The Republican journal., 1885-05-21
A TRANSFERRED GHOST.
4 STORY OF LOVE IN1ERMIXED WITH THE
SUPERNATURAL.
BY FRANK H. STOCKTON.


were hosky shades at several points. and
not far from the house there was little
iii spanned by a rustic bridge with the
bark on; there were fruits and flowers,
pleasant people, chess, billiards, rides,
walks and fishing. These were great at
fractions, but none of them, nor all of
them together, would have been sutfici
ent to hold me to the place very long.
had been invited for the trout season,
but should, probably, have finished my
| ISL early in the summer had it not been
tAat upon fair days, when the grass was
| dry. and the sun was not too hot and
there was hut little wind, there stroled
Aeneath the lofty elms, or passed lightly
through the bosky shades the form Of my
Madeline
This lady was not, in very truth, my
Madeline. She had never given herself
to me, nor had |, in any way, acquired
| possession of her. But as | considered
Der possession the only sufficient reason
for the continuance of my existence,
called her, IN my reveries, mine. ! would
not have been obliged to contine the use
of this possessive pronoun to my reveries
| bad | confessed the state of my feelings
| to the lady.
But this was an unusually difficult
thing to do. Not only did dread, as al
most all lovers dread, taking step which
| would III an instant put an end to that
| delightful season which may be termed
| the ante lnterrogatory period OF love, and
| which might al the same time terminate
| AL intercourse or cOnnecllOn with the OBJ
| lect OF my passion but was also dread
fully afraid of John Hinckman. This gen
| tleman was a good friend of mine, but it
would have required bolder man than
was at that time to ask him for the gift of
his niece, who was the head of his house
| hold, and, according to his own frequent
statement, the main prop of his declining
Years. Had Madeline acquiesced IN my
general views on the subject, | might
have felt encouraged to open the matter
| to Alr. llnckman; but, as | said before,
| had never asked her whether or not she
would be mine. | thought of these things
at all hours ot the day and night, partic-
ularly the latter.
| was lying awake one night. in the
great bed in my spacious chamber, when,
| 10y the dim light of the new moon, which
| partially filled the room, saw John
Hlnckman standing by large chair near
| the door. | was very much surprised at
| this for two reasons. In the first place.
! my host had never before come into my
| room: and in the second place, he had
| gone from home that morning, and had not
| expected to return for several days. 1t
WAS for this reason that had been able
| that evening to sit much later than usual
| with Madeline on the moonliJ porch. The
| figure Was certainly that of John HiDck-
man in his ordinary dress, but there was
| Vagueness and indistinctness about it
| which presently assured me it was a
| ghost. Had the good old man been mur-
dered? ? and had his spirit come to tell
me OF the deed, and to contide to me the
| protection OF bis dear-g My heart tlut-
tered at what | was about to think, but
at this instant the figure spoke. "Do you
know" he said, with countenance that
| indicated anxiety, If Mr.. Hinckman will
| return tonight 2
| thought it necessary to maintain a
calm exterior, and | answered,
we do not expect him.
Il am glad of that, said he, sinking in
| to the chair by which he stool. During
| the two Years and half that have in
| bablted this house that man has never
| been away for single night. Iou can't
| imagine the relief it gives me-
As he spoke he stretched out his legs,
and leaned back in the chair. His form
| became less vague, and the colOrs of his
garments more distinct and evident,
while an expression OF gratitied reliet sue
ceed to the anxiety Of his countenance.
Two years and halfn exclaimed, Il
do not understand you.
1T is fully that length of time, said the
| ghost, since first came here. Mine is
not an ordinary case. But before | say
anything more about it, let me ask you
again if you are sure Mr. Hinckman will
not return tonight
Il am as sure Of it as | can be of any
thing | answered. He left to-day for
Bristol, 200 miles away
Then | will 90 on said the ghost,
for | am glad to have the opportunity of
talking to some one who will listen to
me but if John Hinckman should come
in and catch me here, should be frigh-
tened out of my wits
| This is all very strange said, great
| ly puzzled by what had heard Are
you the ghost of Mr.. Hnckman p
This was a bold question, but my
mind was SO full of other emotions that
there seemed to be no room for that of
fear.
Yes, am his ghost my companion
replied, and yet have no right to be-.
| And this is what makes me so uneasy,
and so much afraid of him. 1t is strange
story, and, truly believe, without pre-
cedent Two years and half ago, John
1inckman was dangerously i'll in this
very room. At one time he was so far
gone that he was really believed to be
dead. 1t was in consequence of too pre-
cipitate a report in regard to this matter
that | was, at that time, appointed to be
his ghost. Imagine my surprise and hor-
ror, sir, when, after had accepted the
position and resumed its responsibilities,
that old man revived, became GONZALES
cent, and eventually reganed his usual
health. My situation was now one of
extreme deicacy and embarrassment. |
had no power to return to my original
unembOdiment, and had no right to be
the ghost of a man who was not dead. |
was advised by my friends to quietly
maintain my position, and was assured
that, as John Hinckman was an elderly
man, it could not be long before | could
rightfully assume the position for which
| had been selected. But tell you, sir,
he continued with animation, the old
fellow seems as vigorous as ever, and |
have no idea how much longer this an
noying state OF things will continue.
spend my time in trying to keep out OF
this old mans way. I must not leave
this house, and he seems to follow me
everywhere. tell you, sir, he haunts
me-
That is truly queer state of things,
| remarked. But why are you afraid OF
him He couldn't hurt YOU
'Of course he couldn't said the ghost
But his very presence is shock and
terror to me. Imagine, sir, how you
| would feel if my case were yours