Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-15

tortably in his chair.
"You win not. Rumor has it that in your
earthly days you were gallant gentleman,
the very pink of courtesy. put it to you, do
you think it quite honorable for you thus to
enter, unlimited, into lady's bedcharber at
midnight? Would any but the most immoral
of ghosts thus conduct themselves VIII you
go peaceablyF
More working of the spectral jaws
"You'll not goa But say you SHALL There
is Cunard steamer to sail from Boston the
| day after tomorrow; if You mount upon
| some farmers wagon you can go to Piym-
outh, and there take the train for Boston.
Though the steamers are very full this sum-
mer. there'n be room for you; perhaps you'll
| find an Alden there! l give you just three
days grace. If you do not go home volun-
tarily viii compel you to leave. All, you
sneerl You think It's a weak woman's
threat Sir Rufus, when you dwelt in this
colony priests were below par; in fact
doubt if there was even one in this most Pu-
ritan of commonwealth Now, however, the
pendulum Of time has traversed its arc and
reached the other extreme II you appear
here even once next week I will have you
exorcisedl All, that startles you! Yes, know q
young man, enthusiastic in all medieval lore,
who had Just entered holy orders; nothing
will more delight him than to come here,
laden with all legendary lore, and at the
solemn hour Of midnight, with bell, book and
candle. he will not only curse you and lay
you, but summon up the shade Of your dead
hest foe and send him after you"
AT that instant, to my vexation, tiny ray
Of daylight shot up in the east, and every
rooster on the place began to crow his loudest.
OF course the ghost disappeared.
While we were taking our breakfast the
next morning, told Maria all about my in
terview with Sir Rufus: her opinion Of it
have already told you.
l never saw Sir Rufus again, and perhaps
would have forgotten all about my adven-
ture had not my favorite nephew, Sprague
Pemberton, been so ridiculously in love with
little Olive Thayer. 1t seems that up to the
time he went to Scotland that summer Olive
had been half engaged to him, waiting the
approval of her father, who, being in the
navy, was not easily consulted. Before Capt.
Thayer reached home Olive had written to
Sprague that On no account could she again
hold any intercourse with him; that, having
discovered his true character, she was glad
that her eyes were opened before marriage,
instead Of after.
OF course Sprague came at once to US with
his sorrow; to his Aunt Maria because she
was sentimental and could sympathize; to
NE, because l am level headed and always
ready TO give sound, practical advice. He
arrived in the morning; at night, just as the
so called slime storm had risen in all its
fury, who should drive up to our doors but
10 IL
nine and Olive! Neither party could beat
an instant retreat, not only because of the
storm, but because there was literally no
place to go to.
So the two young people glowered at one
another like two Kilkenny cats, while we
older ones made lame attempts to be witty
and entertaining At last Maria had a
happy thought.
ooh, Spraguer she exclaimed, 81 have such
joke at the expense of your Aunt Eustasial
But first l must read you an extract from a
letter which / received today from your
cousin Lucy; you know she is visiting friends
in England: she says: 'Oh, auntie, I've seen
8 ghost-a real, sure enough ghosti And
what is more, this summer is the first time he
ever "walked" in Lounsberry abbey No
one knows who he is or what he wants, and
all the fanily-all who have seen him, that
is-are much excited over his appearance
He is tall, fine looking man, dressed in the
costume under don't know what reign; he
wears a sword and carries his hat under his
left arm, one of the fingers is gone from his
right hand, and he has long sword cut on
his right cheek. He'"-
"Why, that is my ghostp cried Sprague,
Just as / exclaimed, "The ghost OF Sir
Rufusin
The Thayers looked up in surprise.
Il say, auntie, read it again"
And at Spraguels bidding, Maria re-read
the description.
That's him!" said Sprague, positively.
"Do you know that old buffer went over to
England in the steamer with mei Don't
laugh Il assure him l wasn't laughing, 'for
/ saw him as plainly as | do you. Claude
Merrill bunked in with me for two nights,
but be didn't See him, and he limited that it
was a case Of snakes that l had been drink
ing too hard, and he left me and went in with
another chap; but swear hadn't. stood
the old gentleman's company for three nights,
and then l got some morphine from fellow
on board, and l slept after that"
A movement on Olives part made me
glance at her; her pretty cheeks were
flushed, her eyes sparkled, her rosy lips were
parted with smile. l saw through the
whole thing at once; some one had told Mrs
Thayer that my boy was a drunkard and an
opium eateri
Your grandmother, also Lucy's, was an
Alden, and that is why he went into your
Sprague," said T. Il told him to
90 home; when did you saili'
y l.
not remember. 1t was the Thursday after
we came into this house on i Monday
$50 it was. Sir Rufus had the audacity to
appear TO me here, and told him to take the
next Cunarder for England, for if he didn't
I'd get Harold Powers to come here and ex-
orcise hina. 1 suggested that there might be
enc Of his relations on the steamer, but
never Thought of you, Sprague. Well, l am
glad he ia back in Lounsberry Abbey, where
ne belongsl Now, Maria, maybe you will
Admit that did not have nightmare % that
said l.
The wind roared down the wide throated
uoaned under the doors, ratified the
Dose windows; the rain lashed and beat on
svery side; but it disturbed US not one whit.
Sprague and detailed, TO highly interested
Il never addressed more attentive
our interviews with and impress
ions CT the late, very late, Sir Rufus Louns-
berry just before we rose 10 retire, Mrs.
rhayer said, gracefully:
There are indeed more things in heaven
md earth than we may do aught but dream
If. ! allowed myself and my daughter to be
'eadilv prejudiced against you, Sprague, and |
beg that you VIII accept my apology"
Not another word, dear madam cried he, |
eiring Ter profered hand most joyfully. /
How could you possibly know that my aunt /
sustasia had sent an old ghost 10 escort ne 4