The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-08-31

for thinking that ghosts in general, or
BObbett's ghosti in particular, are endued
with q knowledge of the Morse alpha
betP"
81 have told you BEFORE" said Hop
kins. with crushing solsmnity, that
Bobbett was a clever man, and knew
most things"
"Well, what about the what-d'ye-call-
ems-the young women, the Marthas?'
asked Frank.
Il waited some days before 1 closed
the account, hoping that Bobbett might
send me instructions about them some
how, but as 1 heard nothing from him, l
bought them back at ten per cent. less"
"That. Isuppose, means a satisfactory
conclusion, and you netted s~omethingph
Three thousand pounds. 1t ought
to have been more had 1 dared to wait;
for they fell fifteen before they stopped.
Perhaps" added Hopkins, t~houghtfully
and respectfully, chad 1 waited till then,
Bobbett would have sent me a message
to close"
He said this in such serious good faith
that we stared at one another. When
we recovered from our establishments, /
asked:
That profit, of course, went into the
partnership C count"
OF course it did, SIR" replied Hop
kins, almost angrily. CATER deductng
my travelling expenses Ipassed his share
to his credit"
"And 1 hope" said Frank, with a
solemn face, "you paid the company the
shilling for the Geographic message
which Mr.. Bobbett sent without their
permission"
Hopkins rose with a almost
dignified.
"Mr. Blair" he said, .sthis is the one
subject 1 never jest upon. Ihaye told
you, in the simplest language, a stra5e 3,
but a true, tale, and will now wish you
goodnight"
So saying he went.
Frank, rather huffed at his last words,
only shook hands with our departing
guest, but l conducted him downstairs
and saw him out. As l closed the door
L heard a tremendous grunt; indeed, so
loud was it / thought it must be a sum
door again, and. to my surprise, saw
A1oPhiuo iSotiuS aSailoe Vic IdiitiiSS,
with every muscle of his broad back in
motion. Twas quite alarmed, and said
hastily:
.tAre you ill, old fellow"
The %quivering motion ceased, and
Hopkins turned round and looked up al
me, andhis great face, under the lamp
light, vas empty of expression as ever.
mo; only the recollection of those
things 1 told you always upsets me.
Goodnight. Poor old Bobbett"
s.Strange tale, Frank" / said, wher
having closed the door on Hopkins de
parting sigh, we settled down one,
more.
every. Had any one else but Hop
kins told it, l shouldn't have believed I
word of it; but he could no more inven
it than he could paint my .AlexandeI
and Thais.'"
.'How do you account for ftp"
Cant account for it. The only ex
PLANTATION 1 can see is that Bobbett, VIII
must have been no end of a rascal, lait
some plan for wrecking the trains, an(
arranged to have the telegram sent OF
previously. But then, he was in tn,
train and was smashed up himself, 81
that won't do"
81 have seen it asserted" I said, eli
a book on spiritual influences that
person dying, and thinking Of some on
at q distance, has been able to make
sort of resemblance of himself appear t,
that some one. Bobbett's thoughts, di
rectly the smash came, may have turne'
to his one passion-speculating, ant
acted somewhatin the same way
"Nonsenser!' said Frank, stthat won
hold water; l can't account for it,"
"Neither can L."
And we never did. Hopkins declined
to talk any more upon the subject, whicl
he said was a painful one TO him; so w
soon ceased to think about it.
And yet there is one thing that puzzle
me. Some years afterward l spok
about Hopkins and his peculiarities, o
rather lack of p~eculiarities, to a mutua
friend, when suddenly remembering hi
tale. / said:
''By the bye, did you know his lat
partner, Bobbettp"
80, yes; very well-sharp man h
was, toor'
"Killed in u railway accident. I be
lieveP"
s.No; he died in his bed, like othe
people, and left a lot of money benin
him."
Now this piece Conformation couple
with the recollection of Hopkins as l SAL
him, leaning against the ratings outsid
the front door, quivering with strang
emotion, caused a feeling of uneasines
in my mind, and sometimes now,
spite of his ~unmeaning features an
commonplace demeanor, 1 ask myself
in confidence: "Were we wrong after al
and did Hopkins possess Imagination