, 1880-05-10
A Mysterious Disappearance.

IA III
Miss MacWinkle was Of that age
when unmarried ladies are afraid to &c
out intothe street unprotected. She
was between thirty five and forty. OF
a romantic nature and rather addicted
to moonlight dreamings, her constant
dread was that some improper minded
member of the male sex would endeavor
to carry her off. She trembied if she
found herself alone in a railway car
riage with man. She disliked men
in general-they are so deceitful
Rather easy in her circumstances, she
made up her mind that if she ever did
allow herself to be woodland she
laid great stress on the aid-it should
be for her own sake and not for her
money but in general way she dep
recated the idea that she could ever be
prevailed upon to relinquish single
blessedness for that welded state which,
she had heard, was fraught with so
many disappointments.
Miss MacWinkle, being OF good fam
lily, had a pretty extensive circle of ac-
quaintances, ana spent most of her
autumn in visiting at country houses.
Some weeks ago she received an invi
tation from lady who was distantIy
related to her, and whese husband
Capt. Jatae, of the Royal Navy, had
recently purchased an estate in Suffolk
with the proceeds of legacy. On
this estate was hall which had been
formerly inhabited by squire of &C.
centric turn, who, because he lived
alone and minded his own business,
wac generally suspected of having in
tercourse with the devil. The room in
which this unfortunate man died, was,
of course, supposed to be haunted, and
Capt. Jafle, being facetiously disposed,
thought it would be good joke to test
Miss MacWinkle's courage by asking
her whether she would object to sleep
in it? Capt. Jatfle did not exactly like
Miss Mac Winkle, and had only invited
her in order to please his wife how
ever, he put his proposal to this lady
in the most courteous way possible at
the dinner table en- the evening of her
arrival.
"Dear Miss MacWinkle," said he,
when he saw that she had slipped her
first glass Of sherry. " l am sorry to say
that the room in which we had intended
to put you turns out to have smoky
chimney. We have been obliged to
quarter you in a chamber that has the
reputation of being haunted. l hope
you don't mind ?"
"Oh, dear. no. exclaimed Miss
MacWiDkle, rather shrilly, and she al
lowed her glass to be retii;ed. Bat
what sort OF @ ghost is il Mo i..Ets
the room ?
"No ghost at all, SO far as 1 kaow,'
laughed the captain. =" 1t is large,
handsome room, as you must already
have remarked. It has Gne south
view, and the fireplace draws capi-
tally
"And there are no noises at night .
asked Miss MacWinkle. - L must tell
you that am light sleeper, and easily
disturbed"
"There are no noises at all,' said the
captain.
"And no draughts? Sometimes
rooms are said to be haunted because
the wind whistles through chinks and
crannies.
"The room is as air-tight IS corked
bottle. You have nothing to fear OIL
that score.'
"And there are no rats or mice, are
there? / must confess to loathilg rats
and mice still more, if possible"
"We have three cats and two terriers
in the house. so rats and mice have nc
chance here" rejoiRed the captain.
Poor Miss Mac Winkle gulped dowI
half her glass of sherry and made nc
further objection. She was of shy dis
position, and feared to look ridiculous
before the other guests, of whom there
were a dozen, including two girls o.
eighteen with mocking eyes but in
wardly she felt uncomfortable, and sew
eral of the ladies present sympathized
with her.
CT think it would have been kinder
to keep the existence Of the ghost ou
of sight, Capt. Jafte," said one of these
ladies'. "I am afraid should not OK
hibit so much courage as Miss Mac
Winkle."