New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-03
THE MEMBLING GHOST.
nY WALTER BESANT.

him. when therefore being good way past sixty,
he thought the time had come TO seH INC business S
and rel ire he was encouraged by the 1acI tnt tLo
Hall OF his native village was for sale, WIN the
mark and grounds. He bought them; TOOK ms laHl-
lily into the country WIN MIN anu SooITI 70 him
not as a country gentleman exactly, ior the Rood
man had idea OF going MIC society, O1I as a liA
fure of retired tradcsman aud farmer. lie iarmed
his own Land. though he lost money Dy II; ne
fonud life dull after the SIR of the cltN. and he con-
1inua IL vtaTrd after he manufacture OF watches
and clocks IN which he was no mere seller OF other
mems work. but himself IN ingenious ana a'cou'
phshcd workman who had duly served ills seven
years apprenticeship ana was u siucS d Ho0h"-
ylcian by native genus.
Daring tie latter years of ms life the oid man
spent most OF his time locked up ~ hls own room
In was very large room on the first floor. having
two windows facing the south and four LOOKING
west beside 1t a small dIesSiuG-roon when ho
occupied as u bedroom; and no Que at all was ever
allowed 10 en- eT the large room, winch was always
locked out his grandson knew that IT contained
bench lathe, and all the tools requisite for me,
Chani:al work. Sometimes be worked there MI
late at night. sometimes he would not come out
even for dinner. There was SOMETHING uncanhy
abou; the old fellow working by himself contin4-
aiIy nobody knew at what lie might nave maze
watches but he brought none out he might nave
turned things with his lathe hui none were ever
shown he might have been prosecuting some gidIu
research IN thc AOlOIOBicdI my s'0lS' "uV "0 o"i"
He kent on working till the day of his death. 1t
bappeued one SATURDAY. evening. that his unmar-
ned daughter and his daughteI-ln-law were III tne
lrawiug-roOm when the old man uneXPect9dIy
walked ln lie stood before the ire ana lo'keu AT
them turning from one to the other with "a strange
smile 1t was 80 seldom that he came out OF his
own r, ON that The two ladies were perpeXed aud
little frightened 49,, -,,-,., ...., -,
Canhy smile IL finished =, ,
The woods we're hardly spoken when he suddenly
feeleI, caught al "a CAuf, ana lel he"NiS " 'ho
ground IN IA M. 80,
presently began 10 understand that ne was dying,
ard hat ne had better give any directions be had
10 give a; once. They sent Tor his grandson VINO
was at Cambridge and II was to hlnl MS heli' maj
the I'd man gave tie one injunction tbat II. seoued
10 care about. Let 10 one he sad, shaking MS
long and can fOrcnnger IN the most solemn man
ner let no one presume to enter INV TOOm Let 1t
remain locked. or If any desire TO enter here lie
laughed ana his hearers shuddeTed-' let INN enter
alone and after dark. shall be there lie added,
while they shuddered again, ON the Natch,-a DAY
md night watChmRu-a watch that always goes-a
repeating watch. "a keyless watch. with the newest
improvements, an everlasting walcn -hel mere; ni9
mind wandered Int lie Watches neatly repaired;
Established forty years. Clocks Kept gong Ana
then he laughed again and breathed his last IL
was dreadful TO see an old man ole win hush
in y barred him in the churchyard under mag
ninc-nt mar ole tomb, among a Gitdl llalhDeI Oh
Mem aLuy-, including his only sou. AND II wa, as
stated ABOVE lis grandson VINO Succeeued, DeInB
then oni, cnr-3nd-lweutA years of age.
