The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-12-11

OI-AdCb WILL pdDeT--WIa6 was bnere TO
examine or investigated What could be
done but stare at it and ask ones self,
If it is not a voice from the land of
shadows, what is it?''
1t could not go on this way much
longer, knew; SO 1 resolved on de-
cided movement, and one contrary to
all the reticent traditions of the Des-
pards, who had always ''insisted on
keeping things to themselves" / or
dered carriage and sent mother and
Rosaleen out for drive. So soon as
they were out of sight, turned the key
in the lock and went to see the land
lord.
Mark Bolton was dapper little gen.
tleman of quaint manners, and BEAM
ing courtesy which had a wonderful
strained foppishness affected by the
young men of this age. He was the
agent for and part owner of the block
of houses, one of which was our habita-
ton.
To him l related the story, and the
fact that he received the wondrous mys-
terry in sympathizing spirit, instead of
treating it with the derision l so much
feared, raised him much higher in my
esteem.
..Miss Despard, said he, smiling be-
nignantly, ''will you allow me to call
tonight and make the acquaintance of
these troublesome voicespn
Somehow the load dropped off my
shoulders. Mr. Bolton was so self-con-
tanned and courageous that | went home
lighter in spirit than I had been for
many day. At eleven o'clock he
came, and in an exceedingly short time
managed to make us all feel at home
with ourselves and our sitting-room
once more. He seemed to have dropped
| into our circle as if he had belonged
there for years.
| A few minutes before twelve Mr..
Bolton stationed himself as directed by
me. The clock changed out again the
hour of midnight. Some minutes
elapsed without the usual Iuanifesta-
ton, until l feared the spirits had failed
us.
But, no, in moment more the dis
NAL groan was sounded, and the ava
lanche of hardware followed. I saw
Mr.. Bolton start, while a puzzled ex-
preston came over his face. I felt glad
that our ghost had vindicated itself and
me! The horrid noises were supple
mented by the words "KiLG the other
one" issuing directly from the wall.
Our landlord stood aghast.
He reflected moment, then pulled
out his pocket-knife. With this he de-
tached a portion of the wall paper, and
uncovered the orifee of a speaking
tubei This then was the secret of it all;
the sounds were conveyed from some
other place, and the tubing transformed
ordinary noises into ghastly cadences.
The next day the mystery was further
more explained. A former owner had
connected his library with a building
some distance away. Some time after
the piping had been broken up, leaving
intact only that portion built in the
wall, one end of which was in our sit
ting-room, the other extending to the
cellar of an adjoining house, between
a couple of wooden shelves. The
spoken words we heard were those OF
the colored servant, who was aceus-
toned to bank up the heater fire about
midnight. The rafting of the chains
was produced by the shoveling of coal
had mistaken some words about ''de
fire. for 'tDe Wire" The '.poison'
and mangling had reference to mice,
which were making free with articles
on the shelf That was all!
was so much obliged to Mr.. Bolton
for his efforts, that | could not s'say
him nay" when he asked me to marry
him. Besides, how handy it was to
have man about the house to s'lay a
ghost. - Godey's Lady Book.