Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-13
A FASCINATING GHOST.

u AUVAAtA AlVL VAVHS "a
''WANTED-A young gentleman who knows
how to spell and who writes good hand, to do
copying in the country for two or three months.
Must remain in employers house. Address, in
own hand stating what salary is expected, Y,
this office"
This was an advertisement cut out of
the Eeening Post one spring afternoon.
For half an hour had stood the vocifer-
Gus offerings of Fourth Editions" and
Extras" without number, and for half an
hour sheets of various political complex
ions had been thrust under my nose with
out effect, for | had been out of employ
ment so long that my stock of money was
nearly exhausted, and it had been good
many days since l had allowed myself the
luxury of paper. But, at last, | was
over-persuaded by very small but re-
markably pertinaeious newsboy, and for
fear of other temptations put the paper
hastily in my pocket and went home.
In the old days | had been bookkeeper
for the late concern of Simpson & Co.,
and while with them l had been getting a
good salary, and, to my sorrow be it said,
lived pretty well up to it, so as l made
nothing by the failure of the concern, and
lost my place as well, | had to come down
very low. / had saved little. more by
good luck than from forethought, and this
little, used with the strictest economy, and
added to by few pounds made here and
there in odd ways, was all that had kept
me alive for eighteen months. However,
| didn't feel quite disposed to go to the
dogs yet, for there was always a chance of
something turning up in great city.
As | looked around the room that even
ing l realized how bare it was of either
furniture or adornments; how unlike-ah,
well, there was my paper; and | unfolded
1t with all the glee of a child over a new
story-book. There was, of course, the usual
political news, the usual number of rail-
way accidents and criminal proceedings !;
there were items of interest to investors
and theater-goers and travellers, but moth
ing for me. ] had no money to invest, or
for theaters or travelling. So | skipped all
that and went on to the advertisements,
and the only one of them worth reading
twice was
WANTED-A young gentleman who knows
how to spell, and who writes good hand, to do
copying in the country for two or three months.
Must remain in employers house. Address, in
own hand, stating what salary is expected, Y,
this Office.
| read it two or three times, and then de-
cided it was worth trying. So hunted up
sheet of paper, and addressed \ as follows:
lfy dear Mr.. Mrs, or Mss X: notice your
advertisement in to-day's issue of the Eueninq
Post. My handwriting you can see for yourself.
My spelling, think, is usually correct and there
is no doubt l am gentleman. As to salary
don't know what to say-I don't wish to value
my services at more than they're worth. Should
you mean by remain in employers house -
that would be boarded and lodged at your ex-
pense, my price-that is, asking price-is one
JAMES W woLcoTr.
The next afternoon / heard from my
friend X, who proved to be man. His
letter ran thus:
James ~. Holcoh, Esq.-MY DEAR SIR: You
may be a gentleman, write good hand, and
know how to SPELL but YOU re a fool inclose
the A. NJ. train tomorrow morning from the
Central station, and when you arrive at --,
ask for my carriage, as it will be there to meet
you. Your. etc, Sol. HUMPHREYS.
Sol. Humphreys the last man in the
world l would voluntarily have written to,
and for employment, too Two years be-
fore | had a very nice little Irritation with
pretty Mabel Humphreys, and it had gone
so far that if the crash in my affairs had
not occurred, | believe there might have
been an understanding, if not an engage
ment. But, as it was, put away all
thoughts of love and love-making, and
dropped pretty Mabel very suddenly, with
out any kind of an understanding. and
had not seen her since. And now to think
had fairly got myself into it again But,
reflected, | might not see much of Mabel
after all. So much the better. Bread and
butter was a necessity, and | would go and
make the best of it.
Thr next morning | caught the train,
but missed my breakfast, and by the time
/ reached the house / was decidedly hun
cry.
Mr.. Humphreys met me at the door, and
| was pleased to see he dId not seem to re-
member me at all. He put up his eye
glasses and inspected me from head to foot.
$50 you're James w. Wolcott, are you,
young man?'
told him he was not mistaken.
always had that name-born with it, be-
ieved
"And You think you're a gentleman ?''
begged his pardon-didn't think any
thing about it; it was self-evident fact.
The old fellow grinned. Suppose you
come in and have some breakfast. You
haven't had any, | SUPPOSE"
said l had not.
well, come in and have some"
After breakfast Mr.. Humphreys led the
way into the library, and motioned me to
take chair, while he explained what my
work was to be. He had been writing a
history, or textbook of ferns-he was an
enthusiastic botanist-and wanted il copied
for press. The work of rewriting the
whole thing legibly was more than he
wished to undertake, so he had advertised
for an amanuensis.
After this had been explained to me,
MIR. Humphreys started up. "Get your
hat, Mr.. Wolcott | want to show you
about"
All through the house and all over
the place he took me, and when he got
10 the farther extremity of the grounds
ne paused, and pointing to huge house
beyond, said: "Pm trying TO buy that
house; Pm very anxious to buy that
house. but my daughter objects"
! asked him why she objected.
Well, you see, it hasn't been occupied
lately, and she says its gloomy; says it's
haunted, and she wouldn't like to live in
it.n
Miss Humphreys can't really believe
that to be true" answered
] don't know whether she does or not.
She's away now, but she'll be at home to-