The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-04

solitary house, deep sunk in glen, will
II don't know, SIR" said the agent
1.-THE country people took to calling il
80. Because it looked 80 gloomy, I sup
pose"
"Ah r said Drake with cbuckle.
"Gloom is elcvating. Any stucco bird.
no nearer neighbor for three good miles
than the owls and the foxes. He put
his hands in his pockets, and drew his
head turtlewise down into his coat collar,
as he sided toward the door.
Hadn't we better be going?" said
he.
"Nice big rooms" said the old gentle
man, looking around. "Wide hall, with
plenty Of room for an oaken settle and a
pair of deers antlers. Dear me
couldn't have suited myself better. Now
if could only be certain OF ghost"
"Of a-what?" said Mr.. Pratt, with q
nervous start, Ms piece Of plaster
dropped down with q hollow sound at his
feet
"You don't happen to know, do you?"
said the old gentleman, suddenly button
holing the agent, and speaking with cx-
IRENE earnestness, "whether any ono
ever died suddenly in this house Or if
there ever was a-murder committed
herc2'
"No, sir, don't" said Mr.. Pratt.
yehemently struggling to escape.
"Ah, well, 1t don't matter" said the
old gentleman. "Only | should like q
ghost. You must know, my good friend"
he added complacently, "that | am an
author. | WELD tue gray-goose quill
| he he hcl And If could once rec n
genuine ghost, il would DO like touching
my pen to tho live Goals Of the altar.
Don't you sceY"
eyes" faltercd Mr.. Pratt, who did
not "sec" Mt all; "but now, if you're quite
ready, perhaps we'd better be thinking
Of going"
"Going" repeated the old gentleman,
whose face grew more satisfied as the
room waxcd darker, and the rushing
stream outside seemed to make louder
aud sadder moan. "But nm not going
at all. 4"
,,Ulotu I.,,,.I A.. 49,, -
" ia" o,r, s"oI,'cu 'ho re'd eS,n'o
I5nno - why 'ncfo' ~ one III 'ho
"o ,S,, A., ....,. H., ,
said the old gentleman.
"Nor stick Of furniture"
"Thcrc's where you are mistaken. my
ii'eho' snliieu ,he ora gentleman: i've
o 90 onJ Jn'', "''no". A.. u pnck, ana pan
T.o ~Tu' ,,Il,', III .nc cnimheS'place,
an',';1' po1' VI uoonsc' trte pouB"s
h"v -, wv" W so' .nc u"l,y paper a,iu
p mont y" u, a,, ~ my po'h't' ,'Sl'es
donI,ln.e,,ro sho,," 1ri %" L;,t, n'aaS 70 VI
anJ .Ioon nm ,, ",, ,SS.o,;. a'nn'o " ''o,
~ u 'a'J IJ VIZ !" ',",e''nR h'iawi 'n front
oan ",G p'" n,,, I,ot 1AaI''y ny u ! was
nnrrnm pn ~ u" ~" hl'a W.
coma srrDi,uss" Is" o,i i"o o,' .n'nBo hnu n'y
anil a nardo"a.' "'' 1"B"Ho " ca' lo .ip
NV oo6J sr;"uI , n"' ~ 'no h I.',l
dry,, I'm NV a Gu" y you ,I ~ ~ "I,uo "i'
t;nn tJiI, ~ no.J oai" n"'p VI po'roi"
Jroa a roor ,;,'~ o , n,"Hon Va nun, .,
nrioa Inn sou pn" ""' VIC
p "c,,;i, ~ suns y, o ,,io-,rHacuy
81 " hn, w. en Saln MI lra,1.
,no :. "a:, ",p" LOW my inhiiiy VIII
m n" y, o""' N,. D,hke' lhey don !
w." " o;, ,n' ~ ~, uio'1' ."oy "re paftii.i TO
"u WY my o"n ! care i1r inc Mys'
s or@ Wi',a a,i '"cy nave iooiish dislike
w, Nnos";
noS' 'oiHS haVe' observed tho
"But IL thov dom, lilo :, u,ou ,,,,o.
mmn il /" snid M G,rnoiaa H. ,y " ;"''
mlly rnbbing h;s bon1s 81 m;i, r.
master in NV own bonae I'm, nnrho wv
it may he as well to have the place
patched up little before they see it."
"You'd better come back to fine hotel
for the night" said Mr.. Pratt.
"Not l." said Mr. Drake, "Gool-
evening, my worthy friend. BE sure Won
call for mo early in the morning."
The real estate agent drove AWAY,
carrying in his mind's eve lust picture
Of Mr.. Drake standing cheerruly in the
doorway under n scmi.circular fan.light
Of boitIc-grccn glass. lie went home.
his face one prodigious smile,
"Ive let Desperation Hall, Eben." he
said TO his clerk, M he jumped out nj
his own door. "Sit down and make out
n five. yrats' lease ut once, at five hun
lrcd dollars wear, to Gcryaise Drake"
Ebcn Joyce whistled n long low
whistle. "Well, WELL" said he, "wop.
lcrs will never crnsc."
In the meanwhile, Mr. Drake lcft
,,or, w;,, u,o ,.,;,.,a 49,, ~. A.,
,,r; H" Wv" a,l '' ~, hn'.luo "',n inc MyS'
ctlcrci "dio",;v '"o iuSl VI 'ne 1".'al
tbe sonl or h.. M"so " uo, moan ao"r .c
'no Ho'' vi NIB MUSE set himself TO worB
~ IN inc d"sk gathering dry sticks and
nehling "a IRE IN the great room. where
Ille dark wooden walnscoting was in q
s;s,out r w, '',". y, aimP' ana Il per,
door lntss. e "mI ',o ""'' , n rne carved
mnrr;,v w, H., "'m ,. m"In 'l'e nre Dia|ed
" a,,y W., no 'iyiau Sparks liceihg III