The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-08-14

rssh of the chs6ng slrsAn ssd thsosrov-
fal nurnsr Of The p,sss Overhead
''TAstss differ" said the real estate
agsst. With littis shsddsr, - - bat
tossd his cost clossr.
why didn't yos brss ne hsrs hsfsssr
oaid Nr. Dnksl
''Didnt suppose il vsnld salt " said The
Ag4ut
IN suits exactly" declared Mr. Dnke
Hare hsd everything that ] require the
the uncertain, sAs possible.
the"
"It's very much out Of repair. cir, sug-
gessed Mr.. Pratt, poking With his stiek q
: lose stone in the cellar wall.
That signi6cs nothing" chesrfsily ut
tered the old gsntlsmsa. "Ruin suggests
intiquities. What would Tbsbss " With
ont iis ruined column. Rsms vitAout its
I'm afraid the house IL dana sir.' I.
said his eissrons. with very ssiaeT selps-
tascs. -
well. wslI. ws WON'T stay Isse.'' said
Mr. Drake, bis Joyous aiacnty iucrsssisg
with every step. Il shAll have roaring
fires upon every hearth before I've bseu
in possession twenty four hous. Thirty
acres Of wsod land win ths plaes. think
ysu mentioned? Dear me, wood is no con-
at oil. So this Is Desperation
Hall. is it?" stopping short in great
empty room whose hre place was like .
great cavern, and whose ioliated plaster
cornice, once elaboratsly wrought, was
crumbling away. But Why Dsspers.
tion?"
II don't know, sir," said the agent.
'The people took to calling IL 80, bsauss
II looked so gloomy. suppose.
"Ahl" said Mr.. Drake. with chuokle.
'Gloom is elevating. Any stuece bird
house on the top Of hill can look cheer.
ful, but il takes rare combination OF cir.
to make place thoroughly
gloomy"
The real estate agent began 10 ieel .
little uneasy. II the gentleman was crazy
and it certainly began to look little like
tit was no comfortable thing to be shut
up with him in solitary house. deep sunk
in aglen, with no nearer neighbsr Tor three
good miles than the owls and the foxes.
He put his hands in his pockets. asd drew
his head turtlewise down into his coat col
lar, as he sidled to the dosr.
"Hadn't We better be going?" asked
Mr.. Pratt.
"Nice big rooms" ssid the old gentle.
man, looking around. "Wide hall, with
plenty Of rooms for an oaksn settle, aud >
pair Of desr's antlsrs. Dear mel could
not have satisfied myself better Now il
could be certain Of ghost"
'Of vhatf' asked Mr. Pratt with .
lsrvous start IS small pisss q plaster
irsppsd With ! hollow ssssl u his feat
"You don't happen y kaow do you."
,aid the old gentlemsn ssldsnly 'buttop-
holing the agent, and speaking with sx.
Irems earnestness, "whether asy one ever
lied suddenly in this housss Or il there
svsr was murder committed hers?"
"No, sir, / do not" said Mr. Pratt. We.
hemently struggling to get away.
"Ah, well, it don't nattsr," said the old
gentleman. "Only l sasuld have liked .
ghost. You must know. my good friend,
that l am an author. wisla the gray
goose quill-he! he! he And il / could
oncs see genuine ghost, it w0aid be
quite like touching my pen to the live
,cals of the altar Don't you see?"
"Yss," faltsrsd Nj. Pratt, who did not
''see" at all. "But-but, nov. II you're
Nj ready psrhsps We had better be think.
ing about going"
Going" repeated the old gentleman,
whose face grew more satisfied a. the
room waxed darker, and tho rushing
stream outside seemed 10 makss louder
md sadddsr moan. ''But / am not going
1t ALL"
"Whstl" shouted the real estate agent.
why, there's no one in the house.
"Thats exactly what pleases me-" said
the old gentleman.
"Nor : stick OF furniture"
"That's where you are mistaken, my
friend" smiled the old gentleman. Il
have seens chair without back and Z
couple Of andirons in the chimney place.
there's plen,y Of decayed tree boughs
outside, and I've get the daily paper and
! box Of matches in my pocket. beside q
package Of sandwiches and : flask Of
double extra sherry. Ill kindle fire,
md sleep on my travelling shawl, in front
u the blaze Just exactly ~ il I Was camp
ing out--hal hal hai And tomorrow I'll
90 to the village and buy some furniture,
and engage carpenter and . gardener.
And in the meantime. my good friend.
you can 60 home. and draw up ave
years leass OF Dssperation Hall To Ger.
vaiss Draks 300 year tbiak yOu said
was you price e-fos 1t suits me exactly"
"Suits you, ehY,
X don't knew how my family will like
it. because they don't want me 10 msve;
they are partial 10 the city. They don't
care for the mysterious, and they have :
foolish dislike sf ghosts"
Most people have" observed the
agent. me seSes
"Butifthey don't like u, they must lump
it. said Mr.. Gervaise Drake. joyfully
rubbing hn hands. II will be master 10
ny own house. But psrhaps il may -
quits as well t. have the place patched up
. little before they sss il"