The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-08-27

so that we can tell him the story is a
myth, if any one lets it out to him
Just you and IT,
Right" said he. ave have taken
the house and we can't afford to lose
the money. Besides, it's such capital
place"
The whole family were about tc
move in about three weeks time. We
had no difficulty in finding a pretexl
for preceding them, and it was arraug
ed that some of the bedroom furniture
should be sent in to our new domicile
So one evening we took possession. A
bright fire, lit by our landlady, was
blazing in the kitchen. We made our.
selves comfortable with our slippers
and lounging coats, and prepared foi
night of it.
"Uncommonly comfortable, said
my brother approvingly. "Gad, the
old lady knows how to make fire =
"And what crate And a chin
ney as big as blast furnace. There
is nothing like one of these old fashion
ed kitchens for comfort" Ensconced
in our chimney corners we passed
the time luxuriously enough. w,
had made up our minds to SIT up al
night and show the ghost what man
ner of men he had to deal with.
Finally the fumes of the whiskey We
drank and the heat of their fire had
their inevitable effect and we began tc
doze.
do not know how long l had been
asleep, but l suddenly awoke with O
violent start. A cold shudder rar
through me from head to foot. l rose
and stretched myself and tried to fee
at my ease. But l could not. 1 touch.
ed my brother and he awoke.
"Halo !" he said. "What's the
matter =? Why, I've been asleep
What's the time 2
"Two o'clock" said I.
"Just the time for a ghost" said he
with unseemly levity. ado you know,
Will, l don't think he'll come here.
Ghosts are uncomfortable things and
don't like good fires. Get too much
of them where they are, l suppose.
Let's go and look for him."
"Anything for change" said I,
although the thought of perambulat-
ing that great lonely mansion in the
dead of night was anything but agree.
able. 81 am wide awake"
$50 am l., said he and taking up
the brass candlestick he went toward
the door. l followed him-close. We
passed along the passage, our stealthy
footballs making faint sound on the
uncarpeted floor We examined the
rooms on the ground floor. We heard
and saw nothing. We ascended the
stairs. Every individual stair creaked
horribly, but that was all. No ghost.
My brother suddenly opened the
door of bedroom on the first floor.
Instantly gust of air blew the candle
out. And as we stood there in the icy
cold we distinctly heard-a groan. 1t
was no fancy. 1t was long-drawn,
wailing moan of inexpressible horror
and pathos. 1t died away in a de-
spairing cadence. 1t seemed like the
sorrowful lament of soul in torment.
AS we stood there grasping each
others hands, with our hearts throb
bing in great pulsations, it came again
Oh. the horror of it 1t seemed to be
in the room and close to us. The cold
was deathly, the silence b,oken only
by that weird and awful moan. Once
more it rose and fell-and somehos \
or other the next moment we found
ourselves in the kitchen, with shaking
limbs and asheu faces, relighting oul
extinguished candle. Then we looked
at each other.
"That was no fancy, WILL" said my
brother.
"Fancy-no," l replied, my teetl
chattering in my head. "What arr
you going to do ?"
For my brother had relit the candI,
and was moving away.
"Im going to have another look, " h,
said.
"But, perhaps" l suggested, "the-
the ghost extinguishes the light
T'll give him another chance" salt
my brother coolly. "Come along, yo
chattering idiot" | was too shattel
ed to resent this unhattering descrip
tion,an with a quaking heart l follow
ed his foolhardy footsteps.
He examined the room carefully, bu
there was nothing to be seen, neithe
was there anything to be heard. S
we gave up the thing for that nigh
and went to bed.
AT noon that day / had TO run tn
gauntlet of my friends. And, I ar
bound to say l lied like Ananias. A
the day drew on grew more and NOR
uncomfortable, and | fairly dreade
the ordeal of the ensuing night.
was fine night, and we took a wal
around the square before turning il
The houses all looked cheerful wit
their bright lights. Ours alone Wa
bleak and gloomy. We agreed ths
at 2 o'clock precisely we would agai
visit the haunted room.
At the first stroke my brother ros
and took up the candle. | had pr,
vided myself with second candle O
my own account. We ascended tt
stairs and paused outside the haunte
chamber. My brother turned tt
handle, and the weird sound can
again. 1t rose and swelled and die
sorrowfully away. 1t was singularl
human. Yet it was beyond all d
scription unearthly. 1t was awful
stand there, waiting for the sound
come again. My matter-of-fact broth'
spoke.
"He's in good voice tonight" sai
he approvingly. "a bit hoarse, but
don't wonder at that. Still, l wis
he'd try another key. He's been
this long enough. And he might g
himself tuned-hush /" quite expee
ed some supernatural visitation to +
buke this ill-timed levity. None cam
My brother, having politely waited u
til the ghost had finished, began agsir
"All these groans are exactly alike
he said, considering. That's odd, Isl
it7 Will, III tell you what. II
ghosts up the chimney" Once mo
the sound came as though to confr
his words. And it certainly did a
pear to proceed from the region of I