The Republican journal., 1885-05-21
could not imagine such thing at all,
[ simply shuddered.

There is in him an irascibility of temper
accompanied by facility of invective,
which is seldom met with. And what
would happen if he were to see me, and
find out, as | am sure he would, how
long and why had inhabited his house,
| can scarcely conceive. | have seen him
in his bursts OF passion and, although
he did not hurt the people he stormed at
any more than he would hurt me, they
seemed to shrink before him.
All this | knew to be very true. Had
it not been for this peculiarity of Mr..
Hinchman, might have been more will
ling to talk to him about his neice.
4 feel sorry for you,' | said, for real
ly began to have sympathetic feeling
toward this unfortunate apparition. Your
case Is indeed hard one 1t reminds
me of those persons who have bad doub-
les, and suppose man would often be
very angry indeed when he found that
there was another being who was persO-
mating himself.
oh the cases are not similar at all,
said the ghost. a double or dopple-
ganger lives on the earth with a man J;
and, beirg exactly like him, he makes all
sorts of trouble OF course. 1t is very diff
feTent with me. | am not here to live
with Mr.. Hinckman. | am here to take
his place. Now, it would make John
Hinckman very angry if he knew that.
Don't you know it would ??
| assented promptly.
Now that he is away can be easy
for a little while continued the ghost ;
and | am so glad of having an oppor-
tunlty of talking to You. | have fire.
quently come into your room and watch
ed you while you slept, but did not dare
to speak to you for fear that if you talked
with me Mr.. Hlnckman would hear you.
and come into the room to know why you
were talking to yourself
But would he not hear you :" asked.
'Oh, no = said the other; there are
times when anyone may see me, but no
one hears me except the person to whom
| address myself
But why did you wish to speak to
me ? | asked.
Because, replied the ghost, i like
occasionally to talk to people, and es-
pecially to some one like Yourself, whose
mind is so troubled and perturbed that
you are not likely to be frightened by a
visit from ole of us. But ! particularly
wanted to ask you to do Inc IA favor.
There is every probability, 50 far Us
can see, that John Hinckman viii live a
long time, and my situation is becoming
insupportable. My great object at pres
ent is to get myself transferred, and
think that you may. perhaps, be of use
to me-
Transferred ! exclaimed, what do
yon mean by that 2
What mean said the other. lis this
Now that have started on my career |
have got to be the ghost of somebody,
and | want to be the ghost of a man who
is really dead.
Il should think that would be easy
enough | said, Opportunities must
continually occur
Not at all not at all = said my com
panion quickly. You have no idea what
IA rush and pressure there is for sit
uations of this kind. Whenever a va
cancy occurs, if may express myself in
that way, there are crowds of applicants
for the ghostship,'
Il had no idea that such state Of
things existed, | said, becoming quite
interested in the matter. There ought
to be some regular system, or order of
precedence, by which you could ali take
your turns like customers in a BARRIERS
shop
ooh, dear, Inat would never do at all.'
said the other. Some of us would have
to wait forever. There is always a great
rush whenever good ghostShip offers it
self-while, as you know, there are some
positions that no one would care for.
And it was in consequence OF my being
i'll too great a hurry on an occasion Of
the kind that | got myself into my pres
ent disagreeable predcament, and have
thought that it might be possible that
you would help me out of it. 1ou might
know OF case where an opportunity for
ghostship was not generally expected,
but which might present itself at any
moment. If you would give me a short
notice, | know | could arrange for a
transfer
What doy you mean 2 exclaimed. DO
you want me to commit suicide? Or to
undertake a murder for your benefit?'
'Oh, no, no, no.. said the other, with
vapory smile. Il mean nothing Of that
kind. To be sure, there are lovers who
are watched with considerable interest,
such persons having been known, in mo-
ments of depression, to offer very desir-
able ghostships; but did not think Of
anything Of that kind in connection with
you. You are the only person | cared to
speak to, and | hoped you might give me
some information that would be of use
and, in return, | shall be very glad to
help you in your love affair.
You seem to know that have such an
affair." said.
'Oh, yesn replied the other, with lit
tie yawn i could not be here so much
as have been without knowing all about
that
There was something horrible in the
idea Of Madeline and myself having been
watched by a ghost, even, perhaps, when
we wandered together in the most de-
lightful and bosky places. But. then,
this was quite an eXceptionable ghost,
aud | could not have the objections to
him which would ordinarily arise in re-
gard to beings Of his class.
Il must go now said the ghost, rising
'but | will see you somewhere tomorrow
night. And remember-you help me and
I'll help YOU
had doubts the next morning as to
the propriety Of telling Madeline any
thing about this interview, and soon con-
vinced myself that must keep silent on
the subject. If she knew there was
ghost about the house she would probab-
ly leave the place instantly. | did not
mention the matter, and 50 regulated my
demeanOr that | am quite sure that Mad
cline never suspected what had taken
place. For some time had wished that
Mr. Hinckman would absent himself for
a day at least from the premises. In
such case thought might more easily
nerve myself up to the point of speaking
to Madeline on the subject of our future
collateral existence: and, now that the
opportunity for such speech had really
occurred, | did not feel ready to avail
myself of it. What would become of me
if she refused me
| had an idea, however, that the lady
thought that if | was going to speak at
all this was tho time. She must have
known that certain sentiments were
atioat within me, and she was not un-
reasonable in her wish to see the matter
settled one way or the other. But did
not feel like taking a bold step in the
dark. If she wished me to ask her to
give herself to me she ought to offer me
some reason to suppose that she would