Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-05-14
into the room a second time, Aunt Ma

into the room a second time, Aunt Ma
! bel"
We'll. think l was, must admit.
But | would have braved almost any
thing for Isabel, and ! was strong,
courageous girl, who hardly knew what
/ fear was Still, can assure You that
even to this day, when recall the
scene | seem still to feel the thrill OF
terror that shook me at the sound of
that unearthlv shrek. Heard for the
first time in the dead of the night, and
so close 10 my ear, il was truly startling
and dreadful 1t was great reliet
when the mystery was so simply ex-
planned. But only imagine ii it had
never been explained! II the owl had
got in unpreceived, and had escaped
by the chimney or an open window!
How the ehostly shrek must have
haunted me ever after 1t would have
been as frghful II ghost-story MS YOU
ever heard. But seel at the touch of
the little wand or truth the ghost van
ishes, and only n poor screech-owl re
mansW
Now let me tell the story of Miss
B, ''Such n useful, faithful, devoted
spirit it was An Irish ghost but not
a banshee, more like n delicate Ariel
or household fairy. | only fear its
race is extinct now, as well Us 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 about it, and
what mystery 1t 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 III the nursery. There were
no railways in those days, and when
any Of the family intended gong to
the county town, they had to be up at
dawn OF day, take a solitary breakfast,
and set out on what was then II form-
dable expedition. OF course the affair
used to be discussed in the family the
evening before, commissions given and
the time of starting fixed on. And
now comes the strange part OF my
story. Whether the servants were up
IN good time or not. the fire was always
lighted, the kettle boiling, and breakfast
ready at the appointed time! The
clothes which came from The wash were
found carefully sorted out and appor-
toned to their respective owners; none
could tell by whom. If fire was re-
q9ired in the nursery, it was kept up
by invisible hands. Nurse was hea "
sleeper, but no matter; her deficiencies
were supplied by the oblging and in
defatigable ghost. Nurse used to find
as bright fire in the morning rs she
had left at night, the turf basket repen-
ished, and all rs neat and orderly rs
bands could make it. To get out the
breakfast things my grandmother's keys
must have been taken from her room,
but bv whom no one could tell.
y cave the key-basket in my room,
said a visitor the night before he left.
4 am light sleeper, and if the ghos.
comes to get my breakfast, l shall
know it.
Towards daybreak he heard the keys
tinkle, and instantly threw "A dagger.
which he had hidden under his pill
low, TO the spot whence the sound
proceeded. In the morning the dagger
was found stuck in the door, but no
cew to the mysterious visitor could be
found.
At last my grandmother determined
that the mystery should be solved,
whatever ii might be, and she prepared
to sit up i'll her room all night, liAening
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, somewhere in the small hours, she
heard Slight thud upon the stairs. In
stantlv Selling her candle, she rushed
out, Just in time TO see a slender figure
in white, carrying basket of turf on his
arm. The fall of sod from the fuel.
basket was the sound she had heard.
My grandmother was brave woman,
and swiftly as the white figure fitted on,
swiftly did she follow after, up staircas-
es and along passages, till just as it
reached the nursery door, she overlook
it, and discovered her niece walking in
her sleep!
at seems the poor girl was so AMI.
Gus about the household arrangements
that she used to rise in her sleep to ac-
complsh al! that she knew ought to be
done. How her zeal nearly cost her
life through the foolish rashness Of
young visitor, have already told you.
She was never again permitted to sleep
alone. My grandmother took her TO
her own bed, and clasped in her loving
arms; the poor girl learned to forget
her cares, and take full benefit of
Tired Natures sweet restorer, balmy sleep.
Had not my grandmother possessed
good sense, courage and resolution, the
story might have had very different
ending. - Chambers Jotrnat