Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16

What do you want of me?" says Molly.
ITO speak true says l.
Il will. will saws Molly
Il went away from you.'' saws I. at was
wrong of me. but l couldn't stand the life you
led me. Didn't treat YOU kind. Molly z"
"lou did. you did :" saws Molly.
Call me Tom. dear Tom :" SAYS /. It'll do
me good, though l am a ghost.
Dear Tom :" SAYS Molly, oh shall go
of, know shall ~
" Not yet" says l. I'm a minute YOU can.
but you must answer me first. Did ever raise
my hand against you!"
Never. neveri" she gasps >
"Say dear Tom" says l.
"Ies dear Tom :" says Molly
d" But you tried me hard. Molly" saws l. land
l had to go. Was II my fault that had fifteen
hundred pounds instead of fifteen thousand?
Amt thirty-two bob a week enough for any rea-
sonable woman? l wanted to be a happy man.
lou wouldn't let me. never loved but you
Molly; 1 never loved but you.'
She was sobbing and shaking so that couldn't
help pitying her, but had to carry it out to
the end.
Il didn't go running after other mems
wives. says /. Il was true TO you Molly.
All the time was away was thinking of YOU
and nobody else. / was all alone in the coun-
try. | didn't go sneakIng after women. mar
ried or single. as some puppies do, Saws | TO
myself IN keep away from Molly bit: IN
give her time to git over her sulks; perhaps
she II come round; perhaps she won't nag so;
perhaps she'll try TO make the best of things:
perhaps she'll be sorry not to have me with
her.. 1t is lonely. amt it. living all alone with
no one TO love and take care of you? You was
sorry. Molly, wasn't your"
"Y-y--yes, dear Tom SAYS Molly
And you did wish me back, didn't your"
says L.
"Y-y-ves. dear Tom saws Molly.
But not as | am Molly, not as | am" saws
l. and l waved my hand. which I'd rubbed over
quietly with the tips of the matches. When
Molly saw the blue light she give scream.
and tainted dead away. | let her be. 1t WASH I
the first time she'd tainted before me. and
knew she'd come to in time.
Now, you" saws L to Dick Pawson, .you
mean sneak, to come after a dead mans wife
before he's in his grave! told you the next
time caught you in my house YOU should re-
member it. You shall! What do you think of
that for ghost?'
And hit hard one side of his head. and then
hit him harder on the other. TO set him right
He was too frightened to squeaL All he did
was to tremble and shake. Then jumped on
MN and dragged him by the neck out into the
passage. All the time l had hold of him
punched him and kicked him. | BACKED his
eyes. set his nose bleeding. | loosened some
OF his teeth. and l wound up by kicking him
from the street door into the gutter. He
picked himself up and ran off. bowling
went back to Molly. She was still living on
the ground. lifted her up. carried her into
the next room. laid her on the bed and waited
| in the dark till heard her coming to- Then
slipped away. and stole out of the house.
The next day ii was all over the neighbor-
hood that Tom Blindweed's ghost had appeared
to Dick Pawson and Molly. and had given Dick
Pawson beating thatd MAKE him sore for a
| month. 1t got into the papers. and | read
about 1t. 1t was funny the things the paper
said. There was letters from people who be-
leved i'll ghosts. and who told all sorts OF
stories of what had happened to them. and
Their mothers and grandmothers. The fellers
that call themselves spiritualists. wrote columns
and columns. and said. wasn't that a proof
Some Of them had called up the ghost to Tom
Bllndweed thelrselve. and asked him questions.
and heard from him that it was all trne. But
| dare say. guvnor you've read all about the
fuss that was made.
l kept snug, watching from nv winder No
one suspected me. l watched and waited for a
week, and Molly never come out of the house
1 had talks with the landlady of my lodgings
| about it. and she told me that Molly was fright
| ened to stir ont, and that she kept in bed the
best part of the day. Then l thought it was
| time TO put an end TO il all.
went out one morning, walked long way
/ TO the other end of London. stepped into a
BARRIERS shop. and had myself clean shaved. and
then come back to this street | was recognized
| instanter, and it made me laugh TO see the way
/ old acquaintance first looked at me. and then
run away from me. One man plucked up cour-
| age and spoke to me.
| 1T can't be Tom Blindweed." saws he
"Why can't it!" says !, not letting on that
| knew anything.
Why can't it?" says he. cause you're
| dead. you know"
Git out" SAYS /, treating il as a Joke s.Come
| and have half pint"
! He did, and in a very little while was regu-
| larly mobbed. took it good humoredly and
chaffed and laughed, and then managed to give
EN- the slip and make my way TO Molly. She
was at home. and when come i'm she give a
| shrek covered har Will h.r h.p
| whats the matter Molly" saws l. I've
come back, you see. 1t wasn't right of me
going away as did, and keeping away so long
Give me kiss. Molly, and let us make il up.
She wouldnt let Inc come nigh her. She was
| so scared that thought she'd scream the house
down. The noise of course brought in lot OF
nelghbOrs, and who should come in but q
policeman man had called in to take me up
What Is the CHARGE? says the policeman.
mot being dead, says l. and tells him who
l am.
| Quite right" says the policeman: he knew
| me. The man who was buried for YOU wasn't the
man he was supposed to be. He's proved q
be somebody else. Mr.. Blindweed's inquest i,
| good Joke"
With that he went away. and sent the people
packing ont of my place. telling 'em wanted
| to be alone with my wife. 1t was a long time
| though, before L managed to convince Moll,
that was really alive. but when she began tc
| cry softly knew it all right We passed
| a H"pPs SNSHlhS' at least 4 week sht
was honey. But she's turned again, and DOM
| think I'm quite free from blame. You see
| couldn't keep my own counsel | let a word
| drop here. and n word drop there. and MOLLY
| put this and that together. and one day she
( artfully wheedled lot out of me and got To
| know that it was me, and nobody else who
! paid a visit to her and Dick Pawson as a ghost
| She tells me she'll never forgive the trick
| but she will. I'll let her know that a man
| has right to become his own ghost if he
| likes, especially when he's been served as
I've been. I'll be master in my own house.
or Ill know the reason why. Don't mistake
me. guv nor. I'm awfuly sweet on Molly
stlll-just you put that in print; don't mind
| all the world knowing it-and if she'll only
| treat me fair, I'll be good to her as it's
| possible for husband to be- But / amt
going to have my life made a misery. When
Molly reads. perhaps she will, through
| you, guv'nor that don't care the snuff of a
! candle for any woman but her. and that il
only depends upon herself whether We shall
live a happy life. I've little doubt she II show
| her sense, because, guy'no I'm sure her
hearts in the right place. And when she
gifts back her good looks again-which she
can if she makes her mind easy-Tll show
You the prettiest piece of goods you can see in
a days march.
Now, well settle up. if you please. Let me
see. I've been pattering away for ffty-two
minutes, and how you've taken il all down in
the way you have is a wonder. Three fifty-
twos is a hundred and fifty-six In pennies
that's thirteen bob. Ten bob you gave me on
account; three more'll make it square. Thank
You. guv'nor.
Why, here's Molly!
Toll NV