Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-06
SECRETARY LAMAR's GHOST.
A Blood OurdiInZ story by a Cabinet
OfiCer
From fhs Chicago Ne,os

WASHINGTON, Dec. 81 -One raw, rainy
evening not long ago at the home Of one
OF our new Cabinet officers was gathered
a social party of friends, and among them
Secretary Lamar. The Seeretary's Won
derful gallantry to the ladies and his
charming powers of conversation have
already become s. matter OF national
note, but it is likely that not many times
in Washington has his storytelling art
come more wildly to the fore than on that
same raw, rainy evening. 1t was just
after dinner, when every one was heavy
and needed something that might stir
them up, for no one teltlike talking. They
had gathered around the parlor CRATE.
The Secretary sat herewith his long
hair and long hgure and long fingers
musing at the embers.
what you thinking of, Mr.. Lamar ?"
lisped the baby OF the family, as she
looked in his face with big, round eyes
and softly stroked his sleeve.
He turned TO her with a kindly smile
and, lifting her into his lap, said: Think
ing of you, my little one"--she is great
pet OF this versatile ecretary-''thinking
of YOU and what / could do to make you
happy"
MAKE me happy? Tell a story" she
said.
"Ten storyl' he said. Then every
one laughed, for there were many there
whom he never had met before, and no
one thought he would do 1t. "W hat kind
of a story ?'
''Ghost story" she said.
So it was arranged. A ghost story it
should be, and for the next half hour the
Secretary of the Interior reeled of such
weird and altogether blOod-curdling
string OF witchery as held the entire par
lortul of people epellbOund. He led them
through long, dark Railways and up dis
NAL backstairs, past creaking doors and
over shiVering rafters, until eYerybody's
hair stood up on end, and just as the last
gust of ghostly air had bTeathed through
imaginary cracks upon their terror
stricken faces he let them down so plump
and fiat in one grand ridiculous
finale that the roomful of people took one
united long breath ofrelief and then burst
out in appeal Of uprOariOus laughter.
And this is the tale as he told 1t. 1t
was all about a haunted house, of course.
"Wel, my little girl said he, "Pll tell
you what happened to me once when l
was poor, poor young lawyer away
down South in a littletown in Tennessee.
It's real true story, too, and all about
ghosts and dreadful things, but you'll
promise not to be frightened. Wont you,
now? Well, now, that's right, and this is
the way it happened: There was a man
in our town who had house, great big,
rickety building, right in the heart of the
town, but he couldn't get anybody to go
and live in it, for it was full of
most fearful, fearful noises, and
every one said it was haunted. You know
what it is to be haunted. That is, there
were spirits in it, and all times of the day
and night, but most often right in the
broad daylight, their shrieks and screams
could be heard, until very few people dared
togo near it. Men had been through it with
lanterns at night, and had held their
breath with fear at the terrible cries of
human agony that pierced their ears, but
they never could ind what did 1t, and so
the tenants had all moved out, and the old
block stood almost deserted-shunned
and awe-inspiring. One day the landlord
came to me and said:
"Say, Lamar,'-he knew l was a poor
young lawyer, you see. You know what
a poor young lawyer is? IT you don't.
may be your papa knows, and may be
some time he'll tell you. But anyway,
the landlord said to me: Say, Lamar, il
you'll just go into that old block of mine
and take an Office there and make it your
headquarters, and prove to the people
that there is anything in all this ghost
business, I'll give you the rent for moth
ing
"Nothing was something to me in those
days, and so said I'd do it. ] wasn't
afraid of ghosts-Oh, no, not 1. So /
moved my desk and law books in and
hung my shingle on the outer WALL.
@. 9. Lamar, Attorney at Law as big as
Cuffy and twice as grand. Well, the
noises ceased. l began to think there
was nothing in it, J. lived there several
days and never heard yell. l went to
bed at night and woke up happy in the
morning and began to get client or two.
One night l drew my lounge from against
the wall, put on my bright red slippers,
and sat down before the fireplace 10 snooze
and dream and snOOze. | had just drop
ped into a dOZe when l heard a far-away
groan-a deep and dismal, awful grOan,
far away and indistinct.
"Upon my word,' said l 20 myself, 81
believe they're here at last Then
strained my ears and listened hard. but
no sound came save the squealing of the
rats as they ratified and chased one
another up and down between the walls.
/ had just cOiled my bright red slippers
again on the chair beside the hearth and
lowered my head on my hand for a nap
when there came from out the gloom be-
hind me a shrek 50 shrill and perfectly
deathly that lsprang to my feet with a
bound and seized hold OF my hair with
both hands TO keep it from rising right off
nv heart and lighted a lamp and
determined to take look
around. J opened the door into
the hallway, and felt the chill air OF the
damp March night upon my heated fore
head. | shaded the lamp with my hand
and peered out, and heard the most de-
moniac peals Of laughter and the clatter
OF feet, as Of some one dancing UP and
down away of somewhere IN the dark
ness. | went out with my lamp in nv
hand and followed the windings of the
hall, past dark and empty rooms, and
every now and then the lamp would
flicker aud 60 out, and just about then il
was "lways heard the noise repeated.
elm. up TO the top Of the building. and
on reaching the landing at the head of the
last stairs my lamp went out in a gust
Of wind and heard the yell again. Then
there was a great grooming and a great
laughing, and almost decided to 20 back
/ moved about ten feet in the darkness
and found myself tumbling down what /
discovered to be another flight of stairs
leading up from another entrance TO the
building. My broken lamp chimney made
a shiyering, crashing racket as IL ratified
down the stairs, there came a sharp,
quick fash Of light before my eyes, and /
found myself sprawled at full length before
an open door In which stood man in a
dressing gown looking inquiringly out,
with a pair of forceps in his hand, in
which he held large back tooth, reeking
with human blood. I looked within and
saw patient IN chair. The man with