River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-01-26

of any kind, she began:
81 know you have a friendly feeling
for us all Mr.. Wolcott, and want to
ask your opinion and advice"
| bowed, for she was unquestionably
right about my friendly feeling, but
wondered what was coming.
She went on: "What do you think
of Mr.. Steele p
Well, that was poser What did
think of Butter-Scotch? That he was q
fool, of course; but | reflected il
wouldn't do to tell her so, particularly
if she was going to-Oh, no it wouldn''
do at all.
"Why do you ask, Miss Humph
reys"
81 will tell you frankly. There is a
very strong inclination on papa's part
to buy the stone house"
"Yes, know there is"
"And l don't want him to-"
"May ask why not ?"
Because it's haunted"
81 don't see how that affects Mr..
Steele he isn't haunted"
Mabel laughed. 81 don't suppose he
is. But that isn't what / mean. / want
to know if he is courageous enough to
go there and see if it is really haunted. "
"Oh, guess he's pretty brave; he
says he is, and Mr.. Humphreys thinks
so too, believe"
eyes, papa is SO enthusiastic over
Mr.. Butt mean Mr.. Steele's kind
heart and religious feeling; he thinks
he must be good man, and not easily
frightened" She looked at me square
iy. "And / want to know if he's man
fully to be trusted"
with untold Wealth.
''No; to see a ghost"
"Ah see !"
You're brave too, aren't you, Mr..
Wolcott ?"
"You're very kind to say so, but
assure you there never was worse
coward than | am. I've no courage al
all-Tm all brain lNNow there's the diff.
ference between Mr.. Steele and my
self"
Mabel rose. eyes, see the differ
ence," she said. "I'm very much
obliged to you, Mr.. Wolcott, for, your
good advice. wasn't sure whether he
would undertake it. Brain is good
thing, so is courage; 1 prefer happy
mixture" And with a pleasant little
nod she sailed off.
| never saw until afterward what a
comparison | had made-one all cour-
age and no brain, and the other all
brain and no courage. had muddled
things badly, that was evident, and the
worst of it was that she never gave me
an opportunity to let her know | had
not intended any disrespect to her flu
ture liege.
All this time Sol. Humphreys never
ceased talking about buying the stone
house. At last Mabel made the propo-
sition that some night we three, Ned,
Butter-Scotcht and myself, should go
there and stay until morning, and il
our report was "no ghosts" she would
not say any more against the purchas-
ing scheme; but if anything diabolical
or mysterious happened, that her father
was to give up the idea. Our consent
being asked we cheerfuly gave it, and
as one time was as good as another, we
decided to make the experiment that
night.
Armed each with stout stick and
pillow, we advanced upon the haunted
dwelling about o'clock, and were adj
mitted by the man in charge, whose
headquarters were i'll an adjoining
building, which communicated with
the house by long entry, at the end OF
which was an iron door. This door was
closed and bolted after us, and we were
left to make our explorations in our
own way.
|, tor one, did not expect to see any
thing supernatural, but Mabel's stories
" ere very vivid, and | would have liked
to oblige her by seeing something I'M
cannv. We had brought lantern with
us. and Butter-Scotch had very self
sacrifcingly taken charge of it. So we
assembled the stairs, and made a tour
of the upper door, then descended. and
made another tour of the ground aoor,
and cellar, and Butter-Scotch considered
the exploration so thorough that he
strongly advocated going home and to
bed, and bringing in sealed verdict.
"No ghost" But we wouldn't hear OF
it. So, having made sure that the front
door was unlocked on the inside, and
could be opened instantaneously if the
proposed ghost were disposed to be VIC
lent, or use language unfit for "ears
polite" we made ourselves as comforta
BILE in the hall as the circumstances oil
no bed and an indefinite ghost would
allow.
Ten o'clock-no ghost. Eleven-not
a sound. Elevent hirty-"Ned, you're
snoring.
'Oh, no; l was thinking how
Suddenly there was crash some
where in the house.
"By George'' gasped Fed, we're IL
for it, boys, and don't you forget it ~
don't know how long we waited
bat then it began again-tirst sneeze
then kissing sound, then q pail rolling
down stairs, followed by an assortment
of dust-pans and fire-irons.
This was first-class. After the storm
ceased, Butter-Scotch, in a committee
of one, proposed that we should alter
the verdict to GHOSTS emphatically,'
and go home. 1t was entertaining, but
10 tell the truth, he was sleepy.
In a few minutes there was another
crash, and we saw something white or
the stairs, slowly and solemnly ap
preaching. AS it neared the bottom, i
raised an arm; low moan came from
it, and a rasping sound of by nj
means cheerful character.
Butter Scotch made TOr the door, anC
in his excitement pushed against it in
stead of pulling, so he couldn't get out
The ghost. seeing our fright, uttered {
shrek, and came swiftly toward us.
This was too much for flesh and blood
to bear, and Butter-Scotch yelled
Murder thieves fire !" frantic will
horror, and we all three pulled anC
pushed, beside ourselves with fear
Just as the ghost had nearly rea chez
us, Ned pulled the door open, anC
there was crash and a rush, and be
fore l knew what had happened the
! door was shut TO with a bang, and
was left in darkness in the hall, with
the knowledge that the beashy ghos
was where it could touch me if i
wanted to. A second OF silence, anC
then voice Kissed, "Cowards r. | in
dorsed that opinion heartily, but tn,
others were greater towards than
was; wouldn't have kicked the hgh
out Of the lantern, or shut the door OF
them.
There was yawn, and then tn
thing said, ''Oh, my!"
| plucked up my spirits little Tn
ghost had sense enough to be sleepy