H. s.c,cS,or shortly aftcrWard MARRIED ana ID
con, ~ OF lime had family, ike most people, OF
sons and daughters Ine young people knew very
little abOn, the watChmakeIs shop, bu! they knew
that the cAuichyard was lull OK josiah
Menbln x. and very easily they grew to
believe in a legendary history about the
family greatness. They were tnG ancient
holGers OF the estate tne lords OF the manor
they were found on the spot by the Norman con
uuei1r; they experienced many adventures IN the
various civil wars; tdere came llme Mlleh tneiI
fortunes were quite laen; even the Hal passed
for while out Ol their hands, then came the SECOND
founder. who alnasscd wealth IL IRE clV anu
BOUGHT back the Oid house. Aud ihey really
dii no; knOw-the innOccn, gTls VINO bnlt up inns
icgcAd-whut u collection OF tios they were putting
togt tIcI. - A. II ,,ou, Loot
wishes were iai hui,y ana plouoiy Oocyed. NO one
eutcied the Old mans room az al; TIE Key was III
his pr4nGsOu'> possession; II became q lndCteT Oh
common beiIet ma the Oiu man nduh'ct uo Iooh
Tie ml ids at dusk and after dark would hurry past
the door; IN lull day light they would stop ana
listen trcmbiing If bY cnauce thcV might near inc
sonud al a dead mans football ana ,he Younger
members OF the 1aAIy we've brought up 10 lcei
doutly grateful to an ancestor WHO Aad not only
restor the fortunes OF the mousse, Duo i'uchuo"ou
it with a haunted room $780,,
One day, however when Laura the eldest dapgh-
ten was IN her fathers study looking iOI something
else, she found hangn up IN cuPooiI" TN ny Vi
the haunted Ioom. Ii was br2"t sunny morning I;
tberc could be- no fear Of ghosts on sucn day she
looked al tn. key; she remembered the solemn III
inrrtion which of course everybody knew, but the
sight o. tie key hiled her with strange ana lTreSst-
ibIe curiosity AID longing such a, she had never
before known; she tOOK II down with a trembling
hand: she crept like thei out OF tur study ana up
the road stair 70 the door; she put the Key III Inc
lock aud tuned IT. 1t was niue Tu,Iy' ouI une
boI dew back and she opened the door. Strange
now hard snc had TO press that door WIN heI
shoulder before II opened; she went III ana Iookeu
rould culiousIV, vel for single moments 4 grazing
noise behind her caused her 30 tulu quickly 10 hcr
horror the door was closing OF ITS Owl accord ana
,rest bar WAS slowly rlslng behind IT, she ShucHcd
aud lied there was just time; me dOOr closed as
she rdsied Though, th,re was noise a. o. Iall-
ing bar, and Laura tainted away, whoa enc re,
covered the maids were running ~ tle 9tdi'' "n|
about the house, wanting to know =" no ma beeH
ringing bells and who was maAiAs such strange
nolsc IN The house. 4, . - IL
gam UI IA,
because here MAS proof positive II the haunting.
No fanny OF yesterday ever e0t ghost; Ia IaG',
IL Is only the members OF IN old family VINO can DC
no; even 10 believe In gnos,s at all IL - curious
fhng tbat IN poor ana new nelghOorh0OdS, Ike the
East End OF London. tEcle seeuls no place ior
ohosi Now, Tor a timex population OF ghosts, gave
me Nuri b lmDcI land Ie next uay Laura sdiu 'iidt
She hao icit Coid breath upon ner chtek. he DAY
aftcI she SAID that heavy sign had iaLeh upon
h,r car as She He'd Inc uay after that she sald tnat
the sIVh vas iant whisper OF the words SiJ oeal
child 1t was enough. he ghost was eStaOil'Ied:
HenceIOrth unpleasant Things might ne suu Vi
money mauc in trade but the ola itnllly tid"lIoh
won d not be attacked. There WAS ne evidence oi
the supl natural bar, there was tne door cioSou ny
an invisible hand, there was the voice, there was
fine ringing OF bells, there were The strange holses
heard By the MAIDS while Laura was iyIhs suPino
and unconscious No ancient Scdt.Isn mousse ever
lad sucn "a guost. The squire, however put away
The key in hIs rOng box among his V@udDIes. Inc
door he said, should never again De Opclcu IN MS
lfeilIue. Bat Laura USED 10 stahd OUTSIDE IlAG q
Peri, listening iOr another messaEo ION nj otie
world amt II became recognized III INC lau4Iy thdl
che was great grandfather laFOlie. lhlo saw
her KIND OF rank. Respect was cue 20 one mus
Singled out by an ancestor who Iad p'eh such
benefaetor AS 10 DecoIne not only the restoTer Of
fallen ioy unes (which is i'll itso 4 TomanIcl' but
also the family ghost. All the MeinDi,hgs waIEod
more upright than before; they stuck OuI CIhs'
40 10 speak thoy believed ia their coat OF arms
What was better, other people believed III 1t as
well. -, IN II Lo
They entertained people at the Hall, and when
tbay offered them quarters for the night spoke WIN
ses,ryv of the haunted room; they laughed, out
wjth affection and reverence, not WIN scOrn, aJ
Ms;r ahosf the girls babe their friends, when they
ieft diem alter q bAirUru,hlng, have no ica4' PC
cause heir ancestor wOTned very quietly aud as
turhed no one outside bus own room, thOugn, lney