Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-01
thing did was to open all the windows

Uy
Charlie LETT his scientific researches
after business hours and pruned tho
trees, cut the grass, trimmed the ragged
vines, rehung the shutters, and made n
small paradise out of the reclaimed
lawn.
When all was completed, there was
no place for ghosts in those wide, sunny
rooms. My bedroom was the pleasant
est room of al, facing the east, and
looking out upon the pear trees, the
hollyhocks and the river. Pink had
been my color when girl, SO took Il
fancy my room should be all pink. The
dull drab paper, with green vines wan
dering about and clutching aimlessly at
nothing all over IL, was changed for
delicate pink and white. The carpet
was pink and white, the color under the
cheap muslin pillow shams was pink,
the lace curtains hung over pink shades.
and were looped back with pink rib
bons, making as a whole too rose-hued
a bower for any specter to fancy.
l believe | was rs entirely happy,
after getting settled that first week. as
any one could be who had lived in
rented houses all her life, and owned
one OF her own for the first time
| had but one distaste for the place,
and that W. for the basement, which,
covered with clinging vines, was rotten
underneath. 1t had formerly been
cellar kitchen, but was now fallen into
disuse, and full OF refuse piles of lumber,
old cans and unused rubbish. The
heavy vines grown over the broken
bricks had made it damp and noisome
place, and / never cared to explore 1t,
or to put IL to any use, except the por-
tion directly under the trapdoor going.
| dnyyr from tho Eitphar. Il huA hn
Ann clean away n space here, and fill
cupboard with canned fruit, vegetables.
etc.
| grew to have dread of this dark
and cherries cellar, and never came out
of IL without shivering, though I would
not own 1t even to myself.
1t had scarcely been my receptacle for
fruit n day before began to miss things
in most mysterious manner. Before
could realize it there would be glass
of Jelly, n pie, a loaf of cake, melon,
or - plate OF peaches gone. could stc-
cuse no one but the ghosts and Martha
Ann, and she had always heretofore
been the soul of truth and honor.
Twice ! iancied, when in the cellar, l
had heard sigh and n rustic of ghostly
garments. and l could have sworn ]
heard the wailing of sung child
rather than own this to my husband.
:" Martha Ann" said ], one day, COM
ing up in great haste from the cellar,
"do ghosts like picked figs?"
=" am sure | don't know, ma'amm
Martha AIMS eyes are as wide, as In
nocent and unquailing as ever.
well, you know that jar of picked
figs my cousin sent me from California,
that was saving till mother came to
visit me? Well, they are two-thirds
gone. as well rs that pie that was laid
away expressly Tor Charlie! What am
| to think"
| am angry and excited. Martha
Ann says nothing, as usual. but see
her tears are quietly falling over the
dish-apron she is hemmine. 1 am rather
relieved the day after when she asks me
for months vacation to visit her sick
grandmother. do not like to accuse
her of theft, and | would like TO be
alone to ferret out this mystery. Ihave
fresh bolts put on the cellar-doors, and
trap-door | keep fastened down with
heavy weights, still the depredations
go on-pies. cakes, ice-cream leit in the
freezers, cream of the milk. portion
of every available thing II missing from
day to day.
am too proud to confide in Charlie,
but my life is getting to be n burden.
One bright September day sit down in
the kitchen in tears, with my feet in the
oven, and would fain cover my head
with my apron, like Affery Flintwinch
in Little DorTit, to shut out the faint
| walls OF some child that / am sure are
coming from the cellar.
Martha Ann will not be home for two
weeks; am tired out and discouraged;
Charlie will be home in half an hour to
five o'clock dinner. and the spirits
have eaten all the cold roast ana tarts
that l have laid away for that especial
banquet.
shall be forced to tell him that for
my hardihood in making him buy this
haunted house, he Is destined TO 90 on
halfrations generally, I think with a
sob, when hear a faint step below and
see the trap-door slowly rising. and the
blanched face and thin shoulders of
woman, with a skeleton child in her
arms, coming into view.
Can believe my eyes7 Yes. IL is the
shrunken, faded form of Grace Wool
son, which I know in an instant. though
the sunken eyes and claw-like hands and
skeleton figure, make but silhouette of
the rosy, dimpled girl remember.
/ am not nervous woman, and /
have expected this ghost to appear so
long, that do not scream or faint away
when she comes toward me, and the
pathetic, dropping air with which she
holds out the visionary baby, and then
bursts into such human agony OF tears,
would make one feel tender and akin to
even n hohgoblin.
''0b. Amy" she gasped, you are
good woman, and will you try and save
my child's life7 If 1t had not been dy-
ing should have staid hidden Always,
but knew you would help me II you
could. was sorry To take your figs
and things. and would not II could
have kept from starving; but for
mothers sake l have hidden in your
cellar three months. for knew she and
Geofrv Care would find me If they
| cniiid "