps
accounts for its having been more wild and
weird, and eletrifying than anything ever
met with in the old country. You know
went to America when was young, and l
spent many of my early years in lonely
farm house in the backwoods"
sAnd without any servants, Aunt Ma
bel?"
"ouite true, dear. Servants would not
stav in such an out-of-the-way place with
out higher wages than we could give them,
and. indeed, the shelps' we tried were often
more deserving the name of 'hinderers,
But we were 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 terrible fright.-My sister
Isabel and shared the same room, and one
night was awakened by hearing her cry
ing by my side
sssWhat is the matter, Isabel?'
81 ssOh, toothache, most dreadful tooth
ache; and 1 have nothing to relieve it. If
could only get some brandy; a little burnt
brandy would cure it in a moment.
my dear, / said jumping out of bed, Il
will get YOU some directly. l know where
it is-in the parlor cupboard, and l have
got the key
''But you have got no light"
oh, l can grope my way to the room, and
then l can light my candle at the stove
mo sooner said than done. 1 wrapped a
shawl around me, went swiftly and quietly
down stairs, felt my way through the dark
and deserted room and succeeded in lighting
the candle at the stove. But no sooner did
hold up the lighted candle to make my
way to the cupboard, than the most unearth-
" shrek ran through the room. AT the
same moment the light was suddenly ex-
tinguished. / was left in total darkness,
and all was still and silent as before. Chill
ed with horror, and trembling in every limb,
1 CROPPED my way back as best l could, and
told my story to Isabel; but she was in such
pain that it did not make the impression on
her that expected. got but little sympa-
thy,
1T must be the wind, or wildcat outside
that screamed she said; and as to the can
die going out that of course was sheer acct
dent. OF course she added, we are not
such fools as to believe in ghosts"
"This rather put me on my mettle; and
moved besides by her means of intense
pain, at last braced myself up to second
attempt l went with great determination,
resolved that nothing should now hinder me
from bringing the remedy to my sister.
Proceeding down stairs again all went well
till I turned from the stove with the lighted
candle in my hand. Instantly the same yell
resounded in my ears, while something, l
could not tell what swept past me and dash
ed out the light How 1 reached my room
l never knew, but / crawled into bed more
dead than alive; and as soon as l could
speak, told Isabel no matter what happen
ed nothing would induce me to make the
venture again.
"Morning came at last and with it the So
luton of the mystery. Ny brothers had come
home late, bringing with them screech-owl,
which they had put in the parlor for safety
till the morning. The light of course dis
turbed it, and it had flown against the candle
and extinguished it while uttering peculiar
and singularly hideous cry. My terror atthe
midnight ghost was joke at my expense for
loag after"
Il think you were brave to go into the
room second time, Aunt Mabel
"Well, I think was, 1 must admit. But
] would have braved almost anything for
Isabel, and / was a strong, courageous girl
who hardly knew what fear was. Still,
can assure YOU that even to this day, when j
recall the scene, / seem still to feel the thrill
of terror that shook me at that unearthly
shrek Heard for the first time in the dead
of night, and so close to my ear, it was trul y
startling and dreadful. 1t was great relief
when the mystery was so simply explained
But imagine if it had never been explained
If the owl had got in unperceived, and had
escaped by the chimney open window
How that ghostly Shrek must have haunted
me ever afterl 1t would have been fright
full ghost story us you ever heard. Butsee
at the touch of the little wand of truth tn,
ghost vanishes, and only poor screech-ow
remainsP
.Now let me tell the story of our family
ghost" said Miss B. "Such useful faithful
devoted spirit it wasl An Irish ghost; but
not Banshee, more like delicate Ariel Of
household fairy. | only fear its race Is ex
tinct now. as well as that of the invaluabl,
servants who used to identify themselves will
the masters family. Our ghost was befor'
nv time; but often and often have l heart
my grandmother talk about it, and what
mystery it was
The household was large and varied, con
sisting of the old couple, some grown VI
ones, one of them married, an orphan niece
and two or three young children in tn
nursery. There were railways il
those DAYS, and when any of the family in
tended going to the county town, they ha'
to be up at dawn of day, take sOlitar,
breakfast, and set out on what was then
formidable expedition. OF course the affai
used to be discussed in the family the even
ing before, commissions given and the tim
of starting fixed on. And now comes tn
strange part of my story. Whether the ser
wants were up in good time or not, the fir
was always lighted. the kettle boiling, an,
breakfast ready at the appointed timel TIL
clothes which came from the wash wer
found carefully sorted out ant
apportioned to their respective owners
none could tell by whom. If fir
was required in the nursery, it wa
kept up by invisible hands. Nurse was
heavy sleeper, but no matter; her deficien
cies were supplied by the obliging and indie
fatigable ghost.x Nurse used to find as brigh
fire in the morning she left at night, tn
turf basket replenished, and all as neat an,
orderly as hands could make it. To get on
the breakfast things my grandmother