The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1886-05-29
Lady Ellington.

"Is there anything the matter, Flo?
Speak! Tell me! Why are all the win.
dows lighted up, and the house-door
open, and you running into the road to
meet me? Why. child, you can hardly
answer"
ooh, father. am afraid some one
has been trying to rob MS. Susan
thinks it was ghost 1t is she who has
put candles in all the rooms to keep
the ghost away she says"
"a ghost! What nonsenser' exclaimed
Mr.. Michael Arlington. drawing his
daughters hand within his arm. Now,
Florence, tell me what really occurred"
Yes, father, answered she. This
is what happened: About half-past five
O'Clock Susan came into the sltting-room
to carry away the tea-tray, and she says
that she saw a lady bending over the
davenport which stands unused i'll the
corner, seemingly irving to open it. At
first. though startled. Susan thought
the lady was visitor whom [ had
brought i'll. rs [ was then in the garden;
but when the intruder perceived that
there was some one looking ut her she
gave n scream, drew veil over her face,
and fled ont Mt the window, which was
wide open. There really must have
been somebody there, father. What
could she want 2"
"How can I tell" returned Mr..
Arlington. and his daughter thought he
was disturbed by this unusual incident
Yet she was very sure that he was not
believer III ghosts.
On reaching the house Susan was
called and questioned The old servant
was still III a great state of excitement
The lady was deadly pale" she assev-
Grated "wth large. hollow eyes, and
screamed b, fore vanishing"
Come, come. Susan; she ran out on
the lawn, didn't she? That was not
vanishing .feanrned Mr.. Arlington.
But Susan was persi stent about the
vanishing. and despite her masters
injnnctions, The whole village, ay resi-
dents far beyond the village, soon heard
of the Laurel Cottage ghost and
amongst others, Mr.. Cecil Lauton-Sr
Bertram Lauton's heir.
Il will tell yon what, uncle" said the
young man; Iii the ghost is trouble
some l shall make acquaintance with
Mr.. Arlington, and offer my services III
laying the spirit. One ought to help
ones neighbor i'll such crisis"
MY dear boy, Mr.. Arlington can
hardly be called Il neighbor; he lives mt
least dozen miles off, you know said
the uncle
"All the same, l should like to trap
his ghost ttr INN, rejoin,d Cecil.
1t was the beginning of April when
the rumor of the ghost at Laurel Cot
tage was first spread abroad Toward
the end OF this month tins rumor was
confined III an extraordinary manner.
Flo was in the sitting-room alone Just
as 1T WAS getting dusk; she had Just
come down stairs, and was Going to
write letter. when something brushed
by her i'll the gloom, and before she
recovered from her alarm, she saw a
darkrobel figure fly from the apartment.
By the time the young lady regained
her presence of mind and pursued her
strange visitor, no. trace or sound OF
her could he seen.
"Who can it be, father ?" said Flor
ence. almost i'll tears. Il am afraid to
be III the house now without you"
Il am puzzled too. my dear child"
replied MIR Arlington. docs Susan
know OF this?"
"Yes, father; for / was startled, and
called ont, and ran toward the kitchen.
am afraid Susan will tell everybody, as
she did before"
Florence was right in her conjecture !
In dav or two all the world around
Laurel Cottage had heard of the re-
appearance Of the - siost" !
Cecil Iauton was new determined to !
90 something To unravel the mystery:
SO ne begged Il friend Of his living not