The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-09-23

81 Toward the end of July Ned Humphl
reys came home, and brought Mr.. But
ter-Scotch Steele with him. Mr.. Steele's
n Daptlsmal name was William, but he had
been rechristensd by his friends Butter
Scotch, on account of his fondness for
81 that particular kind Of candy.
81 Ned was quite boy, and a capital fell
low at that, and he and I soon became
firm friends; but Butter-Scotch /
loathed II really don't know why I
Il loathed him so much, unless because
81 there was rumor afoat that Mabel
q was making up her mind to renounce
n the bangs and bangles of single life, and
II herceforth stick to Butter-Scotch. OF
NJ course, this, Of itself, was enough to
N MAKE me contemplate placing an extra
III ordinarily bent pin on his chair, or con-
y yerting his overcoat pocket into re-
szposltory for litter of baby kittens. But
Independently Of this rumor, I had a
4 distinct and positive impression that I
II loathed the man just as he was, whether
she ever succeeded in marrying Mabel or
mot. OF course, it was none of nv
III business, but it did seem a pity to stane
akby and see her become the missing rib
Thereby completing the anatomy, Of suci
IL molly -coddle.
Il One morning was standing on The
IL piazza--just finishing very nice ciga1t
Il Mr.. Humphreys had presented me Will
u the day before, with the remark that he
'sdidn't mind man smoking once In &
|Awhile, if he smoked tobacco, but he
Ihabominated cabbage-when Mabel came
'Eout.
"Mr. Wolcott," she said, care you
lsgoing to be busy for a few minutes 2?
4 81 think not" I replied. "Mr.
II Humphreys doesn't want to begin for
Izhalf an hour yet" =
"Then will you come to the croquet|
|sground and finish your cigar there p
Il " Certainly" / answered; with
X pleasure" d &v
II Over to the croquet ground we strolled,
IBand Mabel sat down on one Of the rus
|Stic seats. Without preamble of any
Iskind, she began:
n 81 know you have a friendly feeling
afor us all, Mr.. Wolcott, and / want to
task your opinion and ADVICE M
\ bowed, for she was unquestionablJ
Fright about my friendly feeling, but J
wondered what was coming.
Il She went on: What do you thinl
1of Mr.. Steele?"
\ Well, that was q poser! What did ]
Sthink OF Butter-Scotch? That he was 8
Sfool, of course but I reflected il
swouldn't do to tell her so, particularly il
sshe was going to- Oh, no it wouldn't
ado at all. "fo
A "Why doyou ask, Miss Humphreys?
4 81 will tell you frankly. There is
Every strong inclination on papa's part to
Abuy the stone house. "
eyes, I know there is"
And don't want him to-"
May ask why not?"
Because it's haunted"
81 don't see how that affects Mr..
sSteele-he isn't haunted"
Mabel laughed. 81 don't suppose he
Ills. But that isn't what mean. wani
Ito know if he is courageous enough to
sgo there and see if it is really haunted. .
sob, I guess he's pretty brave he
I says he is, and Mr.. Humphreys thinks
M5O tOO3 l. DelleV0.
Yes, papa is so enthusiastic over Mr..
Butt mean Mr.. Steele's kind heart
land religious feeling; he thinks he must
be a good man, and not easily fright |
a9ned." She looked at me squarely. "And
i | want to know if he's man fully to be
trusted"
|" With untold wealth ?"
!" No; to see ghost.
"Ahi I see p 73
6 You're brave, too, aren't you, Mr..
sWolcott?"
''You're very kind to say SO, but | /
assure you there never was worse cow
nd than [ am. I've no courage at all
I'm all brain Now there's the difference
between Mr. Steele and myself"
Mabel rose. Yes, / see the differ
snce, she said. "I'm very much Obliged
] 20 you, Mr.. Wolcott, for your good adj
vice. wasn't sure whether he would |
undertake it. Brain is o good thing,
80 is courage; [ prefer happy mixture.
And with pleasant little nod she sailed
4 off.
Il i never saw until afterward what a.
comparison had madeleine all coul age
md no brain, and the other all brain and
70 courage. [ had muddled things
'adly, that was evident, and the worst
1t was that she never gave me an
opportunity to let her know I had nots
attended any disrespect to her future
iege. }es@
All this time SOL Humphreys never
eased talking about buying the stone
louse. At last Mabel made the propo.
ition that some night we three, Ned
'ntter-Scotch and myself, should col
here and stay until morning, and If our
eport was "no ghosts" she would not
ay any more against the purchasing
cheme; but if anything diabolical or
Mysterious happened, that her father
vas to give up the idea Our consent
Ieing asked we cheerfully gave it, and
IS one time was as good as another. we
lecided to make the experiment that
light.
Armed each with stout stick and pill
ow, we advanced upon the haunted
twelling about o'clock, and were adj \
altted by the man in charge, whose
headquarters were in an adjoining build /
ng, which communicated with the
louse by long entry, at the end of
Khich was an iron door. This door was
'losed and bolted after us, and we were
eft to make our explorations in our own
way.
Z, for one, did not expect to see any
hing supernatural. but Mabels stories
we're very vivid, and I would have liked
d oblige her by seeing something I'M
amy, We had broughta lantern with
is, and Butter-Scotch had very self Il
sacrifcingly taken charge of it. SoweE
Seconded the stairs, and made tour of I
she upper floor, then descended, and
made another tour of the ground moor
md cellar, and Butter Scotch considered
he exploration SO thorough that he \
strongly advocated going home. and toE
bed, and bringing in sealed verdict,
sNo ghost" But we wouldn't hear of
II So, having made sure that the front
loor was unlocked on the inside, and
sould be opened instantaneously if theE
proposed ghost were disposed to be VIC
ent, or use language unfit for " ears
lnlita we made ourselves as comforta-
le in the hall as the circumstances d
D bed and an indefinite ghost would
low.
Ten o'clock-no ghost. Eleven-noi