Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-09-15
A Typical Ghost.

'Oh, dearl" groaned Mrs. Capt. Steb-
pins, as she leaned back in her big, stuffed,
calico-coyered arm chair, and held her felt
slIppered feet TO the fire. ''Oh, dear!
have got terrible cold, my teeth are sore,
the chills go creeping down my spine, and
nv bones ache so severely that / am sure
hall have the rheumatic fever If / don't
get some spea-mint from beyond the mea-
dow and take a green spearmint sweat.
But is too dark for any one to 60 for the
mint tonight and the fever will be settled
before morning."
81 will 60" said Lucina Fairman, one of
the neighbors' little girls, who had just run
in. Il will go, Mrs. Stebbins, if Becky
will go with me
'All right" said Becky, who was Mrs.
Stebbins' slster-in-law, stout buxom
girl of fifteen. 81 will be ready in one
minute: You are real kind to take so much
trouble, Lucina, | should have gone my
self hours ago, only didn't know the way,
and don't know spearmint from any other
! plant or weed"
II should as soon go alone as not,' said
/ pleasant little Lucina, ''only / rather dis
like to go past the burying ground in the
twilight-poor grandfatEer's grave looks so
! lonesome, with the grass not yet green
over it."
Becky stood near the door, tying on her
sun bonnet; but Just then she pulled it off
and throwing it into the nearest chair, said
decidedly:
81 have changed my mind! 1 won't go
single step"
''Oh, how perverse in you, Becky" ex-
postulated Mrs. Stebbins, beginning to
rock and groan anew, while little Lucina
stood by, watching her for a moment, and
then said:
"'How foolish in mel am ashamed of
myself. If grandfather were alive, | am
sure he would be ashamed of me. There
are many lonesome things TO be met with
in lifetime, and seiZing small basket,
she ran out into the cleaning and across
the moving lot toward the brook as fast as
her small flying feet would carry her.
''She is one in thousand exclaimed
Mrs. Stebbins. ''She is accommodating
and kInd-hearted and sensible, and puts
her own inclInations by when they conflict
with the needs of others. How unkind of
you, Becky, not to go with the poor little
souli'
But Becky had slipped out, and a min
ute or two later Mrs. Stebbins saw her
pass the kitchen-window with a white
bundle IN her arms.
Lucina had been gone barely fifteen min
utes when Mrs Stebbens heard her flying
feet coming up the plank-walk to the
kitchen-doOr
The small basket crowded full of spear-
mint, was thrown into the room, and oblig
ing little Lucina fell upon the floor, white
and limp, in a dead faint.
Mrs. Stebbias sprang from her arm
chair, and, liftIngthe insensible girl placed
her upon her own bed, and proceeded to
bring her out of her faint by every means
in her power.
AS soon as her eyelids began to quiver,
in indication of returning consciousness,
the good woman said:
whatever you may think you have
seen, it was only that wicked, mischievous
Becky, am sure she planned to frighten
you. That was why she changed her mind
about going with you"
''Oh, could it have been her?'' whispered
Lucina. at was all IN white, and was
bending over poor grandfather's new-made
grave and as | was passing the yard ii
groaned three times dreadfully," and poor
little Lucina tainted away again.
Becky entered soon after, in high glee at
the way in which she made Lucina run,
but she looked very grave when she found
the poor girl going from one fainting-fit in
to another, and heard Mrs. Stebbins say
that she was fearful lest she would lose her
reason.
Il only did it for fun" said Becky,
over and over; but it proved to be very
serious fun, for it was several weeks before
Lucina recovered sufficiently to be moved
home.
Becky was penitent enough, and her
shame and sorrow and anxiety changed her
from a rude, mischief-loving glrl TO 1uiet,
helpful, sensible young woman.
Mrs. Stebbins didn't have rheumatic
fever. When she thought Of her aches and
pains again, they were all gone and she
was in profuse perspiration. So Becky's
shabby foolish trick had one good result:
but Mrs. Stebbins used TO say she would
not recommend the treatment.