Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1884-05-23

ila1iewood as he stood in the deem re-
~ Of the gigantic bav win
uo@, nearly hidden by the curtains.
'ne laded splendor Of whose tarnished
embroidery carried the mind uncon
4eiously acentury backward on the
stream of time.
The tau, old-fashioned clock in the
nall was striking twelve. and the colo
ny Of criekets under the warm hearth
stone were falling into a dreamy.
sleepy sort of chirp when Aunt Re
Decea emerged from. her door. treading
On tiptoe, and carrying a dim light in
her hand.
Vow Aunt Rebecca, in nodding
false carls, lace eoiffure, and eighteen
year-old style Of dress, was a very
ainerent sort Of parsonage from Aunt
heoecca with her head tied up in a
siIk handkerchief, her false curls laid
aside and a long white dressing-robe
enyeloping her lank figure, and the
latter was by no means the more pre-
possessing Of the two
Probably some such consciousness
swept across the good spinster's brain,
for she shatled with accelerated rap
ldity past the solemn eyes of the grave
old family portraits on the wall
4 am sure | dropped them some
where here she murmured, pausiny :
in front Of the bay-window. "How
proyokingl There goes my candle
OUT But believe l can find them
however, the starlight is so bright.
Mercy upon u.s. what is that2 The
ghost the ghostf'
And Aunt Rebecca fled shrieking
down the corridor, her hands clapped
over her eyes, before which was i'm
! printed the vision OF a tall figure
I sweeping past, all in white with 9
crimson stain at its pallid throatl
j The house was aroused into instan
taneous commotion, lights flashed into
brightness at the various doors, ant
an eager circle of inquirers surround
ed Aunt Rebecca, who eyinced strong
symptoms of an intention to 60 int
Mysteries.
ut glided past me like gust 0
windp' she shrieked, replying at hazar'
4,,a questions rained upon her "a
DE- - ..as tha5.. tslressass,1 naaris {
) 81 know it's warning that haven
long to liyel Oh, what shall | do
what shall | do?"
But | don't understand what yo
were doing out in the Ghost
Corridor at this time of night" inter
rupted Col. Orme, staring at his siste
as if not quite certain whether thi
were an actual occurrence in real lif
or merely fragmentary part of hi
last dream.
we'll, il you must know" said Mis-
Rebecca with little hy steric sob.
dropped my false teeth there, just a
dusk, and l didn't like to look 70
them there with Violet and Capt
Hazlewood standing by and so an
So
"0hol that's it, eh?" said Col. Orm,
laughing. Upon my word, si8te
Becky, you are rather over-particula
for woman fifty years old"
"Only forty-nine, James," interrupt
ed Miss Rebecca, with shrill accen
of indignation.
"But the ghost?" inquired voun
lizlewood, who had just arrived ol
the scene Of action, with rather
flushed brow and embarrassed air.
Upon which Aunt Rebe2ca qav,
way to the confined influences of he
brothers unkind remark and tn,
fright Of gho5t-seeing, and fairl
tainted without further notice. Ac
eording to the usual custom ofwoman-
KIND on such occasions, Col. Orme anC
all the other gentlemen were hustled
out into the hall, while the victim q
the female officials was deluged witt
eau de cologne, stiaed with burn,
feathers, and vigorously treated with
hot flannel.
shes coming to, poor dear
creaturel" was the final verdict hurled
at Col orme through a crack in the
door.
"Well, I'm glad of it, I'm sure, said
the colonel dolorously rubbing his
hands "for it's cold out here in the
hall. nal, Why, haIloal is this you, my
u NIUE Nlolet2 What's the matter !?
Ion hayen'tseen ghost, hope?"
NO. papa faltered Violet, "but
), suppose we three adjourn into the
noraFy Col. orme, and l will under
.aAe = :, 'ne task of explaining, interpos-
y charles Lakewood, while yiolet,s
cheeks grew like flame.
Well may l venture to inoniro
S. %nat all this means ?" interrogated the
oeVlldered ? colonel when the library
aooF was safely closed.
II means sir" said Charles, laugh
,ng' yet little puzzled how to pro.
l'pu ~ 'nat Violet, your daughter. and
y we're Just looking out at the stars. in
da ~ enofasure ofthe great hall win.
~ NV when we saw some one approach
ms y with light. Violet went 10 SEQ
7Aat the anparitior ,