The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-10
A PHANTOM BRIDE.
By the Author of "ruE ICE CAR
NIVAL.n

lJlck MtIt so Sluplu 40 ~ N"II'0' ~
possible. She
"she cherished in maturity any such
delusionl' that hero iuterpolated qui.
city, che was not far of the truthl'
whereupOn Kittie grew crimson and
appealed to mamma whether IT was
fair of Dick to make fun of her, for the
general edlication.
Mamma contcnted herself by smiling
and reserving judgment the while she
filled small glasses rOund" with a de-
lectable and highly odoriferous dccoc.
ton which was STYLED ''lemon puuch,"
a celebrated brew for which the Vi
Garage was famous; but which the ma
ter declared to be only orthodox and
permissible on this good night of all
the year. II was none the less appreci-
ated on that account, however, and
when Dick. as privileged guest and
invalid. had drained his beaker and
passed il mp to the presiding llebe with
strict injunction5 that II was to be "a
bumper this time to make amends for
short measure in the last glass, the
general hilarity was at its height. Then
the rector closed his eyes and pretend
ed to he doing, in order possibly to es-
cape the necessity of putting peremp-
tory stop to the "chldren's talking non
sense whcreupon Dick forthwith re-
vertpd to the theory promulgated by
those reliable authorities, Carriers Tom
aud Bill, grlyely declaring that he was
disposed To coincide with their opin-
ions. and add the full force Of his per-
sonal testimony and convictions to the
at present somewhat vaguely supported,
belief in the existence of the Barnes
Common Wrath.
FOR I'm in position TO swear" he
concluded cmphatically, that we
Il az, a.
and no living thing passed us. How
then could the lleet-tOOted messenger
50 graphically described by Messrs.
Bill and Tom have been other than a
bOdilesS being. who mOmentarily elect
ed to adopt the female form divlne?"
"But. Dick. surely you don't believe
In ghosts in the nineteenth century,"
| questioned Nellie with a severely judic-
| ial air. Zone would think to hear you
talk you were silly brainlesS school
boy instead Of
"A sage and reflective man-about-
| town. interrupted her brother gravely,
sin position to acquire and retain all
| the latest and most important discover
| les of modern scientists and biologists,
| who prove facts so incredible that eN-
! nlodcd myths and so-called "fallaciesn
| sink by comparison into actual insight
| icancc i'm the scale of wonders and the
history of mnrvels."
"Wcll," began Edie with sagely re
Elective air; II don't see why we should
disbelicve in ellin creatures, for"
observe that Edie wisely eschews
the vulgar monosyllabic ghost! Kate
opined archly.
"Because ghost suggests the spirit
of n murdered creature" Edle eX-
planned with momentary accession of
! rnlpr .tuuI-N
"Why as to that interrupted Mel
lie in a voice savorng of triumph; you
know the story of the Barnes Common
Ghost does originate in the history OF a
haplcee r''lc girl who had her throat
cut IS q rowing pedlar mt Burnham
crossroads one Christmas Eve more
than twenty years ago. Ever since
when. the tale goes =,
"She re-appears on Christmas Eve,
Edlc finished hurricdly. But not ike
a remorsclcss vindictive ghost pursuing
the surviving relatives of the wicked
murderer: but in the guise of n fair
Christian spirit seeking to perform
some kindly action which may do pen.
anrc here on earth for the hapless soul
chained below, and ultimately assist IN
its lrliverance from the lowest depths
Of uurgatOry: where everyone knows
the souls of the damned writhe in red
hot irons, bound to fiery stakes for
thousand mortal years, unless by dim
of charitable deeds those who woult
fain interCede-'
"Edie! cannot listen to such non
spnspr' materfamilaS interrupted de
cisively. Papa is doing again, see
or he would put summary stop Il
such ridiculous conversation, and
must desire, Dick
That | throw some light on the pop
ular delusiOn. mother, respecting
ghosts, as BELTS time, place, and cir
cumstances on this suspicious Christ
mas eve? You shall forthwith b
obeyed, madam. and"
Go on, Dick. 20 on" urged Nellie
, drawing nearer and propping her elboN
on the table, that she might supper
her chin on the palm of her hand, an
thus catch in her o?cn mouth
seemed, the sapient words which fe
, from her brothers lips. DO You rea
: ~ believe in the Barnes Commo
Ghost, and"
, after the experiences of this henc,
forth ever memorable night. my chile
, how can | dOubtyn returned Die
q gravely. delighted at the opportunit
thus afforded him of turning his lal
adventures to admirable account, an
Z at the same time holding the little pa
u ty enthraled by a discussion of the o
thodoX calibre, ON Christmas Eve OF a
good nights. "Should ! not Otherwls
i prove myself the prince of sceptics, IL
) most profane of cynics, after so dire
Il manifestation of spiritual agencies
s behalf of my unworthy self? Edie hi
e unwittingly corroborated the eyiden
l. already before the court; the theory
Il the wrath of the murdered girl col
s cides q mcrreiHe with the united test
II mony of Tom and Bill, both of who
aver that the spectral messenger of dl
IL aster on this occasion was beautiful
II dream, clothed in flowing garments
s., spOtess white of so ETHEREAL q faDl
s. that they could with difficulty be di
n tinguishcd from the surrounding sno
1t and with flowing elin locks streami
ID in the wintry breeze; she dlsappeare
V. they assert, moreover. as mysterious
as she first crossed their path, wants
" ing into limbo, even as she was evolv
ii from space"
~ wonder, then" suggested Kate, t
IN most strongminded of the sisterho1
. forcing sharp hysterical laugh. I'll
he the carriers so unhesitatingly compIi
g. with the instructions OF this weird
70. tangible Icing? should have thong
m they would have shirked setting out
in such night, ON apostolic fool's-erral
Is, and
vs. mo! They declare there was son
nd thing irresistibly impressive in
creatures bearing; they felt constraiI
y; to obey her mandate, continued III
30 warming with his subject, and color
nd "according to fancy rs the photog
piers say; "and to hOoray on'ards
= al utH Ia a