Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-05-15

name of 'alnderers.' 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.
sit was soon after our arrival in this
lonely place that I met with a terrible
fright. My sister Isabel and I shared
the same room, and one night L was
awakened by hearing her crying by my
side.
"'What is the matter, IsabelP
"fOh, a toothache, most dreadful
toothache; aud have nothing to relieve
it. If [ could only get some brandy,
little burnt brandy would cure it in
moment
My DEAR I said, jumping out of
bed, Il will get you some directly. |
know where it is-in the parlor cup
board, and [ have got the key
But you have no light
ooh, [ can grope my way to the
room. and then l can easily light my
candle at the stove
"No sooner said than done. 1 wrap
| ped a shawl around me, went swiftly
and quietly down stairs, felt my way
| through the dark and deserted room,
and succeeded in lighting my candle ct
the stove. But no sooner did l hold up
the lighted candle TO make my way to
the cupboard, than the most unearthly
shrek ran through the room. At the
same moment the light was suddenly
| oh ID 7 ln(t f0f do Wv
ness, and all was still and silent as be-
fore. Chilled with horror, and trem-
bling in every limb, [ CROPPED my way
back as we'll as | could, and told my
story to Isabel; but she was in such pain
that it did not make the impression on
her that expected. I got but little
sympathy.
1T must have been the wind, or a
wildcat outside that screamed she
said and as to the light being put out,
that of course was sheer accident. Oh
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 IN
tense pain, at last braced myself up to
a second attempt. [ went with great
determination, resolved that nothing
should now hinder me from bringing
the remedy to my sister. Proceeding
down stairs again, ali went we'll til!
TUNED from the stove with the lighted
candle in my hand. Instantly the
same yell resOundtd in my ears, while
something, I could not tell what. swept
past me and dashed out the light! How
[ reached my room [ never knew, but
[ crawled into bed more dead than
alive; and as soon as [ could speak
. told Isabel that no matter what hap.
pened, nothing would induce me tc
make the venture again.
Morning came at last, and with il
the solution OF the mystery. My broth
, ers had come home late, bringing with
them a screec.-owl which they had put
into the parlor for safety till the morn
ing. The light had of course disturbed
, it, and it had flown against the candle
: and extiuguished it while uttering its
peculiar and singularly hideous cry
My terror at the midnight ghost was 9
) joke at my expense for long after"
az think you were very brave to &C
into the room q second time, Aunt Ma
BEL"
Well. / think was, / must admit
But [ would have braved almost any
thing for Isabel, and I was a strong
| courageous girl, who hardly knew VIVA
fear was. Still. [ can assure you tina
even to this day, when [ recall the
scene. [ seem sIill to feel the thrill o
terror that shook me at the sound o
that unearthlv shrek. Heard for the
first time in the dead of the night, anC
so close to my ear, it was truly startling
and dreadful. 1t was a great relic
when the mystery was so simply ex
planned. But only imagine if it hac
never been explained! If the owl haC
got in unpreceived, and had escaped
, by the chimney or an open window
How the ghostly shrek must have
haunted me ever after! 1t would have
, been as frlghtful ghost-story as yor
ever heard But see! at the touch o
the little wand or truth the ghost van
ishes, and only poor screeCh-owl re
mains!"
) "Now let me tell the story of Mis-
b, 'Such useful, faithful, devoted
, spirit it was An Irish ghost; but no
a banshee, more like delicate Ariel
or household fairy. | only fear it
race is extinct now, as we'll as that o
| the invaluable servants who used tt
, identify themselves with their master'
family. Our ghost was before my
: time; but often and often have hearC
my grandmother talk about it, anC
what 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 youns
children in the nursery. There were
no railways in those days, and Wher
any of the family intended gong to
: the county town, they had to be up a
f dawn of day, take solitary breakfast
: and set out on what was then a formi
dable expedition. Of course the affail
t used to be discussed in the family tn
evening before, commissions given anC
the time of starting fixed on. AnC
: now comes the strange part of my
story. Whether the servants were ur
In good time or not, the fire was always
t lighted, the kettle boiling, and breakfast
ready at the appointed time! The
i 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-
2 qGired in the nursery, it was kept III
! by invisible hands. Nurse was hea "
sleeper, but no matter; her deficiencies
, were supplied by the obliging and in
defatlgable ghost. Nurse used to find
r as bright fire in the morning as she
had left at night, the turf basket replen,
lshed, and all as neat and orderly as