The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-06-21
!" You shah see for yourself, ma'am, said


Mrs Rudge. sony wait"
When the shadows of twilight began 10
brood over tho haunted spot, grove of
whispering naples which overlooked the
blue glittering of the river, Captain Pilchard
ensconsed himself in the hollow Of an an
cient sycamore near by, and took up his vigil.
I'm be at the bottom Of this mystery, or
III know the reason why, said the Captain.
All was still and serene The plash of
adventurous fish in the distant river, the
sigh of the zephyrs in the foliage, the vesper
note I some distant bird, was all that broke
the silence, until, just as the distant bell
changed the midnight hour, something white
and spectral glided across the open space
toward the trees.
"Aha |" thought the Captain, straighten-
ing himself up and banishing the somnolent
weight from his eye-hds. And, gathering
himself together, the Captain softly followed
the Ghost
"What in creation is he doing now ?" the
Captain asked himself Proving around
the branches of the trees Is he going to
hang himself? Not if Parkinson Pilchard
knows i'll"
With one agile leap the Captain threw
himself bodily on the apparition.
"pve got you now, old fellow !" said he.
"Eh?" said the Specter, struggling, in a
short breathed, apoplectic fashion, to free
the skirts of his white flannel dressing gown.
"Don't eho-o-oke me !"
Bless my SOUL" cried Captain Pilchard,
relaxing his hold, it's the Deaf Gentleman
HIMSELF"
e. Eth I" said the Deaf Gentleman, staring
helplessly around him.
"What are you doing out here ?" bawled
the Captain.
The Deaf Gentleman put his hand behind
his ear
''Please speak louder" said he; "Tm not
exactly quick of hearing"
"What do you mean by playing Ghost ?"
demanded the Captain, severely.
"Eh?" said the Deaf Gentleman. "Play-
ing polo? Who is talking about playing
polo? don't play polo |"
Captain Pilchard put his lips very close
TO the Deaf Gentleman's ear.
What-are-y ou-doing here ?" he bel
lowed with prodigous lung effort.
"0h!" said the Deaf Gentleman. Eyes,
I see. Why couldn't you have said 80 be.
fore? Why, l come here every night !"
ooh !" said Captain pilcaard staring with
all his eyes
Except of course, rainy weather." went
on the Deaf Gentleman. You see, it's
rather close down there at the house, and
the girls are practicing on the piano, and the
squalling, and nobody can sleep. So
string up my hammock here under the trees,
and sleep as nature intended thather children
should sleep, right out in the open air |"
Captain Pilchard remembered the popular
version of how the Apparition had vanished
up into the trees.
"Upon my word !"
Perhaps you took me for burglar ~
said the Deaf Gentleman.
"No," said the Captain; q took you fol
a Ghost.s
"A-Goose 2" said the Deaf Gentleman
with his hand behind his ear.
"No-o-ol" roared the Captain. 81 sait
--uHOhtt
The Deaf Gentleman began to laugh in 1
| noiseless sort of way.
cha ha! ha % said he "a good joke
very good joke indeed Ha ha ha |"
And the next morning at the breakfast-ta
BILE, everybody laughed very heartily at thu
story of the discovered Ghost. Everybod,
except the Deaf Gentleman who ate hi
breakfast serenely, and never heard wort
of the joke
And Mrs Ridges boarders all rallied
around the standard once more, and the sea
son was a success. And in the fall she mar
ried Captain Pilchard.
A lone woman like me needs some on
to protect her." said she. "After that bust
ness of the Deaf Gentleman's Ghost, "
always felt as if he were my Guardian An
gel!"-SAirley Br0sone.