St. Landry democrat., 1885-03-07
JIMMY BROWN.
He Tells Story About Ghosts, Mr. Mar
tin and the Baby.

stories. Mr.. TraverS told about an aW-
full ghost that used to live in an old
house where one of Mr.. Travers' friends
lived. It was tall, thin woman-ghost,
with her hair>all down, and dressed in
white nightgown. She used to come
iuto room in the middle of the night
with rope in her hand, and she would
look all around until she found a good
place to hang herself, and then she
would put the rope round her neck
and hang just as if she was dead, and
the man that saw her would faint away,
and when he woke up in the morning
she would be gone.
One night a young man, who was a
book agent, and wasn't afraid of any
thing, slept in the haunted house. Well,
in the middle of the night the ghost came
in, and looks around for a nail to hang
herselfto. The young man said: Good
self, I see. Let me help you" So he
helps the ghost put the rope around her
neck; but instead of hanging her, he
ties the rope to the bed-post so she can't
get away, and then he lights lamp and
reads to her out of book that he tells
every respectable ghost ought to buy.
The ghost stood it awhile, and then
she begged and implored him to stop.
So he kindly and atfectionately pointed
out to her that she had no right to go and
hang herself in other peoples houses,
and that if she'd promise never to do it
again he'd let her go, but if she didn't,
he'd read the whole book to her, and it
had mornamillion pages. Well, the
ghost promised, and the young man let
her go, only he kept the rope, and no.
body ever saw her again. Mr.. Travers
says he saw the rope himself, which
proves that the story is true.
went to bed pretty late that night,
and woke up about twelve o'clock
dreaming of ghosts. I wasn't a bit
frightened, though ! was a little nerV-
Gus, just as Sue is when she thinks she
hears burglars; but was afraid mother
might be frightened, SO | thought
would go into her room and tell her it
was all right, and nobody would hurt
her.
My littlest sister and the baby sleep
in the same room with mother, and the
first thing saw was the baby hanging
from the head of my sisters bed. This
almost frightened me, for thought the
baby had got up in the night and COM
mitted suicide. So / called mother as
loud as I could and she sat right up,
holding another baby in her arms.
This made me sure that the baby hang
ing to the bed-post was q ghost, and
then | admit l was frightened After
awhile found out that it was made of
rubber, with a loud squeak in it, and
was meant for Christmas present.
The rubber baby was just about the
size of a real one, and I could hardly
tell it from our real baby, only it made
less noise Christmas morning we all
had our presents, and had a good time
over them. My ittlest sister would
take her baby to church with her, only
mother found it out, and hid it under
her coat, where it squeaked every time
mother kneeled down or stood up.
MIR. Martin came to dinner Christ
mas-day, and spent the evening with us.
He was very good-humored and
brought me a knife, and forgave him
everything He was very pleasant to
mother, and said he did so want to see
the baby. After dinner we all went
into the parlor, where it was rather
dark, for one of the lamps didn't burn
very well till it was turned up. Mr..
Martin dropped into a big chair, and
sat very quiet, thinking, as he said,
only believe he was more than half
asleep.
Mother had gone upstairs to see the
baby, but presently she came down,
and said to Sue: ''Where or earth is
the baby it isn't in the nursery Susan
do you know anything about it?'' Mr..
Martin said, very politely: Whats
that? Baby missing? I'll find him for
YOU. And with that Mr.. Martin gets
up and turns around, and gives a most
dreadful yell. There was baby lying
on the chair just as still as if it was
dead. Mr.. Martin was sure that some
body had left our baby in the chair, and
that he had sat on it and smashed it,
and of course he supposed he would
have to be hung, and that father and
mother would be offended with him.
Then mother and Sue they shrieked aa
if mouse was after them, and rushed
to pick the baby up, and found that it
was the rubber baby, and that it wasn't
hurt bit, except that the squeak was
spoiled. Just then the nurse brought
the real baby in out of the kitchen, and
everybody was happy again.
That is, everybody but Mr.. Martin.
He got angry, and said he knew it was
one of that boys infamous tricks, and
he took his hat and went home; but |
never put the rubber baby in the chair,
and I don't care what he says
HGrper'S Young PEG ie.
Bakers Molasses Cookies. Two cups