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

terror at the midnight ghost was a
joke at my expense for long after.
81 think you were brave to &c
into the room a second time, Aunt
Mabel"
swell l think I was, must adj
init. But l would have braved al
most anything for Isabel, and | was
a strong, courageous girl who hard
" knew what fear was. Still car
assure you that even to this day
when I recall the scene, l 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, II
was truly startling and dreadful.
1t was a great relief when the mys-
terry was so simply explained. But
imagine if it had never been ex-
planned! II the owl had got in
unperceived, and had escaped by
the chimney or open window +! How
that ghostly shrek must have
haunted me ever after! II would
have been as frightful ghost story
as you ever heard. But see, at the
touch of the little wand of truth
the ghost vanished, and only poor
screech-owl remains :"
"Now let me tell the story OF our
family ghost" said Miss B. "Such
a useful, faithful, devoted spirit it
was! An Irish ghost; but not a
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 u.s.
ed to identify themselves with the
masters family. Our ghost was be-
fore my time but often and often
have heard my grandmother talk
about it, and what a mystery it
was.
The household 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 nur-
sery. There was no railways in
those days, and when any of the
family intended going to the conn
try town, they had to be up at
dawn of day, take solitary break
fast, and set out on what was then
a formidable expedition. OF course
the affair used TO be discussed in
the family the evening before, COM
missions given and the time of
starting fixed on. And now comes
the strange part of my story.
Whether the servants we're up in
good time or not, the fire was al
ways lighted, the kettle boiling,
and breakfast ready at the appoint
ed time The clothes which came
from the wash were found careful
ly sorted out and apportioned to
their respective owners; none
could tell by whom. II fire was
required in the nursery, it was
kept up by invisible hands. Nurse
was heavy sleeper, but no mat
ter her deficiencies were supplied
by the obliging ghost. Nurse used
to find as bright q fire in the morn
ing as she had left at night, the
turf basket replenished, and all as
neat and orderly as hands could
make it. To get out the break
fast things my grandmother's keys
must have been taken from her
room, by whom no one could tell.
"'Leave the key-basket in my
room,' said visitor the night be-
fore he left. Il am light sleeper,
and il the ghost comes to get my
breakfast, / shall know it 7?
Toward daybreak he heard the
keys tinkle, and instantly threw a
dagger, which he had hidden un-
der his pillow, to the spot whence
the sound proceeded. In the MORN
ing the dagger was found stuck in
to the door, but no clew to the
mysterious visitor could be found.
"At last my grandmother deter
mined 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 a 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, somewhere
in the small hours, she heard a