The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-10-01
THE GROANING GHOST.

Some hve'and-thlrtY years ago,
when | was a young man, my faith
eriS business experienced Il sudden
and severe check. We were many
in family, and the expenses OF edu-
cation were heavy. 1t was necessa.
ry 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
retrenchment were our horses aud
carriages. For all these reasons We
resolved to move eastward 10 with
iu easy reach OF our place of busi-
ness. My brother and myself were
commissioned to find q suitable
house.
After IL long search we selected a
house that stood at the corner of Il
quiet, sober looking, very old fash
ioned square. Being the corner
house it was larger than tie other
houses, aud appeared just suited to
the wants of our family.
The next day | WAS lunching at
my chOp-houSe along wiki two or
three Hcquaintances.
"StilI houSe-hunting, DEMON n
said one OF these.
"No, thank heaven," | said.
"Ne've got in house at last. In
square"
'-square," echoed he, thought
fully. "Why,-sQuare is tile
Which number have you got u
"No. 45,' | said. He threw his
head back aud burst into fit of
laughter. The other men laughed
too. | looked from Que to another
for explanation.
"When you've done," SAID with
dignity.
"Why, don't you know" SAID my
friend, recovering his gravity, "No.
45-sguare is hauntedp | saw
the other men looking at me, SO |
put on a bold front.
GAS if every one didn't know
that" said l composedIy. He was
somewhat taken aback, buC return
ed to the charge.
"We'Il you'll have plenty OF com
nany there" he said. awe shall
have you appearing in the city with
tiue head of snow-whlte hair, ac-
quired in a siugle night. Poor old
boy p
"Don't you be afraid" | retorted.
"There are enough of us TO fIighten
any ghost. We shall crowd him
out"
"I1l bet you new hat you don't
stop there week" said he.
"Doue with yOu," said | prompt
ly. GAS often as you like. Any
one else want to bet ~
No one volunteered and the sub
iect dropped. But l was extremely
uncomfortable. In the course of
the afternoon | took my brother
aside and told him.
"Phew r. SAID he. "That explains
the low rent. But it's rather Sc
rious. The governor can't stand
anything of that sort. You know
how nervous lie is"
ayes, l know" said. sand 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 a myth If any one let's it out
to him. just you and l."
Alright" said be. "We have
taken the house and We can't afford
to loose the money. Besides, it's
such capital place."
The whole family we're to move
ia about three weeks time. We
had no difficulty in finding pre-
text for preceding them, aud it was
arranged that some OF the bedroom
furniture should be Immediately
sent in to our new domicile. We
we're going to sell most OF our turn
iture IN the West End House, and
the new furniture could be bought
Immediately, aud placed in No. 45.
So at about 10 o'clock one evening,
after a substantial dinner in town,
We let ourselves into our new abode
by means Of the key, aud took pos
session. A bright fire, lit by our
landlady, was blazing in the kitch.
en-. We bad a plentiful supply OF
vhiskey and tobacco, and We made