The Columbus journal., 1886-10-27
GROANING GHOST.

GROANlNG GHOST.
Some five-and-thirty years ago. when
Twas a young man, my fathers busl-
ness experienced a sudden and severe
check. We we're many in family. and
the expenses of education were heavy.
II was necessary to retrench. MY
fathers place of business lay in the
heart of the city. We had to keep
horses, if only to take myself and my
father to and from the city. The most
important articles in our scheme OF re-
trenchment were our horses and car
riaees. For all these reasons We re-
aol1ed 10 move eastward to within easy
reach of our place OF business MY
brother and myself were commissioned
to find q suitable house.
After a long search we selected
house that stood at the corner OF quiet,
sober-looking. very Old-fashioned square.
Being the corner house 1t was larger
than the other houses, and appeared
lust suited to the wants of our family.
The next day was lunching at my
usual chop-house along with two or
three acquaintanccs. 40 .,
Still house-hunting, Denion?" said
..No. thank heaven" said.- .'We've
got house at last. In - square"
.-sq square," echoed he. thought
fully. "Why square is the -.
Which number have you got?'
mo. 45," said. He threw his head
back and burst into a fit of laughter:
The other men lauged. too. I looked
from one to another for explanation.
.Whcn you've DONE" said l with
:Wiy, don't you know" said my
friend, recovering his gravity. mo. 45
IS square is hauntcd?' l saw the
other men looking ut me. SO put on q
bold front
"As if every cne didn't know that"
said compoSedly. He was somewhat
taken aback, hut returned TO the charge
.Well, you'll nave plenty OF COM
many there" he said. I'VE shall have
YOU appearing in the city with @ fine
head of snow-white hair. acquired in
single night Poor old boy!'
..Don't you he afraid" l retOrted.
There are enough of us to frighten any
ghost. We shall crowd him out.
Il bet you a new hat you don't stop
there a week." said he.
..Done with you." said l promptly.
'.As often as you like. Any one else
want to bet?"
No one volunteered and the subject
dropped. But l was extremely uncOm-
Portable. In the course of the after
noon took my brother aside and told
him.
..Phew!'' said he THAT explains
the low rent. But it's rather serious.
The governor can't stand anything Of
the sort. You know how nervous he is. "
"Yes, KNOW" l said. '.And it
strikes me that the best thing we can
do Is to move into the house ourselves,
so we can tell him the story is myth
if any one lets it out to him. just you
and l."
Right" said he. I'VE have taken
the house and We can't afford to lose
the money. Besides. it's such capital
place"
The whole family were to move in
about three weeks time. We had no
difficulty in finding a pretext for pre-
ceding them, and it was arranged that
some of the bedroom furniture should
be Immediately sent in to our new
domicile. We were going to sell most
of our furniture in our West End house,
and the new furniture could DO bought
Immediately. and placed in No. 45. So
at about 10 o'clock one evening. after
q substantial dinner in town, We LEI
ourselves into our new abode by means
of the kew, and took possession. A
bright fire. lit by our landlandy. was
blazing in the kitchen. We had q
plentiful supply of whisky and tobacco
and we made ourselves comfortable Will
our slippers and lounging coats. and
prepared for night of it.
.'Uncommonly comfortable" said my
brother, approvingly. Cad. the Ole
lady knows how to make fire.
.'And what CRATE! And chimney
a. big as a blast-furnace. There i:
nothing like one of these old-fashionee
kitchens for comfort" Ensconced II
our chimney corners We passed th'
time luxuriously enough. We hat
made up our minds to sit up all nigh
and show the ghost what manner o
men he had to deal with.
We'll take the ghost by the horns,
said my brother. Il only hope VI
shan't have to take the devil by his.
Twas not quite SO complacent, for ! in
herited something of my fathers nerv
GUS temperament However. l hat
company, and there was Dutch courag
in the whisky bottle, 50 kept up ;
stout heart We were very cheerful
and light-hearted at first We talke'
over various boylsh escapades; W
criticised the characters of our friend
and relations; we got the fidgets; "
found we could not smoke forever with
out burning our mouths. Finally tn
fumes of whisky and the heat of tn
fire had their inevitable effect and "
began to doze.
lido not know how long had beel
asleep, but I suddenly awoke with
violent start A cold shudder ri
through me from head to foot l ha'
an indefnable sensation of somethin
strange and terrible rose an
stretched myself and tried to feel at m
easy. But could not. touched IN
brother and he awoke.
..Hello!" he said. whats the ma,
ter? Why. I've been asleep! What
the timer"
1.-TWO O'clock" said /.
Just the time for q ghost" said b
with unsccmly levity. '.Do You know
Will, l don't think he'll come here
Ghosts are uncomfortable things an
~ don't like good fires Get too much 9
them where they are, suppose. Let
20 and look for him."
''Anything for change" said l. a
though the thought of perambulatin
thst great lonesome mansion in th
dssA Of night was anything but agret
Sble, Il am wide awake